Precision Hydration PF 30 Drink Mix

The Precision Hydration PF 30 Energy Drink Mix finds an excellent balance between carbohydrates for energy and electrolytes to replace those lost in sweat. It has a mild and not overly-sweet taste, mixes well, and offers good value for money.

The PF30 mix uses the popular 2:1 ratio of maltodextrin to fructose to deliver 30g of carbs per 500ml bottle. Maltodextrin is a common carbohydrate that is broken down into glucose – put simply, energy – in the stomach. The addition of fructose enables the body to absorb this at an increased rate: typically 90g per hour, compared to 60g per hour without. This means a happy stomach, and I was able to get through two 500ml bottles and an energy bar per hour with no discomfort.

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30g of carbs isn't overly high for an energy drink, and drinks such as SiS Beta Fuel or OTE Super Carbs (Both 80g per 500ml) and Enervit Isocarb 2:1 (60g per 500ml) blow that figure out the water.

Where the PF 30 drink excels is with its electrolyte content, giving 500mg of sodium, 125mg of potassium and 24mg of calcium per 500ml bottle. These aim to replace the electrolytes you're sweating out and help you absorb fluids into your blood stream, aiding hydration.

Not all sports drinks are quite so open about their electrolyte content, but a bit of digging finds that the same amount of Lucozade Energy provides only half as much sodium, while the High5 drink mentioned earlier has slightly less (240mg per 500ml bottle).

Is this much sodium necessary? Most research indicates that a baseline intake of 500-700mg per hour is optimal, so the simple answer, in my opinion, is yes.

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There are of course products which focus primarily on hydration rather than carb content, with SiS GO Electrolyte and Torq Hydration Drink being just two. The latter contains 275mg Sodium, 63mg Potassium and 37mg calcium, but PF 30 almost doubles the first two figures – though has slightly less calcium. Overall that's not bad seeing as it also has twice as many carbohydrates.

For a cheaper alternative, hydration tabs are common due to their ease of use. It is worth noting that these often contain next to zero carbs, though, as they use artificial sweeteners rather than maltodextrin or the like.

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PF 30 strikes a tidy balance between energy and hydration, and that makes it great for high intensity efforts – especially when it's hot. It's been my drink of choice for sweaty turbo races and sessions, not just because of its electrolyte replacement capabilities, but also because it is very palatable.

I realise that taste preferences differ hugely, but this avoids excessive sweetness and this 'original' flavour is very subtle. It doesn't need washing down with something else, like some energy drinks.

Value

PF 30 is only available in one 15-serving bag size, but discounts are available for multiples – it's 10% off for two bags or 20% off five. A single bag works out at £1.27 per serving, which is very reasonable against energy drinks we've rated highly in the last few years, such as SiS Beta Fuel (£2.50 per serving), OTE Super Carbs (£2.85) or Enervit Isocarb 2:1 (£1.79). It's more expensive than OTE Lemon and Lime Energy (£0.93 per serving), High5 2:1 Energy: (£0.83) and Torq Hydration Drink (£0.67) though.

PF 30 offers reasonable value for money across the board though, considering it contains more electrolytes than nearly all the drinks available today (as well as a reasonable amount of carbs).

For hot rides when high levels of sweat are likely it'll certainly be my top choice, but for colder training rides you might want a cheaper and carbier drink as electrolytes are not being lost at the same rate.

Verdict

Good levels of carbs and electrolytes to keep you both hydrated and energised