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| Improved Recovery and Ultradistances
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| [http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_1?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=island%20boost&sprefix=island+boost%2Caps Island Boost]
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| [http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_2?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=Huma%20Chia Huma Chia]
I like the 4:1 carbohydrate to [[Protein]] ratio of [http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_1?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=Accel+Gel&rh=i%3Aaps%2Ck%3AAccel+Gel Accel Gel], and I often use it in ultramarathon races. There is more sugar than I would like at 13g and combined with the protein, this gel is going to be harder to digest. The thin consistency makes it harder to eat slowly and mix with saliva.
''<br/>Ingredients (Vanilla): Water, [[Fructose]], Sucrose, Whey [[Protein]] Isolate and Hydrolysate, [[Maltodextrin]], Glycerin, Natural Flavors, Salt, Ascorbic Acid, Vitamin E Acetate, Soy Lecithin.''
=Island Boost=
Island Boost makes lots of claims that don't stand up to scrutiny. They claim that its glucose is "the fastest energy source", even though Maltodextrin is faster and their Fructose is quite slow. They imply you don't need to take water with their gel, even though the simple sugars need more water than a Maltodextrin based gel. You'll notice that Coconut Water is rather a long way down the ingredients list, below water, so you're getting less than 25% coconut water and possibly a lot less. The calorie density is quite low and the overall calories are low at 70 (passion fruit flavor only has 60 calories.) It's a liquid consistency, which makes it harder to eat slowly and mix with saliva. This is the only gel I've ever tried where tearing the top off didn't actually open the gel, which would be a problem in a race. The flavor is quite sweet, and more candy than fruit, but fairly light. Not a recommended gel.
''<br/>Ingredients (Chocolate):Glucose, [[Fructose]], Water, Coconut Water, Cocoa, Vanilla, Sodium, Potassium Sorbate, Calcium Sulfate.''
=Huma Chia Energy Gel=
[http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_2?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=Huma%20Chia Huma Chia] makes some bold claims about their gel, but the reality does not match the promise. Huma prominently use Chia seeds, but Ground Chia Seeds are far down the ingredients list indicating they are only present in smaller amounts. From the nutrition data I'd estimate that you're only getting about 2-3g of Chia seeds in each gel. The texture is slightly course due to the seeds, which is why I guess they didn't put more in. However, it's nothing like the problems I found with "Chia Surge' that contains the whole seeds rather than grinding them up. The main ingredients in Huma are fruit puree, table sugar and brown rice syrup, all providing simple sugars. This is the same brown rice syrup that gave Clif Shots such a bad name before they changed their formula. Brown Rice Syrup has a bitter aftertaste and unfortunately may contain [http://www.npr.org/blogs/thesalt/2012/02/23/147294466/in-rice-how-much-arsenic-is-too-much arsenic]. Huma claims "100% natural", but I'm not sure I would call brown rice syrup "natural" given how it's processed with enzymes. The flavor is quite strong, and a balance of sweet, bitter and sour (tart). Huma is not as sour as eGel, but it's noticeable and probably comes from the citric acid. However, I found the bitterness of the brown rice syrup quite noticeable and unpleasant, with a bitter aftertaste that lasts for miles. The flavor is more fruit than candy, but it's not a taste I would look forward to. While I'm a fan of Chia seeds in general, I don't think this gel works and I don't recommend it.
[[File:Chia Surge.jpg|none|thumb|200px|Here you can see the seeds in the Chia Surge.]]
=Other 'energy gels'=
==PocketFuel==
Unlike energy gels, [http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_2?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=PocketFuel&rh=i%3Aaps%2Ck%3APocketFuel PocketFuel] is a peanut butter like paste in an energy gel like packet. They are similar a little larger than most other gels (about 1.8oz/52g) but have far more calories (~280) due to their higher fat content. (Be careful of the nutrition label, which quotes values for a 32 gram serving, even though the packet contains 52g. The label says each packet contains "about 2" servings, but is actually 1.6 servings.) I would not generally recommend PocketFuel for runs shorter than about 40 miles, but for longer races they make a convenient form of food. Note that for some flavors the ingredients tend to settle and it's worth squishing the packet before your run to mix things up.
''<br/>Ingredients (chocolate haze):Hazelnuts, almonds, sugar, cocoa powder, sunflower oil, organic palm fruit oil, sea salt.''
==PowerBar Performance Energy Blend==
[http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=PowerBar+Performance+Energy+Blend+ PowerBar Performance Energy Blend] (PEB) almost made it into my list of gels. It looks like a large energy gel, with a re-closable a screw top. It's actually about three times the size and weight of a standard gel like Gu, even though it contains less calories (80 Cal). The reason for the low energy density is that it's a mixture of fruit puree and glucose. If you've ever eaten apple puree, you'll know what PEB is like. I found PEB to quite pleasant, but the size and lack of calories means it's impractical to carry enough while running.
==PocketFuel Energy Shot==
[http://www.rei.com/product/872511/pocketfuel-cold-brew-coffee-energy-gel-shots PocketFuel Energy Shots] are not energy gels in the usual sense, but rather concentrated coffee. Each packet contains about the same amount of coffee as about 5.6oz of standard filter coffee (70mg), plus a little sugar, coconut milk, and tapioca to form a gel. If you like coffee, you'll probably like these gels, and it's a convenient way of getting your coffee. It's not quite as convenient as other gel packets, as it does not narrow at the top, making it a little trickier to consume than usual gels. Remember that while [[Caffeine]] has been clearly shown to improve performance, [[Caffeine#Coffee and Performance| when caffeine is taken in coffee, the research suggests that the benefits are lost]].
==Vespa ==
{{Main|Vespa Gel}}