Maurten 160 Review: The Gel To Beat?
There’s a new kid on the block when it comes to energy gels; Maurten 160, a brand new gel from the company famous for using hydrogels!
I’ve reviewed a lot of Maurten products (you can find links to my reviews at the bottom of this page), so I thought I should take a look at Maurten’s new product!
This Maurten gel review will compare the maurten gel 160 with their gel 100 and drink mix 320, discuss what is new about this product and how it stacks up compared to other brands.
As usual, I am not affiliated with Maurten or any other brand, so all opinions expressed here are wholly my own!
But first, let’s discuss hydrogels, as they are key to understanding any Maurten product.
The new Maurten Gel 160
What Are Hydrogels?
The traditional energy gels that you are probably familiar with are a mix between a liquid and a solid, usually containing lots of simple carbs in the form of fructose and glucose. They’re probably the most recognised and common format for providing carbohydrates during sport.
Brands like Science in Sport, Precision Fuel and Hydration, Neversecond, and OTE all have gels like this. They're very good at what they do: provide carbs in an easily absorbable format.
However, Maurten has shaken things up a bit and attempted to solve the most commonly faced issue with energy gels: stomach upset.
They've also looked at how they can provide carbohydrates in a format that means you'll absorb more and therefore be able to use this for energy.
They use a hydrogel technology in their energy gels. The idea is that the carbs and sodium in their gels are protected by scaffolding structure and delivered more efficiently to the gut for absorption.
Think of it like a protection system for those precious nutrients!
Maurten suggests that this allows your body to absorb the nutrients more efficiently and decreases the risk of gastro issues, as your stomach isn’t actually exposed to the carbs or sodium, thanks to that protective layer.
They are then safely transported into your gut to be absorbed and used for energy.
What is Different About Maurten Gel 160?
Maurten have already released a variety of gels and drink mixes using this hydrogel technology, including Maurten 100 gel and Maurten 320 drink mix.
So what’s new about Maurten 160?
Honestly, not much! Maurten 160 contains 40g carbs whereas Maurten 100 contains 25g, in the same ratio of fructose to glucose.
You might think this isn’t a big deal - and you’d be right, it kind of isn’t. However, it is still significant in my opinion, for two reasons:
It’s a testament to the success of their original product
It’s useful for athletes with higher carb requirements.
To expand: the fact that they haven’t felt the need to change any fundamental aspect of the product is testament to the fact that it works! And works well! If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it!
Furthermore, it solves the main issue I had with the gel 100 in the first place, which is that 25g of carbs per sachet is not a lot of carbs.
For some athletes, this is enough, but generally speaking 25g is a fraction of what you’ll be consuming per hour. It's not uncommon now in endurance sports like triathlon to see carb intake above 100g an hour.
The amount of Maurten 100 gels you would have to carry and take each hour if you were trying to get to 100g is just not realistic.
The 160 changes that, delivering a far greater dose of carbs per sachet, so you can carry less and consume more!
When it comes to maurten gel 160 vs 320 drink mix, this is a case of personal preference. The 320 drink mix contains more carbs per sachet (80g), but requires you to consume half a liter of fluids in order to access it.
Drinking one sachet of 320 drink mix or eating two maurten 160 gels will provide you with the same amount of carbs. You just need to decide what format works best for your race and your preferences!
The size difference of the Maurten 160 gel vs Maurten gel 100
When and How to Use Maurten Gel 160
Whenever I am coaching athletes 1:1, we always discuss how to push the boundaries with carb intake in endurance events. The more you can fuel up, the better!
For 70.3 and above it's definitely possible for lots of people to tolerate upwards of 80g of carbs per hour.
When you compare the amount of gel 160s you would need for that, with the amount of gel 100s, you can soon see the efficiency of this new product.
As well as saving you time faffing around opening 3 or 4 gel packets per hour, Maurten 160 is far more realistic from a logistical point of view too, for triathlons and marathons alike.
You can only store so many things in your bike or your belt, so having fewer items makes it far easier. For example, if you were trying for a 4 hour marathon and wanted to consume 50g of carbs and you'd need 8 gel 100s Vs 5 gel 160s. I know what I'd prefer!
I’ve tried Maurten 160 for running, swimming and cycling, and had no issues during any of those sports. I do really like them because they’re neutral in flavour and, for me at least, cause no gi distress.
I haven’t used the gel 160 during an actual race since they’re so new, but have used the whole pre-existing product line during racing and had no problems.
That said, I’ve also used other sports brands during racing too and had super races, so Maurten isn’t the only brand I’d recommend.
As a summary, these new gels aren’t revolutionary, but they do give far more flexibility to your plan and make it easier to hit your carb intake goals.
Hydrogels: The Hard Data
I like to provide you with the hard facts when it comes to nutritional science. Let’s have a look at what evidence there is that Maurten’s hydrogel technology, as found in Maurten gel 160, actually works.
Back in 2020 there was a review of the data about hydrogels and performance, and it found there was no significant difference between hydrogel and traditional formats of carbohydrate delivery in terms of performance or GI upset.
However, a more recent study by Joshua Rowe identified that most studies use cycling as a modality and therefore focussed specifically on runners instead. It examined whether hydrogels reduced stomach upset in runners, as they are more prone to such problems.
The data from the study suggested that hydrogels do decrease the risk compared to a standard carbohydrate solution, which could be an important factor if you're a runner or triathlete. The hydrogel format also increased exogenous carbohydrate rates compared to the standard format.
So the evidence is there, but it isn’t overwhelming. As this technology is fairly new, I’m holding out hope that more studies will be made which will give us more conclusive evidence.
Another potential benefit of hydrogels is that the carbohydrate is encapsulated, meaning there's minimal interaction with your teeth. It's a completely different experience compared to usually gloopy gels that leave your teeth and mouth all claggy.
I am not a dentist, so this is partly speculation, however it is somewhat supported by research suggesting that Maurten’s hydrogel technology reduces acidity and supports dental health more than regular sports drinks.
This study was undertaken by one of Maurten’s employees, however having read it, it was carried out rigorously, with as little bias as feasible.
What are the Alternatives to Maurten Gels?
Whilst hydrogels and Maurten products definitely do a great job providing carbs, it's worth highlighting that others do too.
The only other gels that contain about 40g of carbs are the SIS beta fuel gels, the OTE super gels, Nduranz and the MON 40 gels.
I've tried and reviewed the SIS gels and the OTE gels, but I haven't tried the Nduranz or MON gels (yet!).
This study specifically used SIS products and showed carbohydrate tolerance and high rates of oxidation at an intake 120g per hour. This was for cyclists, but I think it's fair to highlight that Maurten is not the only player to consider.
A strong argument for trying other gels is that Maurten is considerably more expensive than most other products. Ultimately, it comes down to what works for you.
Personally I'd be considering taste, texture, how frequently I expect to use them, whether I struggle with gi distress, whether any of these products alleviate it for me and whether I thought there's enough research for me to prioritise the hydrogel format above others.
Maurten Gel 160 FAQ’s
What is the difference between Maurten gel 160 and 320?
Maurten gel 160 is a gel, Maurten 320 is a drink mix. Therefore, the main difference between the Maurten 160 & 320 is how you consume them. Two sachets of Maurten 160 contain the same amount of carbs as one sachet of Maurten 320 mixed with 500 ml of water (80g).
There is also a Maurten 160 mix, which contains 40g of carbs and useful for those with lower carbs requirements.
How do you use Maurten Drink Mix 160?
Mix Maurten Drink Mix 160 and 320 with 500ml of water. The powder will dissolve and you can drink it at your desired pace.
Is Maurten worth the money?
It depends on your needs; if you frequently experience GI distress when consuming normal energy gels, then Maurten may be worth spending the money. Or at least try them, because the hydrogel technology may prevent stomach issues.
However, if you don’t have an issue with standard energy gels, you might as well stick to those and save the money.
How many Maurten gels do I need for a marathon?
The amount of Maurten gels you need depends on your desired carb intake. For a marathon, I recommend working up to 50g+ of carbs per hour. This would be around 2 sachets of Maurten gel 100, or 1 sachets of Maurten gel 160.
Calculate how many you need by dividing your desired amount of carbs per hour by the amount of carbs per sachet of your maurten gel.
