Customer Reviews

Gu Energy Gel, Espresso Love, 24-Count

5 star:		(120)
4 star:		(34)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Like most users of GU, I run marathons. I chose this package because I wanted to find a flavor that I could stomach later in a race and this let me experiment. This package has eight separate flavors: orange, vanilla, espresso, berry, lemon-lime, chocolate, banana, and plain. I won't comment on the taste because that is an individual preference, however, I do prefer GU to Clif Shots, which to me are pastier and harder to get down without a good amount of water.

GU Energy Gel, Chocolate Outrage - 24 Packets

This is a good product to use when you are training for a half marathon or a full one, and also during the race itself. I always take it when I run 10 miles or more. I carry it in pockets in my fitness shorts or shirt (they are coming out with more fitness clothes with pockets, and it's really convenient). It makes recovery faster and I find my legs feel a whole lot better if I take it. I also like that the caffeine in it is not that much. I can't even tolerate a small cup of coffee, but the amount of caffeine in GU is just enough to give me a little fast energy while running, without giving me a "caffeine rush". The chocolate outrage tastes pretty good too. It can be messy too, so be warned and have somewhere to put the empty packets (because you wont want to carry them in your hand). I wash it down with some fluids and stick the empty packet in the empty bottle. If the bottle is not empty, I put it in my pocket.

I have tried many gels also. Gu gel is not my favorite, I actually prefer the consistency of PowerGel, but the variety pack offered by Gu makes me buy more. PowerGel sells only 1 variety, and you end up with an entire box of the SAME gel. I like Strawberry-Banana PowerGel and all, but 24 of them is a bit much. For the most part, Gu gel is good tasting, and I agree that Espresso Love is the best. The plain is ... well ... plain, but the chocolate and berry are also good. Like I said, I prefer the consistency of PowerGel better because it is easier to get down when you are running and sucking on a gel packet, a little thicker. If you haven't tried gels, Gu is a good start, and if you want a runnier gel, this may be the one for you.

Ok, hear me out. I use GU differently than others so this review might be worthwhile or not. I was a runner that fell off the bandwagon for about a decade. I gained like 70 lbs and it wasn't pretty. I decided to get back into it, with a 1500 calorie per day balanced diet and all the running I could handle. Lost over 50 lbs so far. The problem is trying to run every day on a 1500 calorie per day diet becomes very difficult and run times are pathetic.

I began taking GU before I run (my runs are around 3 miles now/15 miles per week) along with staying on the restricted calorie diet (which is closer to 1700 calories per day now that I am "approaching" target weight). The GU not only charges me up big time before the run (a BIG problem with low calorie life), it keeps the energy up while running as well. I burn roughly 500 calories in a daily run so I count the 100 that I take in from GU as a freebie :)

If your on a calorie restricted diet and are having difficulties with the body just not producing enough whatever to keep you running, try GU. It's 100 calories that you can easily write off with the extra exertion you will get while doing your run. I don't run marathons and I am by no means an "athlete." But GU does help me, big time.

You can always take half a pack too, 50 calories.. Start with that, and expect a little stomach discomfort the first few times as your body gets use to it. Lots of water like others have said. Anything that can make weight loss and running a little easier deserves praise.. even if that was not the original intention of the product.

Unlike most of the reviewers for Gu, I am not a marathon runner, or even much of a runner at all. I'm hoping that I will be one day! I'm lucky if I can make it to 2 miles. I have issues with my blood sugar getting too low and it really affects me during exercise. I take GU about 15 minutes before exercise to keep my blood sugar from plummeting during my run. It is EXTREMELY effective! I have made more progress with my fitness level since starting to use GU than in the last 2 years of struggling with my blood sugar issues. I tried several different brands and flavors of "energy supplements" and came to the conclusion that GU is the most effective and tasty version out there.

One caveat - I'm not particularly fond of the taste. I get the Strawberry Banana and Lemon Lime flavors as those are the most palatable ones for me; however even those flavors are somewhat off. The flavors are not really all that bad, and since the results are so impressive, I've gotten to where I don't really notice anymore.

In short, this is a great way to boost your blood sugar before or during a workout. It is also be useful as a safety measure for hypoglycemics; I keep one in my purse in case my blood sugar suddenly drops off a cliff.

Love this gel. I have tried all others, and I do like this the best. It gives me the energy output needed to keep going. The extra caffeine gives me a mental edge. The expresso flavor is great tasting even though I don't like expresso drinks.

I tried it for the first time during the 2004 Columbus Marathon when they were handing it out. It helped me finish my first marathon.

-unluckyrunner

I have tried numerous products before trying Gu and was not happy with them. I could not find any where I liked the flavor, consistency, or the burst of energy that I needed. I bought a few Gu packets before a long run one day and really helped during the run. I thought this was fluke, so I tried Gu for about a month on my long runs. I found that I consistently do better with Gu than any other product. While I don't care for the Chocolate flavor (like eating frosting), all the other flavores are very good.

I highly value GU as a supplement, its the only gel I use in running and cycling. However, most of the popular fall marathons, such as NYC, Chicago, Philly, and MCM, are scheduled when temperatures are cooler -- sometimes downright cold! Well, I'm running Philly, which in 2011 is scheduled for November 20th. To train for this marathon, I run at night when temperatures drop. One thing I've noticed on long runs is that when the temperature is 40-45 degrees, and I reach for a GU at mile 13 (about the time I usually do), opening the package is labor-intensive, and ripping it with your teeth isn't the answer when breathing through a challenging point in a course. Try opening a GU gel when running up or down a hill in colder temperatures. Even the top tab (or nipple as I call it) is hard to open. My complaint: THE PACKAGE NEEDS TO BE PREFORATED AND MADE EASIER TO OPEN! I'll say it again, GU needs to make the packaging easier to open for runners and cyclists. It has nothing to do with hand strength. It has nothing to do with sweaty hands. The package should be easier to open. Period. Other than that its a 5-star product in my opinion.

I've been using GU for a long time, 10 years or more, and I think it's a wonderful product. However, I have noticed that when I'm consuming multiple ones during a race and such, they start to taste sweet, which I don't like at all; the last thing I want when I'm 20 miles into a run is something sweet. I thought all gels were pretty much the same, but alas, I now know that that's not true.

I have recently discovered another product, gel from Hammer Nutrition. Their flavors are superior (to me anyway), and they're not overwhelmingly loaded with sugar. Also, after you take one you're not scrambling for the water bottle since they don't leave a syrup consistency in your mouth. If you're only going to use 1 gel, then GU can fit the bill, but if you're going to consume multiple ones, you might want to look at the gel from Hammer Nutrition.

Oh, about the carbs and sugar content. There are more simple carbs in the GU gels, which means that it brings you up and down much faster. Hammer gels have a great deal more complex carbs in them (and they're natural), so you don't spike up and drop down fast, meaning that you give your body a consistent supply of energy without the spikes. This has been a nice change in my training.

FYI, the flavors of GU I like are the Mint Chocolate and Vanilla. For Hammer gels, I like the Huckleberry, Raspberry, and Apple Cinnamon.

In a nutshell: Energy gel that keeps you going when going gets you tough. Well, until your knees give out or something.

What it is: It's an energy gel formulated for endurance athletes (never mind that not a lot of us who use the products like these will ever win a New York Marathon or something; if you participate, you're an athlete, right?) I've got the Chocolate Outrage version, which has 32g of mixture containing various carbs, amino acid, and rather marginal amount of caffeine. The price comes down to roughly $1 per pack, which might be a bit hard to swallow (no pun intended).

What it's like: It's a chocolatey paste that's easy to squeeze out and suck on from the pouch while running. It recommends you to drink water while eating this; I recommend the same (and try for water instead of sports drink; water works better for washing this down). I used this for my first (and last?) marathon, at the recommended pace of one pack 15 minutes before the race, and every 45 minutes of activity... it was cut closer to an hour than 45 minutes, as it does take some time to get absorbed to your body. Thanks to it, I was able to finish the marathon despite my body basically refusing to run the last few miles. If nothing else, I had the energy to go further, if not the joints. And that's probably due to my inadequate training; this is no miracle worker in that it lets you do things you normally wouldn't do. Or maybe it does... it's just that having the energy to do things doesn't translate to having the physical capacity to run ridiculous distances.

Does it work?: I think so. But it doesn't seem to have replenished any electrolytes... so I guess you should use sports drink with this, after all.

In conclusion: these packs work wonders in keeps you going in the energy department--follow the instruction and I'm sure you won't bonk halfway through. Don't forget to train, though!