During-effort fuel · gel · reviewed 3 Sep 2026
GU Liquid Energy 29
A thinner, water-based reformulation of GU's own gel line at 60 g a packet, priced and dosed with sodium between GU Original (9.1 cents/g, 60 mg sodium) and GU Roctane (14.3 cents/g, 125 mg sodium).
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 38 gels 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 Liquid Energy | Maurten Maurten Gel 100 | Science in Sport SiS Beta Fuel Gel | Precision Fuel & Hydration Precision Fuel PF 30 Gel | NEVERSECOND NEVERSECOND C30 Gel |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall scoreAn average of the various variables measured. | 29 | 47 | 58 | 49 | 42 | |
| CarbohydrateHow much fuel one packet carries. | 23 g | 25 g | 40 g | 30 g | 30 g | |
| Glucose : fructoseGoverns how fast you absorb it. More fructose, higher ceiling. | n/d | 1 : 0.8 | 1 : 0.77 | 1 : 0.5 | 1 : 0.5 | |
| SodiumAgainst 400 to 1000 mg an hour typically lost in sweat. | 75 mg | 20 mg | 30 mg | not declared | 200 mg | |
| ProvenanceWhether that ratio is read off the panel, computed from it, or inferred. | Not disclosed | Stated | Derived | Stated | Stated | |
| Price per packetWhat one costs. Not comparable across packet sizes. | $2.50 | $3.75 | $2.50 | $3.12 | $3.50 | |
| Cost per gramThe only price that compares across packet sizes. | 10.9 cents | 15 cents | 6.3 cents | 10.4 cents | 11.7 cents | |
| Packets for 90 g/hrHow many you open an hour to hold a 90 g/hr target. | 3.9 | 3.6 | 2.3 | 3.0 | 3.0 |
Verdict
what it does · what it costsWhat it does well
- 60 g water-based packet is meant to be sipped rather than squeezed thick, which some find easier to get down late in a race.
- 75 mg of sodium a packet, more than GU Original's 60 mg standard gel.
- 10.9 cents a gram of carbohydrate, cheaper than GU Roctane's 14.3 cents.
- 450 mg of amino acids (BCAAs) a packet, the same claim GU makes on its standard gels.
What it costs you
- Caffeine varies by flavor across three tiers (0/20/40 mg), easy to get wrong if you're not checking the flavor.
- 23 g of carbohydrate for 60 g of packet weight is a lower carb density than a standard gel, more volume carried for the same fuel.
- No glucose:fructose ratio disclosed.
- Pricier per gram than GU Original (9.1 cents) despite being a thinner, more diluted format.
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 a gel you can actually drink rather than squeeze, especially late in a race when standard gels get hard to stomach.
- You're already a GU user and want something between Original and Roctane on sodium without switching brands.
Look elsewhere if
- You're counting on a specific caffeine dose: pick the flavor deliberately, it isn't fixed across the line.
- You want the cheapest, most concentrated carbohydrate per gram: GU Original beats it.