Powders and Gels

[Chad Eagle]

I am looking into using more of these on future trips. I have looked around for previous posts and found some, but searching through past posts is a pain on this site. So would anyone care to revisit this subject? I would like to know what you use, how you use it, and how much you use. I am curious about the practical implementation of these products and anyone tips for using them. I have been looking at Hammer Nutrition products like Perpetuem, HEED, Hammer Gels, and Recoverite. Anyone have any tips or suggestions? I would like to move to a majority of these products for daily intake and maybe only bring a "traditional" meal for dinner. I like to put in miles and only like to cook for dinner, and want ease of use during the day.

[Greg Mihalik]

Look Here.

[Chad Eagle]

Thanks Greg

[Mark Hudson]

I use hammer all the time.

I stopped using heed and replaced it with endurolite tablets. I do however use perpeptuem and recoverite and their bars on almost ever trip.

I take enough recoverite for a 3 scoop meal each night, and I use perpeptuem and bars for most of my morning through night meals. At camp we have dehydrated dinners.

I love the ability to sit at a water source, throw 3 scoops of perpeptuem into a nalgene with 16 oz of water and drink up. Makes the perfect amount of calories for an hour of hiking and I get my water as well, and it taste good.

I vary this during the day with the bars and also like laura bars for a different taste than the hammer bars.

If you really get into hammer products it makes it cheaper to go to their website and sign up for their auto delivery system. I have found the pricing to be much better and they always send me free stuff like shorts or shirts, and they are great quality hiking (really running) clothes.

I just found it too much work to use heed as its really a fuel for an hour or less not all day, and the tablets are easier to take while hiking (and lighter too).

I am sold it works for me, not sure how you will like it…

[Nick Gatel]

Chad,

Do a Google search for the Badwater 135 mile race website. There are a lot of articles there (many by Hammer). The trick is to get the proper balance of nutrients. Also keep in mind that your body cannot absorb as many calories as you burn in extreme conditions if you try to replace them on an hour-by-hour basis, so I think cooking dinner is a good idea if you plan it right as it gives you some good options and tastes better.

[Art …]

I use a lot of Hammer products and do a bit of ultra running and fastpacking.
Gels are mostly for shorter, 3 hours or less runs. After that time they should be supplemented with or replaced by Pertpetuem.
Personally I can't handle gels for longer than 6-7 hours anyways. Between my tastebuds and my stomach that's the limit.
Gel is also really heavy for long unsupported situations (very low calorie per gram ratio). In races I never carry more than 5 hours worth at time.

Perpetuem is great stuff, just a bit messy to work with until you get a system down for it. Its also a bit heavy (low calories per gram)for a multi day situation if you are unsupported and carrying it all.

I drink Recoverite 2-3 times a day, yummy :-)

[Cayenne Redmonk]

There is a solid chewable perpetuem now.
Easier to carry, and tastes pretty good.

[Art …]

. . . and also really expensive relative to the powder, but convenient.

[Anonymous]

"Perpetuem is great stuff, just a bit messy to work with until you get a system down for it. Its also a bit heavy (low calories per gram)for a multi day situation if you are unsupported and carrying it all."

+1 I use it while on the move during the day(it's all I use), and have a high calorie meal at night, as well as a medium high calorie meal in the morning. By itself, it would not be adequate for longer trips, IMO.

[Chad Eagle]

Thanks guys, not entirely sure how I will implement this yet. I might ease into it and find the balance that works for me. The biggest factor to me is ease of use during the day. I am not much for breakfast or eating during the day. Right now I use bars(various) and GU during the day and maybe some jerky. Dinner will still be a dehydrated meal and some supplementation. Is the gel worth it during the day, for multiple days, if used with Perpetuem? Or, should I go with just Perpetuem? A steady intake of calories during the day seems to work well for me and those don't need to be huge numbers. I can't seem to gain or lose more than 5 lbs either side of my average weight even with a concerted effort. I can eat like a garbage disposal for weeks at a time and nothing sticks. I also, due to my job, can go through multiple days with as little as two meals and not lose any weight. I can also eliminate any hunger/weakness from missing those meals with minimal intake. Am I some sort of "caloric camel" or what? Anyway, thanks for the info, time for a little research.

[Art …]

for multi days I would say skip the gels.
gels are not intended as a multi day food source.
use Perpetuem, or whatever else you like.
just practice at home how you will use Perpetuem in the field.

[Anonymous]

"for multi days I would say skip the gels.
gels are not intended as a multi day food source."

+1 Also, they are heavier for the calories yielded, since they contain some water. No sense carrying the extra weight on a multi day trip. It adds up.

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