TRR coach Kyle Fulmer tastes and tests the up and coming sports drink mix in this Hyperlyte review.
High carb is all the rage these days, and with good reason! High profile athletes from the roads to the trails, and at seemingly all distances are benefiting from maxing the carbs per gut ratios to previously unheard levels. 80-90 to 120 grams of carbs per hour is totally the norm now, but is it worth it? For those pushing the limits of endurance, those lofty carb intake numbers might be, but for the more middle of the pack runner — do we really need all that gas?
In a VERY crowded hydration and nutrition space, enter HYPERLYTE. With a street, skate, surf aesthetic: Hyperlyte is focused on a few basic ingredients and building a brand based on storytelling. With elite athletes Matt Daniels and Hans Troyer on the roster, the young brand only a few years old already has veteran level street cred.
So, is Hyperlyte worth the purchase price, and enough of a difference maker to bring on your next trail adventure: read on to find out!
Now what you’ve come here for, the proper Hyperlyte Liquid Performance review:
Taste – 9/10
I forgot to bring my water bottle on the run this morning, so I just had a sip. It’s good! Hyperlyte has a very mild sweetness to it. The sweetness is not overpowering and doesn’t make your mouth all sticky and yucky over the course of many hours. I used Hyperlyte at Hardrock and several other ultras last year, and never tired of the taste. If you’ve had the famous Japanese “sports” drink Pocari Sweat before, the flavor profile is similar.
Ingredients – 8.5/10
Not much. According to the website, we got Maltodextrin, Fructose, Sodium Citrate, Potassium Chloride, and Magnesium Malate. I am only giving 8.5 out of 10, because giving all 10s is lame, and I don’t know what Magnesium Malate is, but I do know our muscles and brains need magnesium, so it must be ok. Not sure about the MaltoD to Fructose ratios, but no sick tummy for me is a win. Simple is better and Hyperlyte keeps the formula simple and straightforward. Carbs and salt, nothing extra.
I must say the full 2 scoops for 400 calories, 100g of carbs and 1000mg of sodium is a bit rich for me. In one 16oz soft flask, I’ll usually roll with 1 scoop, so 200 calories, 50g of carbs and 500mg of sodium. Since I’ll usually have some other “foods” to eat especially during a race setting, I feel like I get enough from my half serving. Another thing I REALLY like is the math is simple like the ingredients. I can’t think during a race, and with HL, I don’t have to (very much).
Viscosity – 10/10
I can give ’em a ten on this one. One scoop, 16oz of water, shake and done! Almost no residue is left behind, and cleaning your soft flasks after use is also quite easy. I will say though, like most hydration powders HL is tougher to mix in REALLY cold water, so beware of that. That’s the only time I’ve had any issues. But, not a deal breaker for me, at all.
Performance – 9/10
With these product ratios, I can easily supplement with tasty bites out of a ziplock or eat what looks good at the aid station tables. Without having had a sweat test done (I’ll keep my $250), I am betting that the ~500-1000mg of sodium are more than ample for my needs. In the old days I took one 250mg sodium pill an hour, and did just fine. With Hyperlyte, I’m feeling even better, and saltier.
TL:DR of this Hyperlyte Review: BUY HYPERLYTE!
HYPERLYTE is doing things different in a space that usually looks (and tastes) the same. Plus, it’s fun to support an indie upstart brand built on the love of the trails. In the high carb craze era, HYPERLYTE stands out as an easy product to understand, use, and fit into almost any race nutrition plan. I plan to keep training and racing with Hyperlyte in 2026 and beyond 
Products tested for this review: HYPERLYTE H1 (V.2)
Test Duration: 1 year
Product Highlights
- Keep it simple – Sodium, Carbs, and miles of dirt (from the HL website):
- https://www.hyperlyteliquidperformance.com/shop/p/hyperlyte-001-27pwf
- Discount Code: RUNRUN15
Kyle Fulmer is a coach with Team RunRun. To learn more about him or to work with him, check out his coach profile.