Gatorade Endurance unveils new options for hydration

Gatorade has long been associated with keeping athletes hydrated during competitions ranging from professional sports to endurance events to high school games.

I have used various forms of Gatorade to stay hydrated during marathons and replace electrolytes after a long run or workout. Recently, I was honored to test a reformulated product — Gatorade Endurance — that contains no artificial sweeteners or flavors but helps athletes replace those key electrolytes.

Disclaimer: I received samples of Gatorade Endurance to review as part of being a BibRave Pro. Learn more about becoming a BibRave Pro ambassador, and check out BibRave.com to review find and write race reviews.

I tested the mango-flavored Energy Gel and the watermelon-flavored Thirst Quencher Powder. Both provided a light, pleasing flavor that was not overwhelming or too sweet like so many similar products.

The energy gel

The gel comes in an easy-to-transport pack that rips open easily. It’s intended to be used before or during races or workouts. Once the pack is opened, an athlete could easily take in the gel even while running, hiking or biking.

When I get back to long runs and ultra races, I could envision packing these gels in my shorts or vest for longer runs.

I had sworn off other gels because of the nasty taste. The Gatorade Endurance mango flavor is among the best gel flavors I have sampled. Other Gatorade Endurance gel flavors include vanilla, apple pear and blackberry.

Each 1.3-ounce gel has 20 grams of carbs, 80 calories, 90 mg of sodium, 35 mg of potassium and 6 grams of sugar.

The endurance formula

Mixed with water, Gatorade Endurance Formula provides about twice the sodium and three times the potassium of Gatorade Thirst Quencher to help athletes stay hydrated, maintain fluid balance and replace key electrolytes. It is intended to be used by athletes during long — 2.5 hours or longer — training sessions or races.

The watermelon taste is mild and doesn’t leave a sweet or sugary aftertaste like similar products. Other flavors include lemon lime, orange and cherry. (As a big fan of cherry flavors, that one is next on my list.)

One 12-ounce serving has 22 grams of carbs, 90 calories, 300 mg of sodium, 140 mg of potassium and 13 grams of sugar.

Conclusion

In my brief time of testing, I have sampled both the Gatorade Endurance Energy Gel and Formula. I have been in a recovery phase of training, so I am unable to speak with experience about how they perform for training sessions lasting longer than 45 minutes.

However, as noted above, the tastes of both products is better than most similar products. As endurance athletes know, what works for one person may not work for another. So if you are intrigued by Gatorade Endurance, try it out and test the various flavors before race day.

As I rev up my training, I know I will be putting Gatorade Endurance to the test. And, maybe later, in my race day bag.