At €1.83 a gel (€10.99 for 6), the Decathlon Energy Gel+ targets a group that specialist brands too often ignore: runners who go through 4 to 9 gels per marathon and watch the bill climb fast. With 1,173 reviews and a 4.4/5 rating on the official product page, it's also one of the most reviewed gels on the French market. That volume lets us cross-check a large pool of feedback instead of a handful of isolated tests.
Decathlon Energy Gel+ Review: Premium-Level Carbs at €1.83
7.2/10
Specs
| Spec | Value |
|---|---|
| Price | €10.99 for 6 (€1.83 per gel) |
| Format | 46 g / 35 ml per gel |
| Carbs | 30 g per gel, 2:1 glucose:fructose ratio |
| Energy | 120 kcal per gel |
| Caffeine | 80 mg (cola flavor) |
| Vitamins | B1, B6, B12 (help reduce fatigue) |
| Sodium | 70 mg per gel |
| Flavors | Cola, lemon, red berries, mint |
| Official Decathlon rating | 4.4/5 from 1,173 reviews |
A texture that changed: the 2026 formula vs. older feedback
One factual discrepancy needs flagging before we go further. On a running forum in 2023, several runners described a gel they found "thicker and a bit harder to squeeze out" than their usual Overstim.s, and at the time they were using it mostly for cycling. Oriane, from the blog The Running Collective, tested the formula currently on sale as part of a 10-brand comparison and describes the opposite: a "very runny" gel, so thin that "it almost feels like drinking." This gap isn't a contradiction but a genuine product change. Decathlon's official product page explicitly presents the Energy Gel+ as a "new formula" with a reworked format and a 2:1 glucose:fructose ratio "validated by science and athletes." The older feedback most likely describes a previous generation of the product.
What a real 10-brand comparison says
Oriane, at The Running Collective, tested the Decathlon Energy Gel+ alongside nine other brands (Maurten, TA Energy, Overstims, Naak and 226ERS, among others) against three fixed criteria: taste/texture, nutritional content and price. The verdict is nuanced rather than clear-cut. On opening it in race conditions, she's blunt: "having already tested it in a race, it can be hard to open." On taste, she's measured: "neither excellent nor bad, just average." On nutrition, she's clearly positive: "very fair on that front," highlighting the 30 g of carbs and the 80 mg of caffeine in the cola version. And on price: "hard to compete with Decathlon on pricing." The gel finishes 7th out of 10 in her ranking with a score of 3.66/5, tied with Maurten on the rating but at a far lower price (€3.70 for a Maurten gel versus €1.83 here).
A real marathon field test reported on a specialist forum
On the CourseAPied.net forum, an anonymous runner reports running an entire marathon on Decathlon gels after being used to GU gels: "I didn't see any difference in results compared with the GU gels I took last time, I even improved my PB a little, running 2:44." It's a single testimonial, not a controlled measurement, and the performance gain obviously can't be credited to the gel switch alone. But combined with Oriane's verdict on its fair nutritional content, this feedback points to a gel that does its basic energy job with no noticeable disadvantage against pricier benchmarks.
The real selling point: price, with no apparent compromise on carbs
On The Running Collective's grid, the Decathlon Energy Gel+ shows 30 g of carbs for €2, while Maurten offers 25 g for €3.70 and TA Energy 33 g for €2.50. Per gram of carbs, that's one of the best ratios in the comparison, even though the product doesn't get the top overall score (it loses points mainly on taste, rated average, and on opening, rated as needing work). If you go through a full pack on every long run of a marathon build, the budget difference over a season is significant.
Pros
- One of the lowest prices on the market for 30 g of carbs (2:1 glucose:fructose) and 80 mg of caffeine.
- Runny texture (current formula), easier to swallow on the run than gelatinous gels.
- Vitamins B1, B6 and B12 included, a rare bonus at this price.
- Available in store right away, so no waiting on a delivery the day before a race.
- Very high review count (1,173), which lets you cross-check plenty of feedback.
Cons
- One tester found it hard to open in real race conditions.
- Taste rated average, neither memorable nor unpleasant, by the comparison we consulted.
- Older feedback (previous formula) reports a thick texture; check it yourself on the current version.
- No hydrogel version: you need to drink water alongside it, unlike a Maurten.
The essentials in 3 sentences
The Decathlon Energy Gel+ delivers on the essentials: 30 g of carbs and caffeine for half the price of most specialist brands, with a texture that's now runny according to the most recent test we consulted. The taste stays average and the opening can catch you out mid-race, two points flagged independently by several sources. If you want to keep your fueling budget under control over a full training season, it's a rational choice that doesn't sacrifice energy intake.
Overall score
7.2/10
7.2/10
Who is it for?
- Runners who go through a lot of gels in a season and want to control their budget
- Runners who prefer a runny texture that's easy to swallow on the run
- First-time marathoners who want effective fueling without complexity or a high price
- Runners looking for caffeine without paying premium-brand prices
Who should skip it?
- Runners who want a standout flavor rather than an average one
- Runners who want zero risk of fumbling with the opening mid-race
- Runners who prefer hydrogel technology that needs no extra water
- Athletes with sensitive stomachs who haven't tried the current formula in training yet
RunMorph verdict
The Decathlon Energy Gel+ doesn't try to rival a Maurten on taste or technology, and its price owns that choice. On what matters, carbs and caffeine, the most recent comparison we consulted rates it as fair, and a real marathon testimonial from race conditions reports no disadvantage against a pricier benchmark. The watch-out is the opening, which one tester rated as needing work in a race: test it in training before you commit to it on race day. If you want to keep your fueling budget in check over a full marathon build, it offers one of the best carbs-to-price ratios on the market.