Tailwind Nutrition - Initial Review

Towards the end of the last ultra/tri season, I knew that I would have to make some significant progress with proper fueling, especially if I wanted to continue with ultras and take on the Ironman challenge.

I thought I had found something with EFS, however, after a handful of runs with the product, my stomach let me know that it was not acceptable.  It was at this point I realized that I can not tolerate any maltodextrin.  I would not be too upset about this, as  I would prefer to use only whole foods to fuel my training and racing, however, water and trail mix were not/are not sustaining me for my goals.

I knew I needed to find a complete endurance fuel that could be mixed and taken in liquid form as I approach the IM challenge.  I am not very comfortable on the bike and for me to ride one-handed long enough to unwrap and try to eat solid food is an unsafe option.

A friend on DM gave an excellent review of a product I had never heard of.  Tailwind Nutrition is new to the market and their claims are quite robust.

They state that Tailwind Endurance Fuel is a complete source for energy and electrolytes and a meet all of the calorie needs.  The product is toted to be hydration pack friendly as it is not sticky and cleans easily from the containers.  It seemed to good to be true.  But I am desperate to find a product so I ordered a trial package of three packets which each contained 4 servings.

I used most of the product on three separate bike rides and an hour long run.  I had hoped to use it on a much longer run, but that did not materialize this time around.

Tailwind mixed up clear and was not too sweet or too salty.  Even my little guy, Boo, liked the taste.  On the bike, the drink was pleasant and I never felt sticky.

The best part of all is that I had NO stomach upset.  None at all.  Even after my third ride with Tailwind, the only problem I had was that I had used all of the product!!

Here are the nutritional stats from the package:

Yesterday I ordered the 50 serving package.  It occurred to me that I didn't know which flavor I liked best, which I found interesting as I usually lean in the Berry direction.  I found that each flavor was good, and honestly, such a light hint of flavor that it didn't over power the drink.

I plan to continue to try this product out over the coming months.  I am curious to try to mix it a little thicker or more concentrated for the longer training periods.  I also am eager to see how Tailwind handles the Texas heat, particularly my need for S-caps.

On the workouts that I used Tailwinds, I also supplemented with solid nutrition at rest stops.  Mostly Cliff Shot Blox and trail mix.  I have to really focus on keeping my calorie count up and I was not able to mix the Tailwind concentrated enough to sustain a 4 hour ride.  I will do this as soon as I receive my larger order.

Tailwind seems to be a great product and their customer service has been great!  If you try this product, let me know how it goes for you, and let the folks at Tailwind know too!