Carbs vs. Gels: Why Drink Mixes Are Easier on the Stomach
Every endurance athlete has been there: late in a race, you tear open another sticky gel, choke it down, and your stomach revolts. Instead of giving you energy, it makes you queasy. Meanwhile, your friend is cruising with a bottle in hand, sipping steadily and never hitting the wall.
This is the ongoing debate: carb drink mix vs gels. Both deliver carbohydrates to fuel long efforts. Both can get the job done. But when it comes to gut comfort running and liquid fueling ultramarathon strategies, drink mixes usually win.
Why carbs matter in the first place
Your body can only store about 90–120 minutes of glycogen at race pace. After that, if you’re not refueling, you bonk. Science shows endurance athletes perform best when they consume 60–90 grams of carbs per hour, sometimes even up to 100–120 g/hr with the right glucose + fructose combo.
The real question isn’t whether you need carbs — it’s how you deliver them.
Gels: Pros and Cons
Pros
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Portable and lightweight. Easy to stuff 6–10 in a pocket or vest.
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Measured dose. Each packet is ~20–25 g of carbs, so math is simple.
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Widely available. Every aid station has them, every store sells them.
Cons
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Gut overload. One gel hits the stomach as a thick, concentrated sugar bomb. Without water, it can cause GI distress fast.
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Sticky mess. Hands, pockets, bottles — everything ends up covered in syrup.
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Hard to stomach late. After 4–5 hours, many athletes can’t bear the taste or texture.
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Hydration mismatch. You still need to chase gels with water or sports drink, making planning more complicated.
Carb Drink Mixes: Pros and Cons
Pros
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Steady fueling. Carbs + fluid go in together, keeping absorption smooth.
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Gut comfort. Liquids pass through the stomach faster, reducing bloating or nausea.
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Simplifies the plan. Instead of juggling gels, water, and electrolyte tabs, you sip from one bottle.
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Customizable. Want more carbs? Mix it stronger. Need less? Dilute it.
Cons
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Heavier to carry. Liquids weigh more, so you need bottles or flasks.
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Mixing required. You can’t just rip a packet; you’ve got to prep in advance.
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Less convenient at aid stations. Unless you bring your own mix, you may not find it on course.
Why drink mixes are easier on the stomach
The main advantage of liquid fueling in ultramarathons and long rides is gut comfort. Liquids are absorbed more quickly, they hydrate while fueling, and they spread carbs evenly over time instead of in jolts.
For athletes with sensitive stomachs — and let’s be real, that’s most of us at some point in a 6–12 hour effort — a carb drink mix is the difference between steady energy and race-ending nausea.
The Dirtbag Hydration approach
We designed Dirtbag Hydration for athletes who were tired of gut bombs and complicated fueling strategies. Each serving delivers:
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A heavy carb payload for sustained energy.
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400 mg sodium per serving — a smart baseline for most athletes that can be supplemented for heavy sweaters.
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Simple, flexible fueling. One bottle of Dirtbag, one bottle of water. Refill, repeat, and keep moving.
Bottom line
Carb drink mix vs gels isn’t really a contest for long efforts. Gels have their place — short races, aid-station backups, emergency energy — but for consistent fueling, hydration, and gut comfort, liquid fueling wins.
If you want to finish strong instead of doubled over, go with the mix that keeps your stomach as steady as your stride.