Hammer Gel vs e-Gel Energy Gel Comparison

Hammer Gel and e-Gel are both maltodextrin based with lots of complex carbohydrates, that’s a good thing. The main difference is electrolytes – Hammer Gel has almost none, while e-Gel is designed to provide complete and balanced electrolyte replacement. Read on for a complete comparison:

calories

e-Gel

150

per pack

Hammer Gel

90

per pack

Each pack of e-Gel provides 65% more energy than a pack of Hammer Gel. This makes e-Gel more economical because 2 packs of e-Gel is the energy equivalent to more than 3 packs of Hammer Gel. Fewer packs to carry and less trash to deal with, that’s a good thing!

Hammer Gel is also available in bulk bottles, eGel is not (here’s why).

complex carbs

e-Gel

30 g

Hammer Gel

20 g

e-Gel has more complex carbs per pack than any other energy gel and this is critical because your body can uptake more energy when you use complex carbs instead of simple sugars.

How is this possible?

Read on (or watch this video)

The carbs/energy in an energy gel are transported into your cellular system through osmosis. If you recall learning about osmosis in science class, it’s the way a fluid crosses a membrane. In order for the fluid to cross, it has to be an equal or lower concentration than the fluid on the other side of the membrane. In this case you’re trying to get the gel across your cellular membrane so you can use the energy. Gels by themselves are extremely concentrated (hypertonic), that’s why you need to use water with gel so that you can lower the concentration until it becomes isotonic (the same concentration as your cellular fluids). When you do, the gel and water get absorbed – osmosis!!

What’s interesting is that the concentration of a fluid (also called the osmolality) is largely dependent on the NUMBER of particles in the fluid, and less dependent on the size of the particles. Complex carbs by definition have a larger molecular structure than simple sugars, basically they have more glucose molecules stuck together. But remember, it’s the number of particles, not the size that matters most. What that means is that at the point of absorption (isotonic), a fluid with complex carbs can transport nearly twice as much energy into the cellular system compared to one with simple sugars.

This isn’t something that we’ve invented here a Crank Sports, it’s proven science. Many energy gels (including e-Gel) use at least some maltodextrin for this reason. Maltodextrin is a complex carbohydrate with an extremely large molecular structure. Where e-Gel sets itself apart from other products is that we use much more complex carb and less sugar. This allows you to get more energy when you use e-Gel compared to our competitors. Why do other companies use so much sugar? Simple, because it’s sweet and inexpensive, and sweet things sell. So if you want to sell a lot of something you make it sweet. But if you want to make the best PERFORMING product you use complex carbs.

carb sources

e-Gel

Maltodextrin
Fructose

Hammer Gel

Maltodextrin, Grape Juice, Rice Dextrine, Dextrose

Both e-Gel and Hammer Gel use maltodextrin as the primary carbohydrate source. Maltodextrin is the preferred complex carbohydrate for endurance athletes.

For Hammer Gel the remainder of the carbs are a combination of simple sugars. e-Gel uses fructose is in the product because it allows for additional energy uptake, read how

sodium

e-Gel

230 mg

Hammer Gel

25 mg

The biggest difference between e-Gel and Hammer Gel is electrolytes. We put all the electrolytes right in the gel, where it should be! Electrolytes are critical to maintain hydration and to avoid cramping and injuries. 

Rather than putting the electrolytes in Hammer Gel, the company sells electrolyte supplements that you can take with your gel to get your electrolyte replacement.

Why should they be in the gel?

Energy gels have to be taken with water in order to be properly and rapidly absorbed (via osmosis). If you try to use a sports drink with your gel in order to get your electrolytes, it’s a recipe for disaster. The combined solution of the sports drink and the gel in your gut will be too concentrated (hypertonic), thus not allowing it to be rapidly absorbed. The result can be stomach discomfort, gas or worse. With other gels, the way to get your electrolytes is with some sort of electrolyte supplement. But this is one more thing to buy and one more thing to figure out how and how often to use. It doesn’t have to be that way.

Since energy gels are absorbed via osmosis, water is the transport vehicle that carries the gel into your cellular system. And we know how much water travels with the gel. Taking this into account, we have designed e-Gel to provide 500 mg of sodium and 200 mg of potassium per liter of absorbed fluid, which meets the recommendations of the American College of Sports Medicine for electrolyte replacement.

e-Gel has been doing this since 2001, and this is where the name e-Gel came from – it has all of the electrolytes and the energy you need, right in the gel. Just use e-Gel and water, it’s that easy.

potassium

e-Gel

85 mg

Hammer Gel

22 mg

Potassium is the other electrolyte that is important to replace during your training and competition, along with sodium. The level of potassium in e-Gel is designed to meet the American College of Sports Medicine’s recommendation for replacement during athletic activity. See the sodium discussion for additional details.

amino acids

e-Gel

Histidine, Leucine, Valine, Isoleucine

Hammer Gel

Leucine, Valine, Alanine, Isoleucine

Both e-Gel and Hammer Gel provide a blend of 4 important amino acids. Amino acids help to reduce lactic acid build up, reduce soreness, maintain muscle protein and aid in quicker recovery.

antioxidants

e-Gel

vitamin C 120%
vitamin E 120%​

Hammer Gel

vitamin C 0%
vitamin E 0%​

Antioxidant vitamins C and E help protect against tissue damage, reduce soreness and aid in the recovery process. Hammer Gel does not provide these antioxidants.

citrates

e-Gel

Sodium Citrate, Potassium Citrate and Citric Acid

Hammer Gel

Citric Acid

Citrates assist in the carbohydrate to energy conversion process as well as slow the build up of lactic acid in your muscles.

ready to try e-Gel?

we guarantee you'll love it!​

facebook-customer-reviews

Keith Castleton

"Figuring out how to stay hydrated, not get upset stomach and prevent muscle cramps during long runs and races has been one of my biggest challenges. In the past my muscles would ache and twitch and cause me a lot of pain after long runs. I came across e-Gel energy gels this summer used them during the Top Of Utah Marathon, took 17 minutes off my previous marathon PR and easily qualified for Boston." ...
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Maricopa, Arizona
Sport: Running

Jeff Rommel

"I broke the golden rule and tried e-Gel for the first time on race day. I ran the Houston Marathon and it was a great experience - no stomach issues and no muscle cramping. Water in my bottle and an e-Gel every hour got me through the race. I'm not the fastest runner, but I set a PR!" ...
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Houston, Texas
Sport: Running

David Ball

"I've been using e-Gel for 2 years exclusively and will not go with anything else....I qualified for Boston with a 3:18:16 and felt great. One e-Gel 15 minutes before the race and one at miles 6, 12, 18, and 23 mile marks and then the last three miles were my fasted splits" ...
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Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
Sport: Running, Triathlon

Shawn Smith

"At the USA Cycling Marathon Championships it was a 58 mile course and temps around 80-84. ... I raced to a 3rd place on only 2 bottles of e-Fuel and 2 e-Gels. No way around it. This product works and is fueling you can trust." ...
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Gainesville , Florida
Sport: Cycling

Vicki Griffin

"I am an Ironman distance, age grouper triathlete trying to qualify for Kona. Nutrition has always been a struggle... stomach issues, etc.... I used e-Fuel and e-Gel on my last 70.3, had no stomach issues, and won my age group." ...
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Leawood, Kansas
Sport: Triathlon

Kathy Murgas

"A friend recommended e-Gel years ago. I tried it, loved it, and 65 marathons (including 1 in each of the 50 states), I am still using it. I've changed the way I train, the shoes and wear, the clothes I wear, but never the gel I use." ...
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Dallas, Texas
Sport: Running & Cycling

NOTE: All Hammer Gel nutrition values shown are for Vanilla flavor as published on their website as of April 2021, other flavors may vary. e-Gel nutrition values are the same for all flavors, read why

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