During-effort fuel · gel · reviewed 3 Sep 2026
TORQ Energy Gel with Caffeine 42
The same 2:1 maltodextrin:fructose blend and 49 mg of sodium as TORQ's standard Energy Gel, plus 89 mg of caffeine from guarana, for about 5% more per gram of carbohydrate (10.5 cents vs 10 cents).
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 →
42/100
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.32
Value (cost/gram) ?Price of one gram of carbohydrate. Not physiological -- a market-based scale from 15 cents/g (0) to 2 cents/g (100).34
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.29
Cost per gram of carbohydrate
10.5 cents/g
Glucose : fructose
1:0.5
Comparison
6 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 | TORQ TORQ Energy Gel with Caffeine | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall scoreAn average of the various variables measured. | 42 | 47 | 58 | 49 | 42 | 33 |
| CarbohydrateHow much fuel one tube carries. | 29 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. | 49 mg | 20 mg | 30 mg | not declared | 200 mg | 60 mg |
| CaffeineA preference, not a quality, so it is not scored. | 89 mg | 0 mg | 0 mg | 0 mg | 0 mg | 0 mg |
| ProvenanceWhether that ratio is read off the panel, computed from it, or inferred. | Stated | Stated | Derived | Stated | Stated | Estimated |
| Price per tubeWhat one costs. Not comparable across tube sizes. | $3.05 | $3.75 | $2.50 | $3.12 | $3.50 | $2.00 |
| Cost per gramThe only price that compares across tube sizes. | 10.5 cents | 15 cents | 6.3 cents | 10.4 cents | 11.7 cents | 9.1 cents |
| Tubes for 90 g/hrHow many you open an hour to hold a 90 g/hr target. | 3.1 | 3.6 | 2.3 | 3.0 | 3.0 | 4.1 |
Verdict
what it does · what it costsWhat it does well
- 89 mg of caffeine from guarana at only a 5% premium over TORQ's caffeine-free Energy Gel on a per-gram-of-carb basis, consistent across every flavor in the line (Cola Caffeine, Banoffee, Forest Fruits, Caramel Latte).
- Same declared 2:1 maltodextrin:fructose ratio and full five-electrolyte blend as the rest of the TORQ gel range.
- 45 g tube, the largest single-serving format among the caffeinated gels in this catalog.
- TORQ sells the same guarana-caffeine formulation domestically via TORQ USA under other flavor names, so the recipe isn't UK-exclusive.
What it costs you
- 11 g of the 29 g of carbohydrate is sugar.
- Pricing and the buy link here are from TORQ's UK site in GBP (GBP36.00 for a box of 15), converted to USD; the Cola Caffeine flavor specifically was not found listed on TORQ USA at review time (other flavors in the line are).
- 49 mg of sodium is low; NEVERSECOND C30+ carries 200 mg alongside its 75 mg of caffeine at a similar price.
- 114 kcal for 29 g of carbohydrate -- slightly less carb-dense per calorie than some competitors.
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 already use TORQ's standard gel and want the same formulation with caffeine added at minimal extra cost.
- You don't mind ordering from TORQ's UK store or paying import/conversion pricing.
Look elsewhere if
- You need a confirmed US retail listing for this exact flavor.
- You want more sodium alongside your caffeine; NEVERSECOND C30+ offers that.