Today’s review is the Science in Sport (SiS) Go Isotonic Energy Gel.
The SiS gel is my gel of choice having tried a mixture of different gels when training for my first marathon in 2015.
The gel is available in various flavours, with tropical personally being my favourite. I have to say I wasn’t keen on the orange, which is unusual, as I normally like orange flavoured products.
They are easy to open mid run and slip down easily and provide a good mix of fluid and carbohydrate to keep you going, They taste good too, which is so important during a marathon. There’s nothing worse than trying to take on board fuel that you really don’t like!
A little bit of science about the gels…
There are numerous energy gels on the market these days, and the choice can be bewildering. The SiS Go Isotonic Gels are designed to combine carbohydrate and water in a specific ratio (22g of carb in a 60ml gel), so you don’t need to drink from your bottle to help swallow the gel. More importantly, say SIS, this mix of carb and fluid makes Go Isotonic gels more effective as a source of energy.
As well as water, the main ingredient is maltodextrin (from maize) to provide the carbohydrate, plus various flavourings, preservatives and a sweetener. And that’s about it.
Being hyperglycemic I love the fact there is very little in the gels and 14-miles into my 18-mile long run at the weekend the lemon and lime was very refreshing in the heat.
Compared to other gels the carbohydrate content is relatively low; In contrast, gels from some other brands are high on carb and low on fluid (for example, ZipVit ZV7 gels contain 51g of carb in a 60ml gel), although this latter option is more ‘chewy’ and definitely needs to be washed down with a drink hence why I prefer SiS for ease of taking mid run without the worry of carrying or hiding a drink pre run. If like me you prefer the lighter texture then go for the SiS gel.
Price wise the gels are very reasonable and you can always pick up a bargain on the SiS website, who have some fantastic offers via their marketing emails.
All in all, a high performing gel with carbohydrates for energy and fluid for hydration; tastes good, slips down easily, and is excellent value!
