During-effort fuel · gel · reviewed 28 Aug 2026
TORQ Energy Gel 36
Publishes its exact ingredient percentages — maltodextrin 43%, fructose 21% — computing to the same 2:1 ratio as PowerBar, plus a genuine electrolyte blend of calcium, potassium and magnesium beyond plain sodium, at $0.100 a gram.
Score breakdown
The overall score is the average of what's below, each measured against every other gel we've reviewed.
36
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.31
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.5
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).38
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.36
Cost per gram of carbohydrate
$0.100/g
Glucose : fructose · derived
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 | TORQ TORQ Energy Gel | 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. | 28 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 |
| ProvenanceWhether that ratio is read off the panel, computed from it, or inferred. | Derived | Stated | Derived | Stated | Stated | Estimated |
| Price per sachetWhat one costs. Not comparable across sachet sizes. | $2.80 | $3.75 | $2.50 | $3.12 | $3.50 | $2.00 |
| Cost per gramThe only price that compares across sachet sizes. | $0.100 | $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. | 3.2 | 3.6 | 2.3 | 3.0 | 3.0 | 4.1 |
Verdict
what it does · what it costsWhat it does well
- Publishes declared ingredient percentages, so the 2:1 ratio is computed rather than trusted.
- Includes calcium, potassium and magnesium alongside sodium, not just sodium chloride.
- 28 g of carbohydrate a sachet, above the category median.
What it costs you
- 2:1 is behind the field-leading 1:0.8/1:0.77 blends on rate ceiling.
- $0.100 a gram, more than SiS Beta Fuel for an older ratio.
- Sold in boxes of 15 rather than the more common 20 or 24, a smaller bulk discount.
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 a broader electrolyte profile than just sodium, computed from a declared label.
- You're fuelling at a moderate rate.
Look elsewhere if
- You're targeting 90 g/hr or above and want the best available ratio.
- You want the lowest cost per gram in the category.