Swedish brand Maurten makes products that athletes everywhere reach for when they’re tackling a personal best in a marathon, Ironman and even the Tour de France. The gel and powder that you mix into water are relatively tasteless, a welcome change from most gels and powders that dominate the market. Plus the stuff works. This past year alone, Maurten has been the fuel of choice for the winners of the Berlin, New York, Tokyo, Boston and London Marathons. While the brand doesn’t launch new products frequently, this week brought a big announcement.
We’re big fans of everything Maurten does, so we’re intrigued by this latest launch, Maurten Unofficial. The new line features simple silver packaging, devoid of any labels. Why? It all has to do with the contracts athletes sign to support themselves pursuing their passion, competing in their respective sports. Maurten is favored by a variety of athletes in the cycling, running and swimming spaces — and many have sponsorship deals with other brands that make fuel. This situation presents a conundrum: if they’re spotted using the Maurten products they love (the same products that may have helped them score sponsorships in the first place), they risk voiding the exclusivity contracts they’ve signed with these brands.
Maurten is still a relatively new, small brand in the grand scheme of sports nutrition, so while the influence they’ve had in various athletic sectors is vast, the brand sponsors relatively few athletes. Maurten hopes this unbranded line allows athletes to continue using their products without risking sponsorship loss, while still bringing more athletes into the Maurten family. It’s a rather cheeky, subversive approach — just check out the pixelated Instagram video above — and we’re curious to see where it goes. Shop all the new products (including a blurred-out bottle) online today.
Gel 100: $43Drink Mix 160: $42Drink Mix 320: $48Bottle: $5
