Yohemite vs Other Energy Gels: An Honest Comparison

If you've been fuelling endurance training for any length of time, you've probably tried a few energy gels and had at least one bad experience, stomach cramps mid-run, flavours that taste like cough syrup, or a sugar spike followed by a crash that left you shuffling through the last 5km.

The energy gel market has evolved significantly over the last few years, with a clear shift toward cleaner, more natural formulas. Yohemite, available at Momentum, is part of that wave. But how does it actually stack up against the established names? Let's break it down honestly.

 

What Makes an Energy Gel Good?

Before comparing products, it helps to understand what you're actually looking for in a gel. The key factors are:

•       Carbohydrate content: you need 30–60g of carbs per hour during endurance exercise

•       Digestibility: a gel is useless if it causes GI distress

•       Ingredients: how processed is it? Any artificial nasties?

•       Taste and texture: you're taking these repeatedly over hours; it matters

•       Price: cost per sachet adds up over a season of training

 

Yohemite Energy Gel

Yohemite is built around a single hero ingredient: 100% Canadian Grade A maple sap. Each sachet delivers 27g of natural carbohydrates with no added sugars, no caffeine, and no artificial ingredients. It's certified vegan and gluten-free.

Carbs per sachet: 27g

Key ingredient: Canadian Grade A maple sap

Dietary: Vegan certified, gluten-free, caffeine-free

Artificial ingredients: None

Taste: Naturally sweet, mild maple flavour, not overpowering

Texture: Smooth and easy to consume without water

The maple sap base means Yohemite naturally contains trace minerals including calcium, magnesium, potassium, and zinc, things you're losing through sweat that most synthetic gels don't replace.

💡 Because Yohemite is caffeine-free, it's a great option for athletes who are sensitive to stimulants or who train in the evening. Stack it with an electrolyte drink for longer sessions over 90 minutes.

 

SIS Go Isotonic Gel

SIS (Science in Sport) is one of the most widely used gels in the world, popular with cyclists and runners for its isotonic formula, meaning it doesn't need to be taken with water. Each sachet delivers 22g of carbs from maltodextrin.

Carbs per sachet: 22g

Key ingredient: Maltodextrin (from maize)

Dietary: Vegan, gluten-free

Artificial ingredients: Preservatives, sweeteners, gelling agents

SIS is effective and widely trusted. The downside for clean-eating athletes is the ingredient list, which includes preservatives and artificial sweeteners. It also tends to have a synthetic taste that some athletes find harder to stomach on long efforts.

 

GU Energy Gel

GU is an American brand that's been a staple of endurance sport for decades. Their gels contain 22g of carbs using a blend of maltodextrin and fructose, plus amino acids and electrolytes.

Carbs per sachet: 22g

Key ingredient: Maltodextrin and fructose blend

Dietary: Some flavours vegan, most contain dairy

Artificial ingredients: Artificial flavours in most varieties

GU performs well for many athletes, but the dairy content in most flavours makes it a non-starter for vegan or lactose-intolerant athletes. The texture is thicker than most gels and requires water to wash down comfortably.

 

Huma Chia Energy Gel

Huma uses real food ingredients (fruit puree, chia seeds, and brown rice syrup), which makes it one of the most natural options on the market and particularly popular with athletes who have sensitive stomachs.

Carbs per sachet: ~23g

Key ingredient: Fruit puree, chia seeds, brown rice syrup

Dietary: Vegan, gluten-free

Artificial ingredients: None

Huma is the closest comparable to Yohemite in terms of the clean, real-food philosophy. The key difference is texture: Huma has a thicker, puree-like consistency that some athletes love and others find harder to take mid-effort. It also needs to be taken with water.

 

Head-to-Head Summary

	Yohemite	SIS Go	GU	Huma
Carbs/sachet	27g	22g	22g	23g
Vegan	✅ Yes	✅ Yes	⚠ Some	✅ Yes
Natural only	✅ Yes	❌ No	❌ No	✅ Yes
Caffeine-free	✅ Yes	⚠ Some	⚠ Some	✅ Yes
Water needed	No	No	Yes	Yes
Taste	Mild maple	Synthetic	Sweet/thick	Fruity

 

Who Should Choose Yohemite?

Yohemite is the best choice if you:

•       Want a completely clean, additive-free gel with a short ingredient list

•       Are vegan or prefer plant-based nutrition

•       Have a sensitive stomach that doesn't tolerate maltodextrin-based gels well

•       Train in the evening and want to avoid caffeine

•       Simply want a gel that tastes like actual food rather than a science experiment

 

The Verdict

Yohemite won't suit every athlete in every scenario. If you need caffeine for a race or a massive carb hit above 30g, there are other options. But for clean training fuel that's genuinely easy to stomach and backed by a real, natural ingredient story, Yohemite stands out in an Australian market that's mostly dominated by synthetic, heavily processed gels.

Shop Yohemite energy gels, including the twin pack and value pack, at themomentum.com.au with Australia-wide delivery.