Customer Reviews

Hammer Gel 12 Pack: Choose from a variety of gel flavors

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I've bought Hammer Gels for training (trail running and mountain biking) and been provided with them during two mountain races that Hammer sponsored. Hammer Gels seems to taste better than most other brands (although most flavors of Gu Energy Gel are also quite good). A serving of Hammer Gel is typically larger than other brands (1.25oz vs. 1.1oz for Gu, for example), although this does not mean Hammer Gels necessarily provide more calories (just 86 calories in a packet of Hammer raspberry, vs. 100 calories in smaller sizes from other brands). But Hammer does claim to be made with natural ingredients.

Hammer raspberry flavored gel is hands down the best flavor--it tastes like the inside of a jelly doughnut. When you are pounding up a trail or down a road, there's nothing like the thought of a jelly doughnut to keep you going...delicious!

I've only tried the vanilla and chocolate, but they both taste pretty good when you've been running for hours (kinda like cake frosting). More than the flavor, I've found that my runs are better with them. The carbs in this are "long chains" so they burn more slowly - preventing the sugar rush and crash that I've found with Gu, honey, and sports-drinks. In fact, I attribute my first jog over 6 miles without light-headedness and nausea to the fact that it was also my first time trying this product (I went 12 miles - and was totally fine - a record for me at the time) I used these in my first half marathon and beat my target time by over fifteen minutes! I'm not saying this is a miracle product, but I think it's the best of its kind out there. If you're serious about your endurance sport, you need to at least try this stuff. I'm psyched to discover Amazon sells it - it's not as easy to find in stores as other energy gels.

Read the nutrition facts and ingredients and make up your own mind about the nutritional merits of this product. For my money it's not a PowerGel fructose bomb and tastes a lot better than Gu (Clif Shots aren't bad but I've never seen the bulk gel for sale).

On the flavor front: Raspberry >> Apple Cinnamon = Huckleberry > Banana = Tropical >>> Chocolate, Expresso or Orange. I haven't tried the others. I'd really avoid those last three. I know a few guys that like the chocolate and expresso but I'm yet to meet an orange fan.

The little packets are good for picking your flavor but once you've got that sorted out go ahead and get the Hammer Gel flask and bulk bottle of the gel. It's a much better system for serving it up for your daily run/ride.

I load two ounces of gel into a flask, cut the rest with water. The gel goes down much easier this way. Since you keep the flasks, they don't leave any residue for the volunteers to pick up, and opening one of them is easier that ripping the top off an envelope. Clean up is very easy.

I have tried so many different products - from beans, to blocks, to gels and this is the best flavor and consistency that I have found. The texture is more like liquid fudge rather than gooey gel.

Of the many gels I've tried, this one works best for me during marathon training.
No instant sugar high followed by a crash, just steady energy for about half an hour. Doing a long run of 2 hours or more, I will carry a couple of these mixed with water.
Everyone is different, but this is worth a try.

I like this bottle because it is has markings showing 1-5 ounces in both directions, i.e., right side up or upside down. 5 ounces is more than enough gel to bring with you for a 2 to 2.5 hour run or bike ride. It is easy to fill this with gel, drink the gel from the spout, and clean this afterwards. You can also easily add water to make sure you get the last drop of gel.

This is also a good size for running--not too large or heavy when filled with gel.

I like this better than Hammer's more expensive soft flask because the latter does not have markings showing the servings.

I used these for the first time today. I have the Raspberry ones and they taste great. No stomach upset, quick results and a very good boost during a long run.

However, the packaging is a bit problematic. First, the tops don't rip off easily - not fun while running. Secondly, the bottom of the package burst easily while dispensing into your mouth from the top. Out of the 3 packs I've tried, 2 of them burst. And that's with the top wide open, so it was oozing from both ends.

I tried Gu when training for a half marathon and I would nearly gag because it was so thick. I finally tried Hammer gel and this is perfect. I like orange and Montana huckleberry.

My last gel pack was at the top of a 9 mile climb that came 90 miles into an 80 mile ride (thanks to poor navigation) on a 95 degree day. After pulling off the top tab I gave it a squeeze and instead of a mouth full of gel the pack exploded in my face. I'd shorted the tab when pulling it off... It was a sad day.

Anyway I've never had that problem with the flask. It's actually easier to deal with in general, provides customized serving sizes, and produces less trash. The bulk hammer gel is also cheaper (particularly if you keep your eye out for it on sale).

My biggest concern was keeping the flask clean. Turns out that the gel is actually really easy to get off of plastic with hot water from a tap.

I'd strongly recommend giving this a try if you are a regular gel user.