How does 32Gi compare with other South African gels?
32Gi is a South African endurance brand and was the official gel and energy-bar supplier to the 2024 Comrades Marathon. Its High Intensity Gel costs R25–R35, but carbohydrate and caffeine per gel are not published on the retailer pages we checked, so it cannot be compared per gram. Biogen, SiS and Maurten publish more detail.
- 32Gi was the official gel and energy-bar supplier to the 2024 Comrades Marathon.
- 32Gi High Intensity Gel (27 g) costs R25–R35 in October 2026; carbs and caffeine per gel are not published on retailer pages.
- 32Gi Race High Intensity drink provides 68 g carbohydrate per 75 g serving, about R39 a serving (Dis-Chem Living Fit).
- Biogen Elite Carb Gel has 45 g carbohydrate for R44.99; Maurten Gel 100 has 25 g for R74–R75.
- Glucose-only gels top out at roughly 60 g of carbohydrate an hour; glucose plus fructose allows up to about 90 g an hour.
How does 32Gi compare with other South African gels?
On what we could verify in October 2026, 32Gi competes on brand presence and local availability rather than on published nutrition detail. The retailer pages we reviewed list the 32Gi High Intensity Gel (27 g) as brown rice syrup with salt, but do not give carbohydrate grams or caffeine per gel. That means we cannot calculate Rand per 30 g of carbohydrate for it.
What do we know about 32Gi?
- South African brand, founded 2010 according to a Comrades Marathon blog.
- Official gel and energy-bar supplier to the 2024 Comrades Marathon, per the Comrades Marathon. Check the race website for the current supplier.
- 32Gi states on the Comrades blog that all its products are kosher and halaal certified; this is a brand claim that we have not verified with a certifier.
- High Intensity Gel (27 g): R34.99 at Dis-Chem, R24.99 at Checkers, R33.99 at Dis-Chem Living Fit, R31.99 at EasyBike. Retailers suggest one gel about every 45 minutes.
- Race Pro Gel (100 g, vanilla or cappuccino): R114.99 at Dis-Chem; nutrition not published.
- Cramp Assault Electrolyte Gel (10 g): R34–R37, composition not published.
- Race High Intensity drink: 68 g carbohydrate per 75 g serving (isomaltulose, maltodextrin, glucose, fructose, salt), about R39 a serving.
How do the main gels compare?
| Gel | Carbs per gel | Price (retailer) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 32Gi High Intensity, 27 g | not published | R25–R35 | brown rice syrup, flavouring, salt; coffee flavour exists |
| Biogen Elite Carb, 60 g | 45 g | R44.99 (Dis-Chem Living Fit) | maltodextrin and fructose; caffeine not stated |
| Biogen Perform-X, 36 g | 26 g | price not shown | electrolytes; caffeine-free |
| Biogen Liquid, 60 ml | 23 g | R26.99 (Biogen shop) | 29 mg sodium; caffeine-free |
| SiS GO Isotonic, 60 ml | 22 g | R44.90 (Sportsmans Warehouse) | caffeine-free |
| Maurten Gel 100, 40 g | 25 g | R74–R75 | fructose:glucose 0.8:1; 20 mg sodium |
| Maurten Gel 100 CAF 100 | 25 g | R80–R85 | 100 mg caffeine |
What does the 32Gi ingredient list imply?
Brown rice syrup is a glucose-based carbohydrate, and we saw no fructose in the gel's ingredient list. Glucose-only absorption tops out at roughly 60 g an hour, while glucose-plus-fructose blends allow up to about 90 g an hour (Jeukendrup 2014). That is our inference from the ingredient list, not a claim from 32Gi. If you plan to take more than about 60 g an hour, combine the gel with a glucose-plus-fructose drink such as 32Gi's own race drink, or use a different gel.
Which should you choose?
- If you will run Comrades or another event with 32Gi on course: train with it so your gut is used to it. See is 32Gi a good sports nutrition brand.
- If value per gram of carbohydrate matters: Biogen Elite is cheapest where the numbers are published; see cheapest energy gel per 30 g of carbohydrate.
- If you want a premium hydrogel: Maurten, at roughly three times the cost per gram.
- If you need caffeine: check the pack; read NamedSport's label before use, as its warning cites 180 mg per 25 ml.
See also best energy gels in South Africa. We could not verify Informed Sport or other certification for any gel in this comparison.
What are the safety points?
Practise your race fuelling in training, and see a doctor or dietitian for an individual plan if you have diabetes or a sensitive gut. This is general information, not personal medical advice.
Under-18s, pregnant athletes and anyone with kidney, heart or blood-pressure problems or on regular medication should get individual fuelling advice.
Products mentioned, with dated prices
| Product | Size | Price | Servings | R per serving | Sweeteners |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 32Gi High Intensity Sports Gel (27 g) | 27 g sachet | R25–R35Dis-Chem (energy and endurance), Oct 2026 | 1 | R34.99 | None listed (rice syrup, flavouring, salt, preservatives) |
| 32Gi Race Pro Gel (100 g, vanilla or cappuccino) | 100 g | R115Dis-Chem (energy and endurance), Oct 2026 | — | — | Not published |
| 32Gi Race High Intensity Sports Drink (900 g) | 900 g | R470Dis-Chem Living Fit, Oct 2026 | 12 | R39.17 | None listed |
| 32Gi Cramp Assault Electrolyte Gel (10 g) | 10 g sachet | R34–R37Dis-Chem (energy and endurance), Oct 2026 | 1 | R34.99 | Not published |
| Biogen Elite Carb Energy Gel, unflavoured (60 g) | 60 g sachet | R44.99Dis-Chem Living Fit, Oct 2026 | 1 | R44.99 | None listed |
| Maurten Gel 100 (40 g sachet) | 40 g sachet | R74–R75goneoutdoor / The Athlete's Foot via PriceCheck, Oct 2026 | 1 | R75.00 | None listed |
Compare the options
Related questions
- Is 32Gi a good sports nutrition brand in South Africa?
- What are the best energy gels in South Africa?
- What is the cheapest energy gel per 30 g of carbohydrate in South Africa?
- How many carbs per hour do you need for a marathon or ultra?
- Do caffeine gels improve endurance performance?
Sources
- Comrades Marathon: Race information
- Dis-Chem: Energy and endurance
- Jeukendrup 2014, A step towards personalized sports nutrition: carbohydrate intake during exercise (Sports Med)
Educational information only, not medical advice. Speak to a doctor, pharmacist or registered dietitian before using supplements if you are pregnant or breastfeeding, under 18, taking medication, or living with kidney, liver or heart disease.
Cite this page: Healthnews24, “How does 32Gi compare with other South African gels?”, updated 27 October 2026, https://www.healthnews24.co.za/answers/32gi-vs-other-gels-comparison-south-africa/. Plain-text version: /answers/32gi-vs-other-gels-comparison-south-africa.md