GU Liquid Energy

£24 for 12, guenergy.co.uk

GU is probably best known for making interesting gel flavour combinations such as salted watermelon, campfire smores and birthday cake. But these Liquid Energy Gels stick to slightly more standard tastes, including orange, lemonade and cola. They have also got a completely different consistency. Each 60g gel contains 23g carbs in a runny liquid that you can literally pour into your mouth and eat without needing water.

Those dual-source carbs come from a blend of Maltodextrin and fructose. There are also caffeine options with 40mg caffeine, alongside 450mg BCAAs to help delay muscle fatigue. I tested the lemon and lime, orange, and coffee flavours. There’s no real fruit juice in sight here – it’s all artificial flavourings. So while they’re OK, I didn’t really look forward to eating them. I’d put these in the ‘necessary evil’ gel category rather than the ‘yummy give me more’.

If you don’t mind the faux fruit taste, they pack a good energy punch and the liquid consistency can be a pleasant change to thicker gels. However, if you’re moving at speed, particularly running, the liquid is a little harder to manage. Even with the rip-top opening tabs, it’s easy to get sticky stuff everywhere. The higher water content has other benefits, though. Unlike most gels, these can be frozen, which offers an interesting – and pretty unique – alternative way to use them on hot days. Interestingly, the GU website also recommends you only take seven gels in a single day.

That’s not enough fuel for most of us to complete a marathon. The packs are also quite big, but because the contents are so loose, you can fold them to make them more stashable. Like the Vala and Veloforte options, I’d recommend using these in combination with other gels. Taste: ★★★★★ Energy: ★★★★★ Portability: ★★★★★ OVERALL: ★★★ ★