Like most companies that launched a product to compete with Propel fitness water, Sobe came out with a new line called Sobe Lifewater. Basically it’s water with some extra flavor, vitamins, and antioxidants.

The thing with this water is that it has the same amount of calories as Gatorade, at 50 calories per 8 oz serving. That puzzled me because Propel (Gatorade’s fitness water) has something like 20 calories per serving, helping it appeal to general dieters and fitness enthusiasts. Maybe Sobe is just targeting the people that already buy Sobe products looking for energy.

The two main ingredients are filtered water and fructose, so that’s not so bad - certainly better than high fructose corn syrup. However, the drink tastes a little too watered down.

“Watered down? But it’s water?”

Well here’s the thing. I like flavored waters because they taste like water with a little extra flavor. But this tastes like a juice or sports drink that has been watered down way too much. See the difference?

Let me put it another way: When you drink it, you get a little flavor, and then you get a water taste. It’s kind of like separate experiences instead of water with a hint of flavor. You can’t really compare it to Gatorade Rain or Propel Fitness Water either. It’s just its own weird experience.

That might not apply to all the flavors, but this Pomegranate Cherry isn’t something I plan to drink again. I was only attracted to it for the pomegranate flavor, and it turns out that the cherry taste overpowers any hint of pomegranate that might be there. (By the way, real pomegranate juice is exceptional!)

The strawberry kiwi flavor, on the other hand, was half decent. And the orange tangerine was alright. But overall, I wasn’t too impressed.

My final verdict is…

The plain water taste is too weird, so I don’t recommend it. Stick with other drinks like plain water or Gatorade. [Just make sure you choose ones without artificial sweeteners like sucralose.]

But if you do have to try this, opt for the Strawberry Kiwi.

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It seems like I see something new every time I go to the convenience store. And it’s usually some sort of energy drink or new bottled water. Today I saw something in Peach Mango flavor, and it turned out to be Aquafina Alive Wellness Water.

I knew it would be a direct competitor to Gatorade’s Propel Fitness Water, but I had to find out if it was any good.

The first thing I realized is that it comes in a crappy, thin plastic bottle. It seemed like a bad idea, but the more I hold the bottle the more I like it. It kind of molds to your hand. (And you’ll just throw the bottle away after you drink it, so it’s not really a big deal.)

From reading the label, this sounds like pretty good stuff. It is a “vitamin enhanced flavored water beverage” with Vitamins E, B6, B12, and Niacin.

Here’s what it does:

“Aquafina Alive WellnessWater helps replenish and cleanse your body to help you feel your best. With only 10 calories per serving, a splash of real juice and E and B vitamins, Aquafina Alive is a simple thing you can do for your healthy lifestyle. Make Your Body Happy. Drink Aquafina Alive.”

The rest of the label looks VERY similar to Propel. So let’s see how it tastes…

I don’t think this tastes like Propel at all (which is good and bad.) The good is that it has a very strong peach-mango taste which is really, really good. It really tastes like the fruit. But it also tastes like water…

I think of Propel like a flavored water. It feels like water and the taste is consistent. Basically, it is what you would expect. This Aquafina Wellness Water is different though. It feels like water going into your mouth, then you get this strong flavor like you’re drinking fresh mango juice. But unfortunately when your swallow, it tastes like watered-down orange juice. Then it has a weird aftertaste.

By the end of the bottle, I had gotten used to the taste. So it’s not so bad. I don’t know how great it would be for during workouts, but it might be nice between workouts if you’re an endurance athlete (since you’ll be sweating out lots of electrolytes.)

My final verdict is…

This Aquafina Alive peach mango is good enough that you might like it and cheap enough that it’s not a huge waste of money. I would never consume this regularly, however, because it contains artificial sweeteners (as does anything labeled low calorie.) I much prefer anything with natural ingredients.

If I were to drink it, I’d use it as a nice poolside summer drink since it has real fruit flavor and is low in calories.

Official website: www.aquafina.com

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I’m really starting to like this Propel fitness water. I’m a big fan of Gatorade, but during the off-season I don’t really need it. I don’t think I’m in danger of depleting my glycogen stores (or electrolytes) on a daily basis, go Gatorade is overkill. But plain water doesn’t always cut it.

So I’m going to use Propel, if only for the flavor! (I’m a big fan of peach.) I didn’t use it much until they sent me a coupon for a free bottle. Ever since, I’ve been buying it.

That’s all for today. Now go try Propel during your next workout!

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[Edit: Propel contains sucralose, so I don't recommend it. It fooled me at first because it contains sucrose syrup as a main ingredient, and then hides sucralose in the middle of the ingredient list. I figured with sucrose syrup, there's no need to use sucralose. Plus, usually I see sucralose at the end of the list, and since it was "hidden" in the middle, I skimmed over it.]

So stick with a regular sports drink like Gatorade Rain or Gatorade Tiger, or get a low calorie drink without artificial sweeteners like ACT.