PF 30 Gel vs PF 30 Chew: the quick answer
- Both give you 30g of carbohydrate per serving. The gel is a 51g sachet, the chew is a 34g packet of two chews.
- The gel is quicker to take at hard effort. The chew needs chewing, which some people find easier late in a long day and others find awkward at pace.
- Price at Sigma Sports on 20 October 2026: PF 30 Gel £2.33 each in a box of 15, PF 30 Chew £2.20 a packet in a box of 15.
- Only the gel comes with caffeine: PF 30 Caffeine Gel has 100mg. Precision says the chew does not contain caffeine.
| Product | Format | Carbs per serving | Pack and price | Per serving | Per 30g of carbs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Precision Fuel & Hydration PF 30 Gel | Gel | 30g | box of 15, £34.99 (Sigma Sports) | £2.33 | £2.33 |
| Precision Fuel & Hydration PF 30 Chew | Chew | 30g | 15 packets, £32.99 (Sigma Sports) | £2.20 | £2.20 |
What is the PF 30 Gel?
PF 30 Gel is Precision Fuel & Hydration's standard gel: 30g of carbohydrate in a 51g sachet, made with maltodextrin and fructose. Precision shows a 2:1 ratio badge across its carb range. There is a caffeinated version with 100mg of caffeine (£46.99 for 15 at Sigma Sports when we checked).
What is the PF 30 Chew?
PF 30 Chew is the same 30g of carbohydrate in a 34g packet of two chews, made mainly from sugar and corn starch. You can eat both at once or one at a time, roughly 15g each. There is no caffeinated version.
Gel or chew for running?
At marathon pace or faster, many runners find a gel easier: tear, squeeze, sip of water, done. Chewing while breathing hard takes practice. On easy long runs, trail runs and ultras, chews make more sense, because you are moving slower and a solid feels more like food after a few hours.
Gel or chew for cycling?
On the bike, chews are easy to eat on flat or rolling roads and leave no sticky sachet in your pocket. Gels are better on climbs or in a group when you need both hands back quickly. Plenty of riders carry both: chews early, a gel or two for the hard parts.
How many for a marathon?
| Race and finish time | Carbs needed | PF 30 Gel | PF 30 Chew | FTP Tart Cherry Energy Pastilles |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Half marathon, 1:45 | 75g | 3 gels, £7.00 | 3 packets, £6.60 | 3 servings (6 pastilles), £4.30 |
| Marathon, 3:00 | 150g | 5 gels, £11.66 | 5 packets, £11.00 | 5 servings (10 pastilles), £7.17 |
| Marathon, 4:00 | 210g | 7 gels, £16.33 | 7 packets, £15.40 | 7 servings (14 pastilles), £10.03 |
| Marathon, 5:00 | 270g | 9 gels, £20.99 | 9 packets, £19.79 | 9 servings (18 pastilles), £12.90 |
Because both PF products have exactly 30g of carbohydrate, the maths is simple: 2 an hour gets you to 60g, 3 an hour to 90g. A 4 hour marathon from the 30 minute mark is 7 of either.
Can you use both in one race?
Yes. They count the same, 30g each, so you can swap between them as the race goes without changing your plan. Chews early while chewing is easy, gels later when you just want it over with, is a common pattern. Rehearse it in training first.
Same serving, different price
A PF 30 Chew packet is 34g with 30g of carbs. A serving of FTP Energy Pastilles is also two pieces, 34g, with 30g of carbs. So the comparison is about as like for like as it gets. The difference is the pack: PF 30 Chew comes in single packets at £2.20 each, our pastilles come in a 1kg pack at £1.43 a serving that you portion out yourself.
The cheaper way to get 30g of carbs
Full disclosure: we make energy pastilles, so read this part knowing that. Two FTP pastilles give you 30g of carbohydrate (34g serving, sugar, which is 50% glucose and 50% fructose). That is the same carb hit as a 30g gel, and you can take one pastille at a time if you prefer smaller, more frequent feeds.
- Tart Cherry Energy Pastilles 1kg: about 30 servings, £1.43 per 30g of carbs.
- Mixed Fruit Energy Pastilles 1kg: about 30 servings, £1.50 per 30g.
- The Rotation Pack (1kg of each flavour): about 60 servings, £1.13 per 30g.
4.8 stars from 500+ reviews, and Awarded Best Energy Chew in the Runner's World Sports Nutrition Awards 2026. If you would rather test them on a long run first, the Taster Pack is £5.49 for two servings.
More on the switch in our page on alternatives to Precision Fuel chews.
Our verdict
Pick PF 30 Gel for racing at pace, for hard efforts on the bike, or if you want caffeine. Pick PF 30 Chew for slower, longer days when you would rather eat than squeeze. They cost almost the same per 30g of carbs (£2.33 and £2.20), so choose on format, not price. If cost per serving matters, a bulk pack of pastilles gives the same 30g for less (see our energy gel price comparison).
Questions people ask
How many carbs are in a PF 30 Chew?
30g of carbohydrate per 34g packet of two chews.
Does PF 30 Chew have caffeine?
No. Precision says the PF 30 Chew does not contain caffeine. For caffeine, they make the PF 30 Caffeine Gel with 100mg.
Is the PF 30 Gel or Chew better value?
They are close. In boxes of 15 at Sigma Sports on 20 October 2026, the chew was £2.20 a serving and the gel £2.33.
How we worked out these numbers
Prices were checked on 20 October 2026. They are full one-off prices for the multipack named, not subscription or member prices. Carbs per serving come from each brand's product page. Price per 30g of carbs = pack price, divided by servings in the pack, divided by carbs per serving, times 30. Race-day counts assume 60g of carbs an hour from the 30 minute mark and are rounded up to whole servings. Prices change, so check before you buy. Precision Fuel & Hydration prices are from Sigma Sports, because Precision's UK site did not show a GBP price.
- Precision Fuel & Hydration PF 30 Gel: box of 15, £34.99 (Sigma Sports)
- Precision Fuel & Hydration PF 30 Chew: 15 packets, £32.99 (Sigma Sports)
