The Canadian brand that fuels UTMB is no longer a secret. Naak has climbed to the top of ultra-trail podiums with a gel built around complete nutrition: 27 g of carbs, BCAA, electrolytes, and even a caffeinated version. It is not the most concentrated gel on the market, but it lets you run hour after hour without the classic sickly feeling you get from pure-sugar gels.
Naak Ultra Energy Gel Review: 27 g Carbs, BCAA and Caffeine
8/10
Betting on complete nutrition for ultra-endurance
Naak has been the official technical partner of the UTMB World Series for several seasons. This is more than sponsorship: it is a real scientific stance. Where most gels chase maximum carb concentration, Naak goes for completeness. One sachet delivers 27 g of natural carbs, 235 mg of BCAA, 190 mg of sodium and extra electrolytes (potassium, trace magnesium), for 200 calories in total. The brand also highlights that 37 percent of its ingredients are upcycled.
The core idea: over an effort of 8 to 30 hours, sugar is not the only thing you run short of. You also lack branched-chain amino acids and sodium. With the Naak Ultra Energy Gel, you take in all three at once, which in theory reduces the need for extra supplements. That is the bet, and it holds up out on the trail.
RunMorph tip: salted maple syrup is the flavor that goes down best over the long haul. The caffeinated chocolate packs a punch for those nighttime slumps, but you tire of it fast. Use salted maple as your base and keep the chocolate for the critical phases.
Objective technical data
| Spec | Value |
|---|---|
| Brand | Naak |
| Model | Ultra Energy Gel |
| Sachet size | 57 g (chocolate) / 56.5 g (salted maple) |
| Carbs | 27 g (simple + complex sugars) |
| Glucose:fructose ratio | about 3:1 |
| Caffeine | 35 mg (chocolate version) / 0 mg (salted maple) |
| BCAA | 235 mg |
| Protein | 2 g |
| Sodium | 190 mg |
| Total electrolytes | about 420 mg |
| Calories | 200 kcal |
| Price per sachet | 3.50 to 3.75 euros |
| Bulk pack | Box of 12 sachets, around 41 euros |
Who is this gel for?
Marathon in 3 to 4 hours
For the marathon, the Naak Ultra Energy Gel is not the most cost-effective choice per gram of carbs. You need 70 to 90 g per hour, and at 27 g per sachet that means three gels an hour. Too much for most stomachs. It works better as a top-up gel, a caffeine and sodium boost in the second half of the race, right when your legs start to tighten.
Mid-distance trail of 4 to 8 hours
This is where the formula really makes sense. On a 6-hour trail race, you aim for 50 to 70 g of carbs per hour, so roughly two gels an hour. The built-in sodium (190 mg) covers a significant share of your electrolyte needs without loading up your drink. The BCAA help limit muscle breakdown after the third hour. The salted maple version, slightly salty, gives your taste buds a break after four hours of pure sugar.
Ultra 100 km and beyond
The Ultra Energy Gel was designed for exactly this playground. Mathieu Blanchard, Marianne Hogan and Arthur Joyeux-Bouillon use it in their elite races. One gel every 40 to 45 minutes puts you at around 35 to 40 g of carbs per hour, an intake you can sustain over 20 to 30 hours of racing. The protein content (2 g per gel) and the BCAA help slow muscle catabolism. Over 100 miles, it is probably the best-designed gel for the distance.
Texture, taking it on the run, digestive tolerance
The texture is semi-liquid: runnier than a hydrogel gel but thicker than a Maurten. The sachet empties in one or two squeezes, with no sticky residue. You immediately pick up the salty note (maple version) or the bitter cocoa (caffeinated chocolate version), a clear contrast with other brands' gels, which are often just sweet.
Digestive tolerance is the brand's point of pride. The mix of simple and complex sugars, protein and sodium results in a moderate osmotic load and a gradual release. On long sessions of 5 to 6 hours with one gel every 40 minutes, digestion stays smooth. As always, hydration is non-negotiable: 150 to 200 ml of water in the minutes that follow.
Carb profile and absorption
The roughly 3:1 glucose-to-fructose ratio is gentler than the 0.8:1 ratio targeted by ultra-concentrated gels like the Maurten 160. That means smoother absorption, but also a lower ceiling on carbs per hour. If you aim for 80 g per hour, you will saturate the GLUT5 pathway faster, so you need to top up with a drink that has a more balanced ratio.
The BCAA are what sets this gel apart. Beyond 4 hours of effort, your body starts drawing on muscle protein for energy. Taking in 235 mg of leucine, isoleucine and valine per gel will not reverse that process, but it helps slow it down. Over 100 km at two gels an hour, you build up nearly 5 g of BCAA, which becomes clinically meaningful.
Flavors and versions available
Two main versions are sold in France:
- Salted maple syrup: the brand's signature, a balanced sweet-and-salty profile, ideal for the long haul. Caffeine-free. Works at every stage of the race.
- Chocolate (with caffeine): 35 mg of caffeine per gel, a bitter chocolate profile with roasted notes. Save it for the slumps, especially during a night ultra.
Salted maple is probably the most crowd-pleasing flavor ever designed for long-distance running: not too sweet, not too bland. It has a real tolerance advantage over time. The caffeinated chocolate works as an occasional kick but wears thin faster if you overdo it.
How it stacks up against the competition
Against the SiS Beta Fuel (40 g of carbs, 2.50 to 3 euros, 1:0.8 ratio), the Naak carries fewer carbs but is more complete: you pay a little more to get the BCAA, sodium and protein. On an ultra, that difference is justified. For the marathon, SiS is more cost-effective.
Against the Maurten Gel 100 (25 g of carbs, 0.8:1 ratio, hydrogel technology, around 3.50 euros), Naak has slightly more carbs and adds BCAA and sodium. Maurten wins on absorption kinetics at very high doses. Naak wins on nutritional completeness and taste.
Against Veloforte (natural gels made from dried fruit, about 25 g of carbs, 3 euros), Naak is more concentrated and offers a better electrolyte profile. Veloforte has a natural, artisanal appeal, but it is less optimized for long, intense efforts.
Against Aptonia Decathlon (25 g of carbs, around 1 euro), Naak costs three to four times as much. For everyday training, Aptonia remains unbeatable on value for money. On race day, Naak takes the lead thanks to its completeness.
How to fit it into your RunMorph training plan
The basic rule is still 60 to 90 g of carbs per hour of racing for a trained runner. The Naak Ultra Energy Gel works as the foundation of an ultra strategy: one gel every 30 to 45 minutes, backed up by an energy drink with 250 to 400 mg of sodium per liter, alternating with plain water.
If you follow a RunMorph trail, 100 km or ultra training plan, start using Naak on your long runs over 3 hours. Test both flavors in dedicated sessions and figure out which one carries you best when fatigue sets in. The golden rule: nothing new on race day. Any gel must have been tested on at least three simulated long runs before the big day.
On caffeine, the chocolate gel delivers 35 mg, the equivalent of half a coffee. On a 24-hour ultra, keep at least 4 to 6 of them for the critical phases (km 60-80 of a 100 km, km 130-160 of a 100 miles), rather than spreading them out evenly.
At UTMB and other organized trail races, wrappers must be kept and dropped in the bins at aid stations, never tossed on the trail. It is a strict UTMB rule, and the penalty is disqualification.
RunMorph verdict
The Naak Ultra Energy Gel is probably the best-designed gel for ultra-endurance currently on the European market. Its complete nutrition (carbs + BCAA + sodium + protein) makes it an all-in-one product that stays palatable over time and fits a 24-hour fueling strategy. The flavors are carefully crafted, and the salted maple version is a genuine taste success, something rare in this segment.
The limits: carb concentration stays average (27 g) compared with heavier-loaded gels like the Maurten 160 or SiS Beta Fuel. To hit 80 g per hour, you have to multiply sachets, which gets expensive and logistically heavy. For a straight marathon, it is not the most cost-effective choice. For an ultra, it is probably the best compromise on the market.
Score: 8/10
Key takeaways for your training
- 27 g of carbs + 235 mg of BCAA + 190 mg of sodium: the most complete formula in the ultra segment.
- Canadian brand and official UTMB World Series partner: credibility proven at elite level.
- Two versions: salted maple syrup (crowd-pleasing, long-lasting) and caffeinated chocolate (35 mg, save it for the slumps).
- Average carb concentration (27 g): not cost-effective if you aim for 80 g per hour in a marathon.
- Price per sachet 3.50 to 3.75 euros: reasonable for the ultra category, high for regular training.