During-effort fuel · drink mix · reviewed 28 Aug 2026
Maurten Drink Mix 160 45
Half the carbohydrate of Maurten's own Drink Mix 320 in the same 500 ml bottle, but not half the sodium (210 mg against 245 mg), making this the higher sodium-per-gram-of-carbohydrate option of Maurten's two liquid mixes.
Score breakdown
Each dimension below is scored 0 to 100 against a fixed scale, not against the rest of the catalog, so adding a product never moves this number. The overall score is the average of the dimensions this product declares data for. How the scales are set →
Comparison
5 of 17 drink mixes heldPrices per single sachet at the cheapest box size we track. Best in green, worst in red, across the gels shown.
| Measure | Maurten Maurten Drink Mix 160 | 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 |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall scoreAn average of the various variables measured. | 45 | 48 | 50 | 65 | 66 | |
| CarbohydrateHow much fuel one sachet carries. | 41 g | 25 g | 50 g | 80 g | 80 g | |
| Glucose : fructoseGoverns how fast you absorb it. More fructose, higher ceiling. | n/d | n/d | n/d | n/d | 1 : 0.8 | |
| SodiumAgainst 400 to 1000 mg an hour typically lost in sweat. | 210 mg | 310 mg | 200 mg | 245 mg | 4 mg | |
| ProvenanceWhether that ratio is read off the panel, computed from it, or inferred. | Not disclosed | Not disclosed | Not disclosed | Not disclosed | Stated | |
| Price per sachetWhat one costs. Not comparable across sachet sizes. | $2.50 | $1.03 | $2.62 | $3.64 | $3.87 | |
| Cost per gramThe only price that compares across sachet sizes. | 6.1 cents | 4.1 cents | 5.2 cents | 4.5 cents | 4.8 cents | |
| Sachets for 90 g/hrHow many you open an hour to hold a 90 g/hr target. | 2.2 | 3.6 | 1.8 | 1.1 | 1.1 |
Verdict
what it does · what it costsWhat it does well
- 210 mg of sodium in one 500 ml bottle, a real contribution rather than a token amount.
- Same five-ingredient hydrogel formula as the rest of the Maurten range, at a lower total-carbohydrate dose for easier-effort days.
- 41 g of carbohydrate is a sensible single-bottle dose for lower-intensity training runs without overshooting total intake.
What it costs you
- 6.1 cents a gram of carbohydrate, pricier than SiS Beta Fuel 80 Drink's 4.8 cents for a similarly liquid format.
- No stated glucose:fructose ratio, the same gap as the rest of the Maurten line.
- Not sold as a single sachet directly from Maurten at the box's per-unit rate; you need to buy all 18 to get $2.50 a sachet.
Where to buy
Prices and links as last checked. The price next to the name above is per unit at the cheapest box size we track; a single-unit price below may run higher.
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 want Maurten's hydrogel approach but at a lower total-carbohydrate dose for easy or moderate efforts.
- You want meaningful sodium in the bottle itself rather than carrying it separately.
Look elsewhere if
- You're fuelling hard efforts and need the full 80 g per bottle of Drink Mix 320.
- You want the lowest cost per gram of carbohydrate in a drink mix.