David‘s Favorite Gels Pack Best Choice

David Roche is a two-time Leadville Trail 100 champion and current course record holdera guy who broke a 19-year-old record in his first 100-mile race and then broke his own record the following year. He’s also a gel obsessive who takes 26 of them nearly every day in training.

Most athletes know they should be fueling more. What they don’t realize is that the difference between gutting through a hard effort and actually adapting to it comes down to what you’re putting in your pocket before you head out the door.

David has tested every gel on the market with the kind of rigor most of us reserve for race day. This is his personal shortlistthe six gels he trusts when the miles get long and the stakes are real.

High-Carb Options for Every Scenario From 40g Enervit Mango (his “moderate carb” day staple) to 50g Styrkr gels built for maximum race-day output, this pack covers the full carb spectrum40 to 50g per gelso you’re never leaving performance on the table.

Caffeine When You Actually Need It One caffeinated option is included: Precision Fuel & Hydration’s 100mg caffeine gel for focus during long efforts, for what David calls the “Caffeine Superboost”taken 15 minutes into a run for an effect he says goes beyond a pre-workout dose.

Formulated for the 2:1 and 1:0.8 Carb Ratios These gels use separate gut absorption pathwaysone for glucose, one for fructoseso your body can process significantly more carbs per hour without GI distress. David specifically selects ratios for different training demands: 2:1 glucose-to-fructose for moderate days, 1:0.8 for race-day high-carb fueling.

How to use David’s Favorite Gels Pack

Start fueling: Take your first gel 1520 minutes into your effortdon’t wait until you feel like you need it.

Target your carb intake: Aim for 6090g of carbs per hour on moderate training days; push toward 90120g on race day with the high-ratio gels.

Pro tip: Use the caffeinated Precision Fuel & Hydration’s 100mg caffeine gel at the 15-minute mark on hard daysDavid finds it hits differently mid-effort than a pre-run coffee.

This isn’t just another curated gel assortment. It’s the exact fueling system that broke one of the most legendary records in ultrarunning.
Flavors may vary