Everyone is their own experiment, and what works for one person may not work for you.

There are many variables that make it important for you to do your homework and try things out. For determining which mix or combination of mixes to use and when based on YOUR needs, here are some considerations:

Consider your activity level - intensity and duration.

A higher-intensity workout or endurance effort will likely cause you to sweat more and burn more fuel stores which means you’ll need more electrolytes, hydration, and fuel.

A short easy effort under an hour may not need much, while a multi-hour event or training session may need preloading of fluid and fuel, nutrition during, and a solid refuel after.

Consider the weather, climate, elevation.

• Hot, cold, humid, dry - whatever combo you find yourself in will impact your sweat rate. Hot weather typically requires more fluid and electrolytes (namely sodium).
• While cold weather typically sees the need for more carbs and fuel but you may need less fluid and sodium.
• If going to a higher elevation you'll want to learn more and take that into consideration too.

Consider your sodium loss and sweat rate.

• Sweat sodium is highly individual and can vary anywhere from 400 mg to 2000 mg per liter of sweat, with an average somewhere between 700-900 mg per liter. We’ve included a DIY to see if you might need more or less sodium but the most accurate way to find out is to get a sodium sweat test with devices like the H-drop wearable or schedule a test with a facility that does Wescor sodium sweat testing and analysis.

Consider your taste preferences.

• Do you want your hydration mix to have some flavor?
• Looking to get your electrolytes but want it to taste like water?

Consider what else you are consuming.

• Are you also going to be drinking water or other fluids?
• How much carb and sodium are you getting from your snacks?

Your fitness level and gut capacity play into how many carbs you need and your sweat and sodium loss play into how much sodium you need to replace - how much do you want to get from your fluids and how much will you get from what you eat?

Other considerations - medications, health conditions, pregnancy/breastfeeding. As mentioned, best to consult your doctor!

Read this! To get an even better idea for yourself.

It depends on your individual needs and preferences. If you are not sure which mix is right for you, try some different things out.

• Need hydration + simple carbs? Use Sport Hydration.
• Need big carbs + with some hydration support? Use Super High-Carb.
• Need hydration only? Use Unsweetened Hydration.
• Need more sodium? Add Electrolyte Booster.

Mix, match, and stack depending on your sweat rate, fueling needs, training intensity, and weather.

Think of Skratch mixes as Lego blocks and build to your unique needs. You can mix and match them to meet your electrolyte, carb and fluid needs.

We also recommend talking to a sports dietitian and considering getting a sodium sweat test done.

Skratch Labs offers a variety of flavors and mixes for different needs, so you can choose a mix or combo that you enjoy drinking and meet your fluid, sodium, and carb needs. Think of Skratch mixes as Lego blocks and build to your unique needs.

Still have questions? Use the website search bar to find and check out our other blogs related to your questions or email [email protected]

A Note on our High-Carb Mix: A 7 scoop serving provides the equivalent amount of hydration as one serving of Sport Mix. That said, a 1/2 liter may not be enough to replace your fluid and sodium losses from sweat. Realize that optimal hydration and optimal fueling are not the same. We don't always lose calories in proportion to the fluid we lose. Think of Super High-Carb and Sport Mix as two different tools. One is a big hammer without a lot of fluid. The other is a little hammer with a lot more fluid. You can mix Super High-Carb with our other mixes but you’ll want to do some math and make sure you are getting appropriate carbs, sodium, and liquid to your needs and to avoid GI distress (aka too many carbs in too short of a period). This ratio can change depending on the weather, effort, and other factors, so test it out!