Article by Jen Schmidt
Gnarly Nutrition Sample Box (Vegan)
Gnarly Nutrition has been on the scene for a few years now, offering a range of performance nutrition products for pre-, during, and post-workout as well as daily living.
I’ve been especially impressed with the brand’s commitment to sustainability, removing all plastic from their packaging by the end of 2025.
In addition, all their products are NSF certified. As anyone who’s spent way too long online trying to find NSF-certified protein powders can attest, there’s a real need for high-quality hydration mixes and protein powders that meet those testing standards, and it’s nice to know that all Gnarly’s products make the cut.
Gnarly’s Sample Box I tested includes some of their best-selling products: Pre-Workout, Hydrate, Collagen Pro, vegan or whey protein, and Performance Greens.
Pre-Workout
Strawberry Lemonade (also comes in caffeine-free and Mango)
$48.95, 30 servings
1g carbohydrate, 5g citrulline malate, 4g vegan BCAA blend, 2.5g beta-alanine, 180mg caffeine, 150mg ginseng
Since I don’t usually use any kind of pre-workout supplement except my morning coffee, this was a new addition to my routine. I tried it on a morning when I was particularly dragging, mixing it with 10-12oz of water with food about half an hour before beginning my workout. The active ingredient list is relatively short: citruline, a vegan BCAA blend, beta-alanine, caffeine, and ginseng. The Strawberry Lemonade has a stronger fruity flavor than the Hydrate mix, with a good balance of sweet and tart.
Everyone has different levels of sensitivity to caffeine and beta-alanine, and your individual tolerance will probably have a big impact on how Gnarly Pre-Workout hits you. 180mg of caffeine is a lot for me (I usually only take up to 100mg at a time during long workouts or races), but this formulation had a smoother rise and peak than I expected.
The beta-alanine was a little less pleasant, though. A strong prickling sensation (a common side effect of beta-alanine) hit me about 20-30 minutes after drinking the Pre-Workout and lasted another 45 minutes. Clearly a sign of effective active ingredients, but I find it somewhat distracting and uncomfortable. Again, though, it would work well for someone who is used to taking beta-alanine or doesn’t mind that feeling.
Overall: Taste 8/10, effect 6/10 for me personally
Hydrate
Raspberry, Lemonade (also comes in Orange Pineapple, Ruby Red Grapefruit, Salted Margarita [500 mg sodium], and Pina Colada, plus seasonal flavors like Summer Peach and Sticky Purple Drink)
$29.95, 40 servings
7g carbs, 250mg sodium, 100mg calcium, 135mg chloride, 80mg magnesium, 100mg potassium
My first experience with the Gnarly line was their Salted Margarita Hydrate mix a year or two ago, which remains one of my favorite hydration products ever, so I came in with high hopes for the Raspberry and Lemonade flavors.
The Raspberry option is sweet, fruity, and has about the right amount of flavor for my tastes when mixed with 12 oz water. I liked it even better with a little lime juice squeezed in for some tartness. The Lemonade has a lighter flavor and could work well during races or long workouts to avoid too much palate fatigue. Neither is carbonated, which could appeal to athletes looking for an alternative to effervescent electrolyte tablets.
As far as electrolyte supplements go, Gnarly Hydrate has a lower overall amount of sodium and lower ratio of sodium to other electrolytes than some. I think it could fit well for shorter workouts or when getting more sodium from another source during longer events, or just as a flavor enhancer in water for daily hydration. Personally, if I’m trying to hit around 500mg of sodium in a 500ml bottle, I’d probably stick with the Salted Margarita flavor, which has 500mg instead of 250, as a cost-effective (and tasty) option.
Overall: taste and specs both 8/10, Salted Margarita 10/10
Collagen Pro
Unflavored
$49.95, 455g bag
15g collagen, 15mg zinc, 100% DV vitamin C
After reading a recent article supporting the long-term benefits of collagen supplementation for athletic performance and tendon health, I was especially ready to give collagen another try.
Gnarly’s version comes with 15g of collagen plus a little zinc and vitamin C to help the body absorb and use it, something I haven’t seen in most other collagen powders.
Recommended usage is to take it 30-60 minutes before a workout to maximize the benefits for collagen synthesis. I stirred it into coffee and it dissolved perfectly, without any detectable effects on taste or mouthfeel.
The neutral taste here was especially welcome after a bad experience with unpleasant off flavors in a different brand’s collagen. Gnarly nails it here with a performance-oriented formulation and great product!
Overall: 10/10
Vegan Plant Protein
Chocolate and Vanilla (also comes in Golden Milk)
$61.95, 16 servings
Great vegan protein powders can be hard to find. I like keeping a packet or canister of something like this in my car for a quick hit of recovery nutrition after trail runs, so I brought along the chocolate version to try after a long point-to-point recently. It mixed up well in ~10oz of water, with a thick, slightly textured consistency: I wouldn’t call it gritty, but it’s not completely smooth. The creamy chocolate flavor is tasty and the overall impression is rich rather than watery (although if you’re sensitive to stevia, this might not be for you).
One packet (or two scoops from a canister) delivers 20g of protein along with 16g of carbs (9 of which are from fiber) and 7g of fat, so it strikes a middle ground as far as macronutrients: more balanced than a protein isolate product, but fewer carbs and more fat than a 3:1 carb:protein recovery-focused product.
The packaging describes it as a “meal replacement”, so that balance makes sense (although I’d put it more in the snack category at 200 calories).
In addition to the impressive list of micronutrients (50% of the RDA for iron!), it includes 300 million CFU of a probiotic strain.
Overall, I thought the consistency and flavor were great. It would be on the expensive side for a pure protein powder at ~$4/serving, but that makes more sense when you factor in the micronutrients and probiotic, or if you’re comparing it to a sports nutrition bar or similar snack. This could definitely be one that lives in my car for trailhead recovery, along with some extra carbs.
Overall: 8.5/10 flavor/texture, 7 for price competitiveness as a recovery snack
Performance Greens
Blueberry Acai (also comes in Lemon Mint)
$54.95, 30 servings
The generous amount of greens powder dissolves well into 8oz of water, making what is essentially green juice. The blueberry acai flavor is bright and fruity with a little bit of a grassy note that I found quite pleasant. It’s sweet, but not too sweet–this was probably my favorite of the various flavors in the sample pack.
It looks thick, but that’s just the lighting: it dissolves fully into a juice-like consistency.
Greens powders aren’t a part of my routine right now, but I would happily drink this daily if cost weren’t a factor. As it is, I might save it for special occasions: bumping up my vegetable consumption a little bit when traveling, for example, or if I’m concerned about covering micronutrient bases during heavy training blocks. Athletes who are already drinking some sort of green juice or greens powder should definitely give Gnarly’s version a try.
Overall: taste 10/10, cost 8/01
Gnarly
Amazon
Tester Profile
Jennifer Schmidt found trail running in her mid-20's and began dabbling on the roads a few years later. Trail 50k's are nearest and dearest to her heart, and she recently took the win at the 2025 Way Too Cool 50k and placed sixth at the 2025 Black Canyon Ultras 50k. These days, you can find her primarily on the sweet California singletrack around Auburn, chasing competitive and personal goals over a variety of surfaces and distances. Depending on the season, she also competes in the USATF road and XC circuits for Sacramento Running Association's racing team, with a marathon PR of 2:41.
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