Infinit :GO FAR Endurance Fuel: A Runner's Review
- 1 day ago
- 10 min read
All-in-one fuel vs. the carb-delivery specialists: how Infinit's Go Far stacks up against Maurten Drink Mix 160 and 320, from an ultra runner who actually paid for it.
Disclosure: I bought this product with my own money from the excellent Xmiles. No freebies, no sponsorship, which I think is the only honest basis for a review like this.
Contents
Why I bought it
This Infinit Go Far review comes after months of putting the drink mix to work on long training runs, back-to-back days and ultras. As an ultra and endurance runner I'm always looking to improve the way I take in carbs, both on long training runs and in events. Traditionally I'd do what most runners do: carry fluids and fuel separately, an electrolyte drink in the bottles, and energy from gels, chews and the odd handful of Haribo.
The science in this area is moving fast, and in the last few years drink mixes have come to market that deliver both the fluid and the carbs in one bottle. The first I tried was Maurten Drink Mix 160/320, after I sat in on a Maurten talk while at Club La Santa in Lanzarote.
I got on well with Maurten, but one thing nagged at me: it only comes in single sachets. For frequent long training runs that's a lot of packaging in the bin, and it feels wasteful. What I really wanted was a large bag I could prep from at home, with sachets reserved for topping up on ultras and events. A few searches led me to Infinit. They offered exactly the big-bag format I was after, and as a bonus, their drink contains protein too.
Who are Infinit Nutrition?
Infinit Nutrition was started in 2003 by a group of endurance athletes with a simple frustration: traditional sports nutrition treated every athlete the same, when a 50 kg runner clearly doesn't fuel like a 90 kg one. Founder and CEO Michael Folan developed the first blends experimenting in his own kitchen before turning the idea into a business, making Infinit one of the earliest "custom sports nutrition" companies on the market.
The thread that runs through everything they make is their patented Osmo-FIT™ system, the formulation approach they use to keep their drinks isotonic, roughly matched to the concentration of your blood, so the fuel absorbs quickly and sits well in the gut, even in heat or over long efforts. The whole pitch is "all-in-one" fuel: carbs, electrolytes and protein in a single bottle, so you don't need to carry gels, chews, bars or salt tablets.
After roughly two decades operating in the US and Australia, Infinit expanded into Europe, with the European arm headquartered in Prague. The European range (infinitnutrition.eu) is what most UK and EU runners will be ordering from, and in the UK it's stocked by Xmiles, where I bought mine.
A few things worth knowing about the brand:
Customisation is the core idea. Most of their drinks can be ordered as a fixed preset or built to your own spec, adjusting calories, protein, electrolytes, BCAAs and caffeine. The Go Far reviewed here is the standard preset.
All-natural positioning. No artificial colours, flavours or sweeteners; they flavour with real fruit extracts and use sea salt for sodium.
They lean on protein. Unusually for an endurance drink, several Infinit formulas include whey protein isolate, a genuine point of difference from most rivals, Maurten included.
The Infinit product range
Infinit's catalogue is broader than a single drink, so it's worth setting Go Far in context:
Custom Hydration: build-your-own hydration/energy drink mix; choose your own calories, electrolytes, BCAAs and caffeine.
:GO FAR Endurance Fuel: the all-in-one endurance drink reviewed here (also available with plant protein for vegans).
:PREMIUM Fructose Fuel (PFF): a higher-carbohydrate "fuel only" mix (90 g / 120 g options) aimed at high carb-per-hour intake, closer in concept to the modern high-carb drinks.
Preset formulas by goal: Pre-Workout, High Intensity, Endurance and Post-Workout.
:REPAIR: a complete post-workout recovery drink.
Cold Brew: an instant protein coffee.
Custom Protein: build-your-own protein powder.
For runners doing long, steady efforts, the two most relevant Infinit products are Go Far (all-in-one, with protein) and Premium Fructose Fuel (carb-focused, no protein), and it's Go Far that goes head-to-head with Maurten.
:GO FAR Endurance Fuel: the detail
Go Far is positioned as the only "all-in-one isotonic protein sports drink," built for workouts of 3 hours or more. The idea is that one bottle an hour replaces everything else in your pockets. Here's what's actually in it.
What it's built from
Three carbohydrate sources: maltodextrin, glucose (dextrose) and sucrose. Infinit's claim is that blending carb types lets your body absorb and use the calories more efficiently than a single source, while keeping total sugar lower than a typical sports drink.
Whey protein isolate: ultra-filtered, virtually lactose-free and heat-stable. This is the headline feature: protein to blunt hunger and help keep blood sugar steady on very long efforts.
A full electrolyte blend: naturally sourced sea salt plus potassium, magnesium and calcium (not just sodium).
Added BCAAs: around 600 mg of L-leucine, L-isoleucine and L-valine per serving as an extra fuel source for long efforts.
All-natural flavouring: real fruit extracts; available in Orange and Fruit Punch.
The numbers (standard preset, per serving)
Per serving (≈77 g) | Go Far |
Energy | ~282 kcal |
Carbohydrate | 66 to 67 g |
of which sugars | 21 g |
Protein | 4.3 g |
Added BCAAs | ~600 mg |
Salt | 1.0 g (≈400 mg sodium) |
Other electrolytes | Potassium, magnesium, calcium |
Mix with | ~600 ml water |
(Because Go Far is customisable, your spec may differ. These are the figures for the standard Orange/Fruit Punch preset on the EU site. The plant-protein version uses vegan protein in place of whey.)
How it's meant to be used: two scoops (≈77 g) in ~600 ml of water, roughly one bottle per hour, no other fuel needed.
Taste
I'm always nervous about heavily flavoured drink mixes. On long runs I dislike strong tastes, especially fruity ones, so when I saw Go Far only comes in Orange or Fruit Punch, I did hover over the buy button for a while. I'd have loved a citrus option here.
But it turns out Infinit have nailed the Fruit Punch. You get an initial, not overpowering fruity burst, actually quite nice as a bit of a palate cleanse, and then it quickly fades. And, crucially, the taste doesn't keep coming back at you. If you run for many hours, or back-to-back days, you'll know exactly what I mean: it's the constant, building sweetness of some products that finishes you off, and Go Far avoids it.
Mixing
The powder itself mixes beautifully. I fill my Salomon soft flasks half full, add the powder, give it a good shake, then top up with the rest of the water. By the time I take my first drink 15 to 20 minutes into a run, all the bouncing around has done the rest of the work. No floaties, no gritty bits, properly dissolved.
That said, there are two issues here that Infinit really should address.
First, the mix ratio. The packaging calls for 2 scoops (a scoop is provided), 77.1 g, per 600 ml of water. The problem is that just about every runner's bottle is 500 ml, so do you reduce the powder, or keep the 2 scoops and run a more concentrated bottle? Infinit's social media is full of cyclists, which makes me wonder whether this product was aimed at the bike first; 600 ml makes far more sense on a cycling bottle. I've chosen to stick with the two scoops in 500 ml and it's been absolutely fine. It mixes well and sits well.
Second, the scoop. Again, this screams "designed for cyclists." The scoop is far too big for most running bottles, which have much narrower necks than a cycling bottle. Trying to use it means powder all over the kitchen worktop and wasted product. I've ended up buying a funnel, which solves the mess, but it does mean digging another bit of kit out of the cupboard every single time I make a bottle. It sounds small, but it's a genuine, repeated annoyance.
Does it work?
Yes. I'm clearly getting in the electrolytes and sodium I need. I track my intake against my needs with a Nix biosensor (a review of that is coming soon), and Go Far hits the numbers.
Does the protein keep hunger at bay? I'm less sure. As an endurance runner I aim for 70 to 90 g of carbs per hour, and the mix delivers around 67 g, a huge chunk of that, but I'll still top up with a gel to stay on my numbers, and the gel helps with hunger to a degree anyway. Where the protein really earns its place for me is differently: I've always tried to take protein in on long efforts, roughly every three hours, and I've experimented with bars and protein shots to do it. If I can get that protein straight from my drink without carrying any extra product, that's a real bonus.
Go Far vs Maurten Drink Mix 160 & 320
This is really a comparison of two philosophies, not just two products.
Maurten's approach is deliberately minimalist. The Drink Mixes are carbohydrate-and-sodium fuels built on Hydrogel Technology: maltodextrin and fructose plus alginate and pectin, which form a gel in the acidity of the stomach. The idea is that encapsulating the carbs lets you carry a high carbohydrate concentration through the stomach with less GI distress than a normal drink of that strength. There's no protein, no flavouring, and minimal electrolytes beyond sodium. It's a focused carb-delivery tool. And, as I found, it only comes in single sachets.
Drink Mix 160: 160 kcal (670 kJ), 39 g carbs (15 g sugars), 525 mg salt (~210 mg sodium) per 42 g sachet in 500 ml. The lighter option for easier days, hydration-focused days, or hot weather.
Drink Mix 320: 320 kcal (1348 kJ), 78 g carbs (37 g sugars), 620 mg salt (~248 mg sodium) per 83 g sachet in 500 ml. The high-carb option for hard or long sessions and racing.
Go Far's approach is the opposite: maximise completeness. One bottle aims to cover carbs and a full electrolyte profile and protein and BCAAs, so you can fuel a 3+ hour effort from a single source, and you can buy it as a big bag rather than a pile of sachets.
Composition comparison
Per serving | Go Far (preset) | Maurten 160 | Maurten 320 |
Energy | ~282 kcal | 160 kcal | 320 kcal |
Carbohydrate | 66 to 67 g | 39 g | 78 g |
of which sugars | 21 g | 15 g | 37 g |
Carb sources | Maltodextrin, glucose, sucrose | Maltodextrin, fructose | Maltodextrin, fructose |
Protein | 4.3 g (whey isolate) | 0 g | 0 g |
BCAAs | ~600 mg | None | None |
Sodium | ~400 mg (1.0 g salt) | ~210 mg (525 mg salt) | ~248 mg (620 mg salt) |
Potassium / Mg / Ca | Yes | No | No |
Flavouring | Real fruit extract (Orange, Fruit Punch) | Unflavoured | Unflavoured |
Mix volume | ~600 ml | 500 ml | 500 ml |
Approx. carb concentration | ~11% | ~8% | ~16% |
Format | Bag (18 servings) or sachets | Sachets only | Sachets only |
Signature tech | Osmo-FIT™ (isotonic) | Hydrogel | Hydrogel |
Notes: Go Far's EU label states salt; sodium here is converted (1 g salt ≈ 400 mg sodium). Both Maurten columns are taken straight from the EU packets (42 g and 83 g servings). Maurten 320's ~16% carb concentration is high for a drink, and the hydrogel is specifically what's meant to make that tolerable.
What the differences mean on the run
Electrolytes: Go Far is the clear all-rounder, with more sodium plus potassium, magnesium and calcium. On the numbers it isn't close: Go Far delivers roughly 400 mg of sodium per serving against the 160's ~210 mg and the 320's ~248 mg, and it's the only one of the three carrying potassium, magnesium and calcium too. Maurten gives you sodium only, so on a salty-sweat day you may need to add electrolytes alongside it. With Go Far and my Nix biosensor, I'm consistently hitting my numbers from the drink alone.
Protein: Only Go Far has it. It hasn't been a magic hunger-killer for me, but it does let me hit my "protein every three hours" habit without carrying bars or shots, one fewer thing in the vest.
Carb ceiling: For maximum carbs-per-hour, Maurten 320 leads at 80 g/serving; Go Far's ~67 g covers most of my 70 to 90 g/hour target but I still top up with a gel. If raw carbs-per-hour is your priority, Infinit's own Premium Fructose Fuel is arguably the closer match to the 320.
Two routes to the same goal: Maurten uses hydrogel to make a concentrated drink tolerable; Infinit keeps the drink dilute and isotonic. Both are chasing gut comfort, just from opposite directions, and both have sat well with me.
Format and waste: This was my original reason for switching. A big resealable bag for home prep, with sachets for events, beats a drawer full of single sachets, both for cost and for packaging.
Taste: Maurten is deliberately near-flavourless; Go Far's Fruit Punch is light and fades cleanly. Pure preference, but Go Far wins it for me on long efforts.
Infinit Go Far review: my verdict 4.5/5.0
It's good value at around £40 for a 1.39 kg, 18-serving bag (roughly £2.20 a serving). The taste is excellent, and the carb content is superb. It loses half a point only for the two niggles I keep coming back to: the 600 ml mixing recommendation that doesn't match a 500 ml running bottle, and that oversized, cyclist-friendly scoop that has me reaching for a funnel.
The clincher? My wife, who has always steered well clear of products like these, has started using it too, and she comes back from her long runs happy. That's about as solid a thumbs-up as a sports drink can get in this house.
Reach for Go Far when you want one bottle to do everything on long, self-supported efforts (ultras, all-day adventures, big marathon blocks) and you value buying in bulk over sachets. Reach for Maurten 320 when you want maximum clean carbs for a hard session or race and you'll manage electrolytes separately; Maurten 160 for easier or hot days where hydration leads.
Sources for the product data above: Infinit Nutrition Europe (Go Far product and About pages) and Maurten product pages plus major retailers. Composition figures reflect standard presets/single servings at the time of writing; always check current packaging, as formulations and the customisable Go Far spec can vary.
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