HAMMER GEL: I believe that another company already tried this. I think having Hammer Gel available "in bulk" with an easy delivery system (via the flask) already solves a lot of problems. Mixing a powder into a solution is one extra step that I would suggest many athletes don't want to bother with. Additionally, try mixing a concentrated powdered gel, one containing primarily short-chain carbohydrates, in water. Chances are it will not dissolve completely in solution.

FIREBALL: European manufacturers already have a powder-to-gel mix—the only problem is getting the consistency right every time if not measuring your fluid mix.

LEPPIN: New technology is on the way in packaging and delivery systems (trade secret).

Powder is available from some companies, but the consumer demands convenience. The powder would be a big mess. High Five in Europe and some others offer the powder. A good point about powders is that powder is cheaper for shipping than water-mixed energy gels.

CARB-BOOM: Within the endurance community, energy gels are the most ‘cutting edge’ carbohydrate replacement to date. The sport nutrition market really began several decades ago with the introduction of Gatorade and other sports drinks. Energy bars were the next big sports food to hit the scene and were born out of the need that athletes ‘on the go’ wanted a convenient and more compact source of carbohydrates during endurance activity than sports drinks could offer. Carbohydrate energy gels, a sort of hybrid between the sports drink and energy bar, combined the best attributes of both and emerged several years later in the early-mid ‘90s. Gels offer the athlete a super-concentrated source of carbohydrate that is convenient, portable, easily absorbed and gentle on the stomach during periods of peak performance. So, what (if anything) will replace gels as the next advancement in sport nutrition? Who knows? We’re not exactly sure ourselves.

However, we would like to briefly address one aspect of the gel market that called for a definite improvement—and one that Carb-BOOM has successfully tackled. This aspect is the simple issue of taste. Until recently, taste has been one of the most limiting factors in the acceptance and popularity of energy gels among the athletic community. The urgent need for a great-tasting gel is what motivated Carb-BOOM to introduce their three new flavors last fall. Carb-BOOM uses real fruit in its formulation to offer a gel that is clean, natural and often produces a response of, "Wow! This actually tastes good!"

You did mention the subject of powdered gels so we’ll address this point briefly. The idea of a gel in powdered form has been looked at already. High Five, a company in Europe, experimented with this concept several years ago. Whether or not this product is still on he market is not known; however, two major drawbacks that prevent powdered gels as a viable option are solubility and taste. It is very difficult to achieve the proper homogeneity, consistency and "mouth feel" by simply adding water to a powder and shaking it up. Getting it to taste good is whole different hurdle to surmount.

POWERGEL: This is an interesting concept and may be technically feasible. However, most gel-like substances need some heat processing to ensure a smooth consistency, which we know is important to the athlete.

GU: Sure, just check out the pharmaceutical industry. For small doses of medication the transdermal patch (through the skin) and the inhalor (through the lung) routes are finding greater uses. Can you imagine an intravenous infusion pump delivering nutritional solutions during an Ironman ? He/she with the best pump wins!

SHARKIES: We believe Sharkies are the new delivery system and will revolutionize the sports food industry. Based in the form of a gummy and made from real foods (whole rice syrup and fruit juice), Sharkies deliver a highly efficient source of energy to your body. Sharkies also are very tasty, which mentally helps as you enjoy your eating experience. Another comment from many Sharkies users is they find that Sharkies are very gentle on their stomachs.