Precision Fuel and Hydration is a brand built around the fact that not all athletes have the same needs. They provide personalized fueling and hydration options for every athlete, regardless of sweat rate, carb goals, or level.
Most sports nutrition brands start with one big product. Precision Fuel and Hydration started with one big question: How much sodium are you actually losing when you sweat?
It’s a simple, but also not simple question. Two similar athletes doing the same workout can sweat very differently, which is why a one-size-fits-all electrolyte mix works well for one person and not for another.
That question grew into a full system built on one idea: fuel and hydration are two different jobs, so they should be two separate products you can tune independently. This guide covers where Precision Fuel and Hydration came from, then walks through its three families, chews, gels, and hydration, and how they fit together.
From Sweat Test to Sweat Replacement System
Precision Fuel and Hydration launched in 2011, founded by Andy Blow. Andy is a sport and exercise scientist and former Great Britain triathlete. The business idea came from his own racing struggles with hydration and heat over longer distances. The first thing Andy and his team built wasn't a hydration formula; it was a sweat test. A more precise way to measure how much sodium athletes lose, so hydration advice could be more accurate, more personal, and more useful.
After the sweat test, the brand’s products started rolling out. First, it was electrolyte tablets and powders in different strengths to match different sweat profiles. Later, they added a range of fuel options. Chews, gels and drink mixes, all built around the same practical thinking. Today, Precision Fuel and Hydration is trusted by professional athletes and elite endurance competitors around the world.
Here are a few key points for everything the brand makes:
Hydration is personal. Precision Fuel and Hydration electrolyte mixes come in multiple strengths, and an online sweat test helps you determine which one is right for you.
Fuel and hydration are separate. Carbs and electrolytes are sold apart, so you can focus on dialing in each independently.
Neutral flavors by design. Long efforts usually result in flavor fatigue. So the brand’s fuel flavor range leans mild and neutral.
Clean. Tested. Certified. Fueling products are vegan and do not contain artificial ingredients. The range carries Informed Sport certification, with NSF Certified for Sport on select hydration products.
PF Chews: Fuel You Can Count On
Most energy chews are small, hard to count mid-effort, and easy to lose track of... or lose on the road. The PF 30 Chew takes a different approach. Each packet holds 30g of carbs split into two 15g blocks. Eat one now, pocket the other for later. Easy math, which your brain will appreciate when your body is deep in the pain cave.
Let’s unwrap these chews a bit more:
High carb-to-weight ratio. 30g of carbs in a 34 g packet means more fuel and less to carry.
1:1 glucose-to-fructose ratio. Quick uptake of carbs in your body mid-effort.
Three flavors. Original, Mint & Lemon and Watermelon, plus a variety pack so you can find your favorite.
No electrolytes, no caffeine. These chews focus on fueling you with carbs. Pair them with your hydration mix of choice.
Vegan, gluten-free and Informed Sport certified. About as clean and certified as it gets.
How often should you take a chew? The typical rhythm is one every 30 minutes or so. For athletes who want more carbs per packet, there's also a PF 60 Chew in Original and Mint & Lemon that follows the same logic at a higher carb count (60g in the whole pack).
Not sure if you’re a chew person or a gel person? Honestly, I waver back and forth. Chews are great if you find gels to be too liquidy or sweet. Or if you want something easier to portion out.
Gels: Three Formats, One Fuel
Precision Fuel and Hydration’s gel range is built on a single formula: A mild, neutral Original flavor with a smooth texture that doesn't leave your mouth feeling sticky. That means you don’t need to chase it with water to clear your palate.
Underneath each gel variety is the same nutrition science. Your gut absorbs glucose and fructose through separate pathways. Glucose alone tops out at roughly 60g of carbs per hour, but combine it with fructose in a 2:1 ratio and you can absorb up to 90g per hour with less risk of stomach distress.
Let’s get into the full gel lineup:
PF 30 Gel (30g). Their core product, formulated with 30g of carbs. A caffeinated version is also available if you need a turbo boost. Take one every 15-30 minutes.
PF 90 Gel (90g). Three PF 30 Gels in one "jumbo" pouch with a resealable cap. Squeeze 20-30g at a time, reseal, repeat. It's one wrapper instead of three, which matters when your hands are cold or you’re short on pockets.
PF 300 Flow Gel (300g). The long-haul option with 300g of carbs. Yes, 300g. That’s the equivalent of ten PF 30 Gels, in one pouch. Decant it into a bottle or flask before the start and sip steadily, aiming for 60-90 g of carbs an hour.
All of the gels in this lineup are intentionally electrolyte-free and caffeine-free (apart from the one caffeinated PF 30).
Hydration Matched to Your Sweat
This is where Precision Fuel and Hydration all began. It's also the part that sets the brand apart. Instead of one electrolyte formula, their hydration range comes in multiple strengths, appropriately named for how much sodium they deliver per liter of water.
| Strength | Sodium per liter | Roughly per 16 oz bottle | Who it’s for |
|---|---|---|---|
| PH 500 | 500 mg | 250 mg | Lighter sweaters and cooler conditions |
| PH 1000 | 1,000 mg | 500 mg | Moderate to high sweat and sodium losses, warm or humid days |
| PH 1500 | 1,500 mg | 750 mg | Very salty sweaters and the hottest, longest efforts |
If you've taken a sweat test, you can match your result directly to the right strength. If you haven't, the per-bottle figure above lets you compare against other products more apples-to-apples.
Worth nothing the hydration range comes in two formats:
Effervescent tablets. Drop one in a 16 oz bottle and drink. They're low calorie (the PH 1000 tablet is about 10 calories and 3g of carbohydrate) with a mild citrus flavor. They’re also vegan and formulated to be hypotonic, meaning they absorb quickly. Sodium is joined by potassium, calcium and magnesium. PH 500, PH 1000 and PH 1500 tablets are NSF Certified for Sport.
Powders. PH 1000 and PH 1500 are also available as powders in larger multi-serving formats.
For athletes who want hydration and carbs in a single bottle, there's also the PF 60 Carb & Electrolyte Drink Mix. Two scoops in 16 oz of liquid gets you 30g of carbs and 500mg of sodium; four scoops in 32 oz doubles that to 60g and 1,000mg. It uses the same 2:1 glucose-to-fructose blend, a neutral Original flavor and is also hypotonic and Informed Sport certified. It's aimed mainly at higher-intensity efforts if your session is pushing 1-2 hours in duration, and carries more carbs than most drink mixes and more sodium than most electrolyte mixes.
Choose Your Own Fuel and Hydration Adventure
This brand separates fuel and hydration (for the most part), so building a plan is a matter of choosing one from each. Here are a few pairings to show you how it could work:
For moderate-intensity sessions around an hour long. One PH tablet in your bottle and one PF 30 Gel or PF 30 Chew.
Long ride or run. PH 1000 (or whatever PH strength matches your sweat test) plus a PF 90 Gel or a steady rotation of PF 30 Chews. Aim for the 60-90g per hour range.
Race day, multiple hours. Fill a bottle with PF 300 Flow Gel for carbs, and carry a separate bottle of PH electrolytes for sodium and hydration. That way, each bottle can keep you fully charged every step of the way.
Short, hard efforts with just one bottle. The PF 60 Carb & Electrolyte Drink Mix gives you carbs and sodium together. Easy, powerful, minimalistic.
If you're new to the brand, the Precision Fuel and Hydration Tryout Pack (13 pieces) is a good way to try a mix of their products before settling on any favorites. As with any fueling or hydration products, test your plan in training before race day.
FAQ
Do their gels and chews contain electrolytes? No. They're electrolyte-free by design and meant to be paired with the hydration range or your own electrolyte mix.
How do I know which hydration strength to choose? A sweat test is the most direct route, and Precision Fuel and Hydration offers one online. Without that, think about how much you sweat, how salty your skin and clothing are during/after workouts, and how hot your training/race conditions will be. When in doubt, PH 1000 is a good middleground.
Why does the fueling range use two kinds of sugar? Glucose and fructose are absorbed through different pathways, so using both lets you take in more carbohydrate per hour than glucose alone.
Are the products vegan? The fueling range and the tablets are vegan and Informed Sport certified.
Which should I try first? A PF 30 Gel or Chew with a PH tablet covers the basics The Tryout Pack bundles a mix of products in one box.
The Precise Bottom Line
Precision Fuel and Hydration treats nutrition as two simple decisions instead of a singular tricky one.
1. How much do you need to hydrate based on your sweat loss?
2. How much do you need to fuel based on training intensity and duration?
Start with the hydration equation then add carbs via gels or chews. Adjust each side of the equation as needed.
