With all the options in the world, what does the living, breathing science experiment David Roche use? Well, he's been kind enough to share what his top six gels are — and why they are.
I asked David Roche to write about his favorite gels, and he delivered something I think you're going to love. David is one of the best athletes in endurance sports – he runs Some Work, All Play, he's coached national champions, and he recently broke the Leadville 100 course record. He also takes more gels per day than anyone I know.
David: The biggest advantage that modern athletes have is not shoes or training theory. It’s fueling technology.
Matt Carpenter had the course record at the Leadville 100 for 19 years, and I can’t emphasize this enough: he is better than me. His VO2 max was 94.9, and I think that his Pikes Peak Marathon record is the best mark in endurance sports. Garmin VO2 max estimates are BS, but it’s currently saying that my reading is 65, and the only untouchable record I have is the most consecutive days without a solid bathroom break.
When I set my eyes on his Leadville 100 Mile record, I read his delightful blog. He was decades ahead of the science, particularly with fueling. But to meet his carb goals, he had to blend Power Bars in water. Meanwhile, I could take a high-carb gel every 20 minutes and get to levels that would be impossible with past fueling tech.
If Matt Carpenter time-traveled to 2026, he’d run Leadville at least an hour faster, dusting my new record. Give me modern shoes and training theory, and I still couldn’t get within 25 minutes of his Pikes Peak Marathon record, just because fueling matters less at that distance. Going back just 10 or 20 years and giving those superstar athletes our gel technology would be like going back to the year 1220 and giving Genghis Khan a tank.
I’m taking anywhere from 2-6 gels almost every day in heavy training. But even 1 gel on hard days can make a big difference. That’s partly about performance on the day. But my main consideration is how I can adapt to training, and still come back home to be a good dad. Gels changed everything for me, and they can change everything for you, too.
Also, I’m something of a gel connoisseur. Every time I try a new one, I open it up, swirl it, sniff it, and savor it. “Hints of ass,” I say authoritatively, as I try a gel that I will not name in this email.
My big questions:
How is the taste? Can I take this gel at hour 1 AND hour 12, at easy paces and under 5 min/mile pace?
How many carbs? I’m not wasting my time with lower-carb options.
How about the price? The Feed treats me well, but I don’t want mom and dad to take away my allowance.
Here are my 6 favorite gels that excel in all of the tests.
One: Enervit Mango
I don’t know how else to say this. It tastes like sex in a gel. 40 grams of carbs that you’ll always look forward to, at a 2:1 glucose:fructose ratio that is ideal for my moderate-carb training days around 75-90 g/hr. Mango Enervit was previously called “Tadej’s Secret Gel” after Tadej Pogacar (the cycling GOAT). Everyone who tries it is obsessed.
Two: Precision Fuel and Hydration 100 mg Caffeine Gel
At Leadville in 2024, I took a number of these gels that is objectively obscene, pushing the caffeine limits in a way that I will never try again. The rationale was that every time I got more than 1 hour away from a PF gel, I started to lose motivation and focus. When Petey Pablo said “take your shirt off, spin it around your head like a helicopter,,” he probably had one of these gels first. Before having a PF caffeine gel, Lil Jon said “no.” My VO2 max goes up 5 points every time I slurp it.
Three: Styrkr Citrus Fruits Gel
Each gel is 50 grams of carbs, at the perfect 1:0.8 ratio for very high-carb fueling on race day, and they taste wonderful considering they could power a medium-sized city for a fortnight. One Styrkr every 30 minutes makes an ultra champion.
Four: Science in Sport Beta Fuel Orange
I had 45 of these gels at Leadville in 2025. You read that correctly. I don’t know if there can be a better endorsement than that. SiS Beta Fuel gels are in that same 1:0.8 ratio that I think is ideal for very high carb fueling, and they are perfect for consuming with palate fatigue. I can stuff one of these down when every other gel risks rejection (other than Mango Enervit, which risks erection).
Five: Amacx Drink Gel Strawberry
This is one of the most inexpensive gels, and the liquid consistency of Amacx makes it easy to get down in all circumstances. Plus, the 200 mg of sodium helps me offset my salt losses. This is the gel if you struggle to consume other gels in the heat! After hot days, I personally have the look and seasoning of a beef wellington.
Six: Enervit Cola with Caffeine
These are my go-to gels for what I call the “Caffeine Superboost.” With 2 kids under 4, I’m basically tired every morning. I’ve found that if I take a caffeine gel at 15 minutes into a run or bike, I gain magical powers that go beyond having a similar amount of caffeine before training.
I try to make these pieces fun to read, but I’m going to get serious now. Every single breakthrough that’s happening in endurance sports comes down to high-carb fueling and how it has allowed athletes to change training, given better adaptation. It’s not about going faster--it’s about feeling better and being healthier.
We are so damn lucky to be training hard in 2026 rather than 2006. The fueling technology makes this process fun in a way that you have to experience to truly understand.
The best time to have this epiphany was when you started endurance training. The next best time is now.
