Mestrength Electrolyte Drink Mix - A Naturally Flavored, Sugar Free, Hydration Powder (Mixed Flavors, 30 Sticks)

I noticed that most of the reviews here are from distance runners. I'm a distance cyclist, so thought I'd offer my two cents here. From what I understand, there might be differences in what's good for us to consume (for one, runners experience a lot more jostling of the stomach contents, whereas we're pretty stationary and usually can take in solid food without adverse effects).I was training for my first multi-day cycling tour which involved riding an average of 80 miles per day for seven consecutive days. This meant being on my bike for about 6-8 hours per day, with days starting off at 50 degrees and reaching a high of 85 F. To train, I did progressively longer rides each week (longest ride was 102 miles) in similar climate conditions.I tried a lot of different electrolyte mixes: SOS, Nuun, MeStrength, and Vega Sport. These were chosen because I wanted an electrolyte mix that did not contain a lot of sugar (SOS uses sugar, but it's only about 10 calories per packet so it's practically negligible) for two main reasons--I take in my carbs through food or gels, and the sugary drinks leave a sticky residue on my bike when my bottles leak a little. It is difficult to wipe off and can get gross, because all sorts of gunk will adhere to it. This doesn't happen with mixes that use other sweeteners.A lot of my friends use Nuun because it's readily available at Costco and comes in a cool tablet dispenser. However, Nuun uses the sugar alcohol sorbitol as its sweetener and that didn't sit well with my stomach. SOS uses a little sugar, and MeStrength and Vega use stevia. Even overlooking the stomach discomfort with Nuun, I still preferred how SOS and MeStrength made me feel. The Vega Sport was pretty unremarkable (not bad, not good, just meh). So now, I exclusively use those two electrolyte mixes (SOS and MeStrength) on my long rides. The difference with MeStrength is particularly noticeable for me and though I carry both mixes, I carry more of the MeStrength over SOS for a lot of reasons.1) One packet of MeStrength has enough electrolyte for a 20 oz bottle whereas I need to use two packets of SOS (sold in boxes of 10 I think) to get the same. I think MeStrength is more bang for your buck, although no electrolyte mix is ever cheap.2) MeStrength has some creatine in it for muscle recovery, which I initially found odd as I associate that mostly with weightlifters trying to pack on muscle. I don't know if this is the MeStrength special secret or what, but when I do a long strenuous ride and hydrate with the stuff, my muscles don't feel as sore or tired. I usually end up feeling like I have a second or third wind in me, particularly if I do my carbs right too (which means remembering to eat about 25g every 30 minutes). When I tried the other mixes on their own, I didn't feel like I had the same "I could ride on and on and on" effect.3) But some of that might have to do with the levels of the different electrolytes (calcium, potassium, magnesium, sodium, etc.) in these packets. Compared to my cycling buddies, I seem to lose a lot of electrolytes to sweat, so while they can get away with using one bottle with water and one bottle with electrolyte, I have to fill both bottles up with electrolyte. With the way things have worked out for me, if I were in the middle of a long 10+ mile ascent in 85 degree weather and I felt like I was beginning to bonk because of electrolyte loss (yes, incredibly, I've managed to learn how this feels compared to the other kinds of bonks, like food bonk or dehydration bonk...I guess experience is a great teacher!), I would fill up my bottle with two packets (rather than the default 1) of MeStrength rather than the other brand I carry. That's how I feel about this mix over the others; I would choose it without question in any bonk situation.As for taste, MeStrength is more tart compared to the others, but I found that to be a pro for encouraging me to drink. The flavor is strong but light: tastes kind of like a standard store-bought lemonade, maybe a little less sugary, but doesn't have the heaviness that accompanies drinking something so sugary and caloric. If you're sensitive to sweeteners, you can definitely taste that it's stevia and not sugar, but that doesn't bother me.That said, finding an electrolyte mix is a pretty personal process and our bodies are all wired differently. I just like this one a LOT because it has worked really well for me. It's a small company based in Chicago so I figured I would give it a plug.One criticism is that the packets are a little bulky compared to others. I wish there were a simpler way to carry around those pouches---if they could make effervescent tablets like Nuun, that would be awesome! But the packaging definitely does not detract from the quality of the electrolyte mix inside. It's good stuff!

I really like this product. It has a great flavor (all flavors) and better yet works! I am in bikram yoga and need to keep my electrolytes balanced. This product meets my needs. My elderly father has also been using the product for his chronic dehydration. We can notice the positive effects for him after drinking the product!I recall picking it because the ingredients were great with little to no sugar.

I like that it has no sugar, and no adverse side effects if it turns out I can't work out that day. The flavors are not what I expected though. "Fruit Punch" tasted more like "Pixy Stick"

I was looking for a product that did not have sugar or a stimulant, but help me recover from a hard workout. I can definitely feel the difference when I use MeStrength after my workout.Great product

My kids play tennis and baseball in Florida and need to hydrate frequently. Mestrength offers them an alternative to plain water so they drink more. It is a great no sugar alternative and they really like the flavor.

I love this product, I bought to drink it after and during my workouts. It love the taste, I love how it makes me feel. Even my husband loves the product that we just ordered a second box

These drink packs are my absolute favorite! It has taken me forever to find a portable electrolyte pre or post workout hydrator without all the unnecessary added colors or sugar! All natural and completely delicious! Will definitely purchase again!

Bit too tangy.