For most UK runners, SiS is the safest first buy, Maurten is the premium race-day option, and High5 is the best value pick for regular training. This SiS vs Maurten vs High5 running nutrition comparison comes down to stomach comfort, carbohydrate needs and whether you are fuelling a Sunday long run or an A-race. If you are still building the basics, read our guide to choosing running nutrition and hydration first, then use this comparison to pick a brand.
In This Article
- SiS vs Maurten vs High5 Running Nutrition: Quick Verdict
- What Each Brand Is Best At
- UK Prices and Value Per Run
- Taste, Texture and Stomach Comfort
- Which One to Use for 5K, Half Marathon and Marathon Training
- Caffeine, Electrolytes and Product Range
- How to Test Them Before Race Day
- Frequently Asked Questions
SiS vs Maurten vs High5 Running Nutrition: Quick Verdict
If I had to buy one brand for a mixed UK training block, I would start with SiS GO Isotonic gels. They are easy to find in Holland & Barrett, Amazon UK, Decathlon and running shops, they usually sit around £1.10-£1.60 per gel when bought in multipacks, and the thinner isotonic style is forgiving when you are still learning to fuel on the move.
Maurten is the one I would save for race rehearsals and race day. A 12-pack of Maurten Gel 100 is commonly around £33.95 in the UK, so roughly £2.83 per gel, but the texture and 25g carbohydrate serving suit runners who want a cleaner, less sweet feel. The premium makes sense if your marathon is booked, your kit is sorted, and you are no longer guessing about shoes or pacing.
High5 is the brand I would use for budget-heavy training. HIGH5 Energy Gel Aqua is often about £28.49 for 20 direct from High5, with mixed gel packs around £25.99 for 20, and you can sometimes find lower prices from Start Fitness, Amazon UK or Sportsshoes.com. It is not as polished as Maurten, but it is hard to ignore if you are taking gels every weekend.
My Short Answer
Choose:
- SiS if you want the easiest all-rounder for half marathon and marathon training.
- Maurten if you want a premium race gel and have already tested that your stomach likes it.
- High5 if value matters and you prefer a lighter, drink-like gel texture.
The biggest mistake is buying a full race box before testing one or two sachets on a normal long run. Running nutrition is personal. A gel can look perfect on paper and still feel like wallpaper paste at 28km.
What Each Brand Is Best At
The useful way to compare SiS vs Maurten vs High5 running nutrition is to ignore the marketing language and ask what job each brand does best. For the broader meal-and-timing picture, our running nutrition guide covers what to eat before, during and after runs.
SiS: The Dependable All-Rounder
SiS GO Isotonic is popular because it is easy to take without overthinking water timing. The standard 60ml GO Isotonic gel gives about 22g carbohydrate, and the Science in Sport GO gel range includes caffeine, electrolyte and variety-pack options. That makes SiS a simple recommendation for runners building from 10K to half marathon, or for anyone who wants something available on the high street rather than a specialist-only brand. It is also one of the brands that usually appears when runners compare the best energy gels for running.
The downside is bulk. A 60ml sachet is bigger than some concentrated gels, so carrying four or five for a marathon takes pocket space. The flavours can also feel sweet late in a race, especially if you are already drinking sports drink at aid stations.
Maurten: The Premium Race Option
Maurten Gel 100 is built around a firmer hydrogel texture and 25g carbohydrate per 40g sachet. Maurten’s own Gel 100 listing describes a 12-serving box and a short ingredient list, which is part of the appeal for runners who dislike syrupy gels. The Maurten Gel 100 product page is US-priced, but UK sellers such as XMiles, Amazon UK and specialist running shops normally put a 12-pack around £33.95-£39.99. If the gel format itself is still new to you, our explainer on when and how to use running gels is the better starting point.
The catch is cost. If you are using three gels on every long run for eight weeks, Maurten gets expensive quickly. I would not burn through it on every easy Sunday run unless money is no object. Use cheaper fuel for routine sessions, then rehearse Maurten for the important long runs where you practise race pace.
High5: The Value Training Pick
High5 makes sense when you want affordable fuel you can use often. Energy Gel Aqua has a thinner texture than many classic gels, and High5 says it does not require extra water in the same way thicker gels often do. In practice, I would still drink normally during longer runs, but the lighter feel is useful if thick gels make you gag.
High5 has more of a cycling and triathlon feel than Maurten’s marathon-race polish, but that is not a bad thing. It is practical, widely discounted, and easy to stock up before a block of weekend long runs.
UK Prices and Value Per Run
Price matters because running nutrition is not a one-off purchase. One gel is cheap. Twelve weeks of long runs, tune-up races and race day is not.
Typical UK Prices
Current UK pricing moves around with discounts, but these are realistic working ranges:
- SiS GO Isotonic 60ml: about £1.10-£1.60 each, or roughly £23-£34 for a 30-pack depending on offer and flavour.
- SiS Beta Fuel: usually about £2.50-£3.00 per sachet, aimed at higher carbohydrate intake than standard GO gels.
- Maurten Gel 100: about £33.95-£39.99 for 12, roughly £2.83-£3.33 each.
- Maurten Gel 100 Caf 100: often about £39.99-£46.99 for 12, roughly £3.33-£3.92 each.
- High5 Energy Gel Aqua: about £28.49 for 20 from High5, roughly £1.42 each, with discount retailers sometimes lower.
- High5 mixed gel packs: often about £25.99 for 20, or about £1.30 each.
If you take two gels during a half marathon rehearsal, the difference between High5 and Maurten is only a few pounds. If you take four gels on race day and use the same brand for six big long runs, the difference becomes a pair of running socks.
Value by Training Scenario
For a weekly 90-minute run, High5 or SiS usually wins. You can test flavour, timing and stomach response without feeling as if each session needs a spreadsheet.
For a marathon dress rehearsal, Maurten can be worth the spend because race-day confidence has value. If you know Gel 100 sits well at marathon pace, paying £11-£14 for four gels on the day is not ridiculous compared with entry fees, travel, shoes and the training time already invested. Pair that with a full marathon nutrition plan rather than guessing week by week.
For most runners, the smart move is mixed use: High5 or SiS in routine training, then SiS Beta Fuel or Maurten for the final long runs if you need more carbohydrate per hour.
Taste, Texture and Stomach Comfort
This is where spec sheets stop helping. The gel you can actually swallow at effort is the best gel for you.
Texture Differences
SiS GO Isotonic is relatively fluid for a gel. It is bulkier in the hand, but easier to get down when your breathing is hard. I find this style useful for runners who are nervous about gels because it feels less like eating syrup.
Maurten is firmer and more neutral. Some runners love that it is not aggressively flavoured; others find the jelly-like texture odd at first. Do not try it for the first time in a race. It needs a normal training run test, ideally when you are already slightly tired.
High5 Energy Gel Aqua is closer to a small sports drink pouch. That makes it easy to sip, but the sachet size is larger, so race-belt storage matters. If you run with a vest, no problem. If you rely on shorts pockets, check this before race week.
Stomach Comfort Is About Timing Too
A bad gel experience is not always the gel’s fault. Common causes include taking it too late, taking it at too high an effort, mixing several brands in one run, or washing a concentrated gel down with too little fluid.
I would test one variable at a time:
- Start with one gel after 35-45 minutes on an easy long run, not during intervals.
- Use the same breakfast you normally eat before running so you know what changed.
- Carry water even with isotonic or aqua-style gels, especially in warm weather.
- Write down the result when you get home: flavour, texture, energy, stomach and any toilet urgency. Glamorous sport, running.
If one brand repeatedly feels wrong, move on. You do not get extra points for forcing down the gel everyone on Instagram is using.
Which One to Use for 5K, Half Marathon and Marathon Training
The best brand changes with distance. A 5K runner does not need the same fuelling plan as someone training for London, Manchester or Brighton Marathon.
5K and 10K
For most 5K and 10K efforts, you probably do not need a gel during the race. Spend the money on a decent pre-run snack, a bottle of water and getting your pacing right.
If you are racing hard after work and have not eaten properly, a SiS or High5 gel 10-15 minutes before the start can be useful. Maurten is overkill here unless you already have spare sachets and know you like them.
Half Marathon
Half marathon is the sweet spot for SiS. One gel around 35-45 minutes and another around 70 minutes works for many runners, depending on pace and breakfast. High5 does the same job for less money if you like the texture.
Maurten becomes interesting for runners chasing a PB or those who struggle with sweetness late in a race. I would use Gel 100 in two rehearsal runs before deciding. If it feels good at goal pace, keep it for race day.
Marathon
Marathon training is where the difference between brands matters most. Many runners aim for roughly 40-60g carbohydrate per hour at first, then build higher if their gut tolerates it. That might mean two standard gels per hour, or a mix of gels and sports drink.
SiS GO Isotonic is easy to manage but bulky if you need six or seven sachets. SiS Beta Fuel and Maurten make more sense when you are deliberately pushing carbohydrate intake. High5 is the budget option for long-run practice, especially if you are still learning timing and do not want every experiment to cost £12.
Use your key marathon sessions to practise the exact brand, timing and carrying method. The gel plan is part of the kit, just like shoes. You would not wear new carbon shoes on race day without a test run; do not do it with nutrition either.
Caffeine, Electrolytes and Product Range
The brand choice is not just standard gel versus standard gel. Each range has caffeine, electrolyte, drink mix and higher-carb options that can change the decision.
Caffeine Options
Caffeine gels can help in longer races, but they are easy to overdo. Maurten Gel 100 Caf 100 contains 100mg caffeine, which is a proper dose. High5 Energy Gel Aqua Caffeine is commonly listed at 30mg caffeine per sachet. SiS caffeine gels vary by product, so check the label before stacking them with coffee.
If you are caffeine-sensitive, avoid the heroic approach. Test one caffeine gel in training, not three on race morning. Also remember that a pre-race flat white plus two caffeine gels can be a lot if you normally drink one tea a day.
Electrolytes and Hydration
Electrolyte gels are useful in warm conditions, but they do not replace drinking. For UK spring marathons, temperature can swing from chilly to weirdly warm in the same week, so it is worth having a flexible plan. Our guide to the best electrolyte drinks for runners covers the drink side if gels alone are not enough.
SiS and High5 both make electrolyte-focused products that fit normal training. Maurten is more about carbohydrate delivery, with hydration handled separately through water and drink mixes. If you sweat heavily or finish runs with salt marks on your kit, you may need a more deliberate hydration plan alongside whichever gel brand you choose.
Product Range Simplicity
SiS has the easiest range to find in UK shops. High5 is good for discounted multipacks and training stock-ups. Maurten is narrower but more focused: gels, drink mixes and race-day systems.
That matters because decision fatigue is real. If you are a newer runner, SiS is easier. If you love testing exact race nutrition, Maurten gives you a tighter system. If you are practical and price-led, High5 keeps the cupboard full.
How to Test Them Before Race Day
A decent testing plan beats reading another hundred reviews. You are trying to answer three questions: can you swallow it, can your stomach handle it, and does it fit your race logistics?
A Three-Run Test
Use three similar long runs, ideally on routes where you know the toilets, water stops and effort level.
- Run one with SiS using your likely half marathon or marathon timing.
- Run one with High5 at the same timing and similar breakfast.
- Run one with Maurten once you know the distance and effort are manageable.
Keep everything else boring. Same breakfast, similar route, similar pace. If you change shoes, breakfast, weather, effort and gel brand all at once, you learn very little.
Check Carrying and Opening
This sounds minor until you are trying to rip open a sticky sachet with cold fingers. SiS sachets are larger. High5 Aqua sachets are easy to sip but take space. Maurten sachets are compact, but the texture means you need to commit to swallowing the gel rather than nursing it for ages.
Practise where each gel goes:
- Shorts pockets: fine for one or two compact gels, less good for bulky Aqua-style sachets.
- Running belt: good for half marathon and marathon fuelling, but test bounce before race day.
- Race vest: easiest for long training runs, though not always what you want in a road race.
If a gel is hard to open, pre-tear it slightly before the race. Not enough to leak, just enough that cold hands will not turn it into a wrestling match.
SiS is the brand I would recommend to most UK runners first. It is easy to buy, reasonably priced, and forgiving enough for runners still learning gel timing. Start with GO Isotonic, then look at Beta Fuel only if you are training your gut for higher carbohydrate intake.
Maurten is the best race-day choice if it agrees with you. It costs more, but the neutral flavour and compact serving make sense for serious half marathon and marathon efforts. Buy a few singles or a 12-pack, test it properly, then decide if it earns a place in your race plan.
High5 is the sensible value option. It is not the fanciest brand here, but it is useful, affordable and easy to use often. If you are building your first marathon block and want to practise fuelling without burning through premium gels every Sunday, High5 deserves a look.
The final answer: SiS for most runners, Maurten for race-day confidence, High5 for budget-friendly training. Pick one for your next long run, not your next race.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is SiS better than Maurten for running? SiS is better for most runners starting out because it is cheaper, easier to find in UK shops and more forgiving to use. Maurten is better if you want a premium race gel and already know the texture suits you.
Is Maurten worth the money for a marathon? Maurten can be worth it for marathon race day if you have tested it in long runs and it sits well. At roughly £2.83-£3.33 per Gel 100, I would save it for key rehearsals and the race rather than every routine long run.
Is High5 good enough for marathon training? Yes, High5 is good enough for marathon training if your stomach handles it and you practise the timing. It is especially useful for regular long runs because multipacks are usually cheaper than Maurten.
Which brand is cheapest in the UK? High5 and SiS usually beat Maurten on price. High5 mixed packs often work out around £1.30-£1.45 per gel, while SiS GO Isotonic is often about £1.10-£1.60 depending on offers.
Should I mix SiS, Maurten and High5 in one race? I would avoid mixing brands in one race unless you have practised that exact setup. Different textures, caffeine levels and carbohydrate types can make it harder to know what caused any stomach issue.
Do I need gels for a 10K? Most runners do not need a gel during a 10K. A gel before the start can help if you are under-fuelled, but for the race itself pacing, breakfast and hydration matter more.