GU vs. PowerGel

Read on for the comparison between GU gel and PowerGel! Sourced from BeginnerTriathlete.com.

GU (www.gusports.com)
Flavors Available:		Banana Blitz, Chocolate, Espresso Love (w\double-caffeine), Just Plain, Orange Burst, Tri Berry, and Vanilla Bean.
Cosmo Factor:		A nicely unassuming mix of homespun and hi-tech.
These are my favorite gels because they do everything well and most of the flavors are quite good. All versions have some caffeine and they now offer Espresso Love, which has twice the caffeine. GU is not available in every sporting goods store, but can be easily found (especially at bike shops). If you return five empty packets, they will send you a free one. GU is sold in single serving packets and five serving Flask Filler packets.
Category Score Notes
Taste			Natural, not overly sweet. Chocolate flavor could use some help. Favorite flavor: Vanilla Bean – just like pudding (did not taste Espresso Love).
Consistency			Thick, but not heavy
Initial Boost			Takes a moment to get there, but it’s like a shot of adrenaline when it arrives.
Sustained Boost			Long lasting with no hard crash.
Overall			Good results and a variety of tasty flavors.

PowerGel (www.powerbar.com )
Flavors Available:		Chocolate (w\caffeine), Green Apple (w\caffeine), Lemon Lime, Raspberry Cream, Strawberry Banana (w\caffeine), Tangerine (w\double-caffeine), and Tropical Fruit.
Cosmo Factor:		Attempts to be flashy and modern, but ends up being, well, kind of ugly (on the bright side, they’re really easy to spot from a long distance).
PowerGel is the easiest product to find of the bunch. In fact, many races I’ve been to offer them at aid stations. Anyone who’s tasted a PowerBar knows that the company puts more emphasis on performance than flavor and PowerGel is no exception. The packets were the biggest of those tested, which could make it hard to take quickly. They also offer the most calories per serving, which aids the overall boost. PowerGel is sold only in individual packets. For some reason, the packets occasionally can be hard to tear open.
Category Score Notes
Taste			Light, slightly metallic, and generally not great. Favorite flavor: Tropical Fruit – think pineapple on a sunny beach (did not taste Strawberry Kiwi).
Consistency			Thick, but easily swallowed.
Initial Boost			Understated, no big spike.
Sustained Boost			Kept feeling strong.
Overall			A solid all around performer but taste should be better.