During-effort fuel · drink mix · reviewed 28 Aug 2026
GU Roctane Energy Drink Mix 61
The liquid version of GU's amino-acid-driven Roctane line, carrying the same undisclosed ratio and 1900 mg amino-acid blend as the Roctane gel, but at $0.038 a gram of carbohydrate — about a quarter of what the gel costs per gram.
Score breakdown
The overall score is the average of what's below, each measured against every other drink mix we've reviewed.
61
Mixed
Based on 3 of 4 measures ?A dimension a product doesn't declare is left out of its average rather than counted against it -- so this score reflects fewer measures than a product with a full panel.
Carb density ?How much fuel one scoop or sachet carries. 90 g is the ceiling here, matching the top of the range cited for multi-transportable-carb intake.66
Sodium ?Sodium carried by the mix itself, on a scale topping out at 1000 mg — the upper end of what's typically lost to sweat in an hour.32
Value (cost/gram) ?Price of one gram of carbohydrate. Not physiological -- a market-based scale from $0.15/g (0) to $0.02/g (100).86
Cost per gram of carbohydrate
$0.038/g
Glucose : fructose · not disclosed
n/d
Comparison
6 of 14 drink mixes heldPrices per single sachet at the cheapest box size we track. Best in green, worst in red, across the gels shown.
| Measure | GU Energy Labs GU Roctane Energy Drink Mix | Tailwind Nutrition Tailwind Endurance Fuel | Skratch Labs Skratch Labs Super High-Carb Sport Drink Mix | Maurten Maurten Drink Mix 320 | Science in Sport SiS Beta Fuel 80 Drink Mix | Precision Fuel & Hydration Precision Fuel & Hydration Carb & Electrolyte Drink Mix |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CarbohydrateHow much fuel one scoop carries. | 59 g | 25 g | 50 g | 80 g | 80 g | 30 g |
| Glucose : fructoseGoverns how fast you absorb it. More fructose, higher ceiling. | n/d | n/d | n/d | n/d | 1 : 0.8 | 1 : 0.5 |
| SodiumAgainst 400 to 1000 mg an hour typically lost in sweat. | 320 mg | 310 mg | 200 mg | 245 mg | 4 mg | 500 mg |
| ProvenanceWhether that ratio is read off the panel, computed from it, or inferred. | Not disclosed | Not disclosed | Not disclosed | Not disclosed | Stated | Stated |
| Price per scoopWhat one costs. Not comparable across scoop sizes. | $2.25 | $1.03 | $2.62 | $3.64 | $3.87 | $2.13 |
| Cost per gramThe only price that compares across scoop sizes. | $0.038 | $0.041 | $0.052 | $0.045 | $0.048 | $0.071 |
| Scoops for 90 g/hrHow many you open an hour to hold a 90 g/hr target. | 1.5 | 3.6 | 1.8 | 1.1 | 1.1 | 3.0 |
Verdict
what it does · what it costsWhat it does well
- $0.038 a gram of carbohydrate, cheaper than Tailwind's $0.041 and roughly a quarter of the Roctane gel's $0.143.
- 320 mg of sodium per two-scoop serving, more than Tailwind's 310 mg.
- 1900 mg of the same Roctane amino-acid blend (taurine, BCAAs, beta-alanine) as the gel, now in drink form.
What it costs you
- No glucose:fructose ratio stated or computable, the same gap as the Roctane gel.
- Amino-acid dosing at these levels lacks strong single-race ergogenic evidence, the same caveat noted for the gel.
- In the 10-pack of single 65 g packets, cost rises to about $4.00 a serving, 78% more than buying the 24-serving canister.
Where to buy
Prices and links as last checked.
Who this is for
the numbers, appliedThe field tells you what it is. This is who should act on it.
Worth the money if
- You already use and like the Roctane gel's amino profile and want it in drink form.
- You want a low cost per gram of carbohydrate with real sodium built in.
Look elsewhere if
- You want a stated, verifiable glucose:fructose ratio.
- You only want single-serve packets, where the per-serving price nearly doubles.