Tailwind Fuel (Your) Further

Review by Katie Prendergast

I recently got to test Tailwind Nutrition’s line of electrolyte and carbohydrate mixes while training for the upcoming gravel race season.

Unfortunately for my skis and snowboard, we’re having a horribly dry winter, but that meant I got to test Tailwind in real-world, outdoor bike riding conditions!

Before I jump into the product review, Tailwind recently announced their “Fuel Your Further” program to sponsor three endurance athletes on their quest to push their boundaries. Details on how to apply will follow at the end of this review.

But first, the product test.

Tailwind Nutrition

Tailwind makes all-natural sports nutrition products without GMO ingredients. Their mixes are dairy, soy, and gluten-free, so athletes don’t have to worry about food allergies or sensitivities. Tailwind offers a complete line of hydration and fueling mixes, so you can be sure you’re getting the nutrition you need to fuel your hiking, trail running, and cycling adventures, no matter how grueling or laid back they are.

Endurance Fuel

Tailwind’s flagship product is their Endurance Fuel, a combination of electrolytes and carbohydrates to keep you fueled on endurance runs and rides.

Endurance Fuel comes in five caffeine-free flavors, a “naked” unflavored option, and four caffeinated flavors.

Of those, I tested the Dauwaltermelon Lime flavor, named after ultra runner and Tailwind athlete Courtney Dauwalter. The watermelon/lime combo is light and refreshing, perfect for the unseasonably warm winter weather I’ve been riding in. All of the other Endurance Fuel flavors I’ve tried are similarly light to avoid flavor fatigue on long runs or rides.

What I like best about Endurance Fuel is that it is a complete electrolyte and carbohydrate solution: I don’t have to worry about mixing separate bottles and can get all my carbs from sipping on my water during rides over rugged terrain that makes messing with gels or sport gummy packages difficult or dangerous.

Tailwind also offers two flavors of a higher-carb mix (aptly called “High Carb Fuel”) for longer or more intense efforts. I love the ginger lime flavor. Endurance Fuel contains 25g carbs per serving, while High Carb Fuel has 90g, appropriate for your hardest training sessions or races.

As someone who has tested a LOT of carb mixes, I can say that Tailwind is super easy to drink even in the fourth and fifth hour of gravel racing. I’ve never experienced any stomach upset when using either the classic or high-carb formulation. The caffeinated flavors offer a little extra pick-me-up late in races without giving me any jitters (and I’m very sensitive to caffeine).

Recovery Mix

Tailwind fully revamped its Recovery Mix last summer. The new formulation increased the amount of protein to 20g and increased leucine content for improved muscle protein synthesis. Tailwind also literally cut the fat and focused solely on a protein/carb mix with electrolytes for faster absorption and easier digestion.

All Recovery Mix flavors are dairy-free and gluten-free. I tested their chocolate, vanilla, and strawberry flavors (there’s also salted caramel). I mixed each with water and then, separately, with almond milk. Even in just water, all three varieties were creamy and tasted spot-on for the flavor. Strawberry was especially good mixed with almond milk.

As someone who primarily uses whey protein, I was pleasantly surprised by how good this plant-based recovery drink tasted. In my experience, a lot of plant-based protein powders either don’t mix well or taste chalky/grainy when mixed with plain water. Not so with Tailwind’s Recovery Mix. I found myself looking forward to my post-ride shake after every workout.

Rapid Hydration

The final Tailwind product I tested was their Rapid Hydration mix, which is a low-calorie, everyday electrolyte mix meant to help you stay hydrated outside of training.

Rapid Hydration contains natural cane sugar as a sweetener, which helps push electrolytes into your cells, but each serving is only 40 calories, which is on par with most other hydration mixes.

Just like the Endurance Fuel flavors, Rapid Hydration is light and refreshing. I tested the strawberry lemonade flavor, and it did not disappoint. My only complaint, if you can call it that, is that the mix gets a little frothy when you shake it up in a bottle, so it helps to let it settle for a couple minutes before consuming.

Overall Impression

Overall, I enjoy using all of Tailwind’s electrolyte and carbohydrate mixes when I ride. I like that the flavors are light rather than overpowering. And I like that one scoop or sachet contains all the nutrition I need while training and racing.

For casual rides, I use one scoop of Endurance Fuel per water bottle, which includes 100 calories from 25g carbs. For harder training, you can increase your dosage as needed. I usually use 2-3 scoops per bottle, depending on the duration and intensity of the ride I have planned.

For gravel racing, I love having the option of either the High Carb Fuel or caffeinated Endurance Fuel for a little extra boost late in the race.

Tailwind is definitely at the top of my list when it comes to products I trust to fuel my gravel cycling adventures. And if you have a big hike, trail run, road race, or cycling event you’re working toward this summer, you should check out Tailwind’s “Fuel Your Further” contest.

Fuel Your Further

Tailwind Nutrition just announced an exciting contest to help three endurance athletes conquer their personal adventure goals: Fuel (Your) Further.

You don’t have to be a top athlete to be considered, or even participate in a formal race. If you’re a hiker, runner, or cyclist of any discipline, you can apply for a chance to be sponsored by Tailwind as you tackle a big objective that is meaningful to you.

The three selected winners will receive support from June through October 2026, with a cash prize, Tailwind Nutrition products, and merch going to each athlete.

For more information and to apply, visit: https://tailwindnutrition.com/pages/fuel-your-further.

Applications are open now through March 19, 2026 at 11:59 PM MST.

Katie Prendergast

Katie is a writer, strength and nutrition coach, and avid fan of all things outdoors. She climbs, snowboards, hikes, mountain bikes, and spends time in the mountains whenever she can.

When Katie is not outside, she helps skiers/riders and climbers build strength in the gym to more confidently tackle their next adventure.

Some of her favorite things are lifting heavy things, drinking craft beer, and hanging out with her pup, Gunner.