During-effort fuel · gel · reviewed 26 Aug 2026
PowerBar PowerGel Original 46
PowerBar states its 'C2Max' ratio outright, at a 2:1 glucose-to-fructose blend a full generation behind the field-leading 1:0.8, but carries 200 mg of sodium, matching NEVERSECOND for the most of any gel here.
Score breakdown
The overall score is the average of what's below, each measured against every other gel we've reviewed.
46
Mixed
Absorption rate ?How much carbohydrate an hour the glucose-to-fructose blend can move. Scored from the stated or derived ratio (1:0.8 tops out this scale); an Estimated ratio counts the same as a Stated one here.72
Carb density ?How much fuel one sachet carries. 90 g is the ceiling here, matching the top of the range cited for multi-transportable-carb intake.29
Sodium ?Sodium carried by the gel itself, on a scale topping out at 1000 mg — the upper end of what's typically lost to sweat in an hour.20
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).57
Gut comfort ?A proxy, not a taste or tolerance test: shorter ingredient lists score higher, from 15 ingredients (0) to 1 (100). Nobody has actually run these through anyone's gut for this score.50
Cost per gram of carbohydrate
$0.075/g
Glucose : fructose
1:0.5
Comparison
6 of 22 gels heldPrices per single sachet at the cheapest box size we track. Best in green, worst in red, across the gels shown.
| Measure | PowerBar PowerBar PowerGel Original | Maurten Maurten Gel 100 | Science in Sport SiS Beta Fuel Gel | Precision Fuel & Hydration Precision Fuel PF 30 Gel | NEVERSECOND NEVERSECOND C30 Gel | GU Energy Labs GU Original Energy Gel |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CarbohydrateHow much fuel one sachet carries. | 26 g | 25 g | 40 g | 30 g | 30 g | 22 g |
| Glucose : fructoseGoverns how fast you absorb it. More fructose, higher ceiling. | 1 : 0.5 | 1 : 0.8 | 1 : 0.77 | 1 : 0.5 | 1 : 0.5 | ~ 1 : 0.47 |
| SodiumAgainst 400 to 1000 mg an hour typically lost in sweat. | 200 mg | 20 mg | 30 mg | not declared | 200 mg | 60 mg |
| ProvenanceWhether that ratio is read off the panel, computed from it, or inferred. | Stated | Stated | Derived | Stated | Stated | Estimated |
| Price per sachetWhat one costs. Not comparable across sachet sizes. | $1.96 | $3.75 | $2.50 | $3.12 | $3.50 | $2.00 |
| Cost per gramThe only price that compares across sachet sizes. | $0.075 | $0.150 | $0.063 | $0.104 | $0.117 | $0.091 |
| Sachets for 90 g/hrHow many you open an hour to hold a 90 g/hr target. | 3.5 | 3.6 | 2.3 | 3.0 | 3.0 | 4.1 |
Verdict
what it does · what it costsWhat it does well
- Publishes its C2Max 2:1 ratio openly, no inference required.
- 200 mg of sodium, tied for the highest of any gel reviewed.
- Six ingredients, no gums.
What it costs you
- 2:1 is the older generation of carb-ratio science, capping absorption well below the field leaders.
- $0.075 a gram for a ratio that's outdated relative to SiS's 1:0.77 at a lower price.
- 41 g is the largest sachet here, meaning more product to carry per unit of carbohydrate relative to leaner blends.
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 want the sodium built into the gel itself.
- You're fuelling at a moderate rate and don't need the top-tier ratio.
Look elsewhere if
- You're targeting 90 g/hr or above.
- You want the best available ratio at any price.