There has been a lot of talk about Tailwind nutrition recently in the Obstacle Course Racing and the ultra running community. With OCR events lasting multiple hours, like many running ultra races, people are trying to figure out how to get all the calories they need for such sustained efforts. Along with having easy calories from dextrose and sucrose, they also throw in enough sodium and potassium to be comparable to Gatorade. But the one big difference between Tailwind and something like Gatorade is that as stated on Tailwinds products, “No Gut Bombs”. Which means you can take these down all day long without that sudden need to run off into the woods and to make an entry in the captains log.
Tailwind Nutrition Features
Stomach Friendly – The No Gut Bomb statement is true. I’m not a scientist or a gastroenterologist but I have an extremely sensitive stomach that gets upset at the idea of being upset. I have drank all 7 flavors of Tailwind nutrition on runs from 1 hour to 4+ hours without any stomach issues. That passes the No Gut Bomb test for me.
Light Flavors – All of the 7 flavors, especially the “Naked Unflavored”, are incredibly smooth because of their subtle flavors. They give you the idea you are drinking something such as a nice lightly sweetened green tea without beating you over the head with the flavoring that most companies add.
Instant Dissolve – Going into testing their products I have a good deal of experience with many other sports drink powders and expected a similar experience. Usually you want to fill the bottle with a little warm water and let them dissolve before pouring in ice and/or cold water. With Tailwind Nutrition you can get an ice cold bottle of water and pour it right in. After about one minute in cold water there is no trace of it.
Tailwind Nutrition Usage
Using Tailwind for most of my recent running has left me spoiled. Normally when I train I seldom bring gels, water, sports drinks or any nutrition for anything under 10 miles. I know most people like to set their bar for water and gel a little lower but I try and keep it simple. While testing Tailwind for review I started consuming half a packet before 7 mile runs and loading it into my hydration pack for runs over 7 miles. It’s amazing just how much better I feel and without the worry I’ll be hunting porcelain along the streets.
You could attribute the better feeling to my bringing proper hydration and calories. But while infrequent, I have in the past brought water and gel on enough runs to know the difference. There is a different feeling and simplicity to just drinking liquid and not having to choke down a thick gel. With gels I always feel like I’m a little uneasy about 10-15 minutes after and 20-30 minutes after consuming. They leave me hoping that I won’t have a bad reaction even with my usually safe Root Beer flavored GU’s.
One more thing worth noting is how they all mix clear. I like the idea that they aren’t adding things that aren’t needed and it shows by leaving out the coloring. The neon like color of other sports drinks have grown old and seem unneeded.
Tailwind Nutrition Pros and Cons
Pros
- Gentle Flavor
- No stomach issues
- Easy to mix
Cons
- Some people don’t like the packaging or mixing powders
- You need to carry two bottles if you also want water
Tailwind Nutrition Conclusion
Wether you are just getting into consuming calories on the go, or have been, you should try Tailwind Nutrition. It is simple and has all you need for energy during your entire activity. In the future I’ll be buying more Tailwind and less gels to keep me going. Try the Green Tea Buzz if you enjoy a subtle caffeine kick during your runs!
Dario
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