Compare electrolyte drinks the way your crew actually drinks them

Every brand prints its nutrition panel against a different amount of water. Gatorade sticks are labeled for 20 oz. DripDrop is labeled for 8 oz. Liquid I.V., SHIELD and All Sport Zero are labeled for 16.9 oz. Sqwincher is labeled for 12 oz. Compare the printed numbers side by side and you are not comparing drinks, you are comparing bottle sizes.

So this chart gives you both views. Switch between what one packet, pop or scoop delivers as directed, and what every product delivers once it is all scaled to the same 12 oz of finished drink. Twelve products, every figure read off the current manufacturer panel, starting with our own HydraFreeze freeze pops.

How to read this chart

Per serving as directed answers "what does one stick or one pop give my worker?" Use this when you are budgeting packets per person per shift.
Per 12 fl oz of finished drink puts every product on one ruler. Use this when you are comparing formulas, not packaging.
Sodium is the electrolyte lost in the largest amount in sweat, so it is the column that matters most for heat stress. Potassium matters, but sweat loss is far smaller.
Sugar is not automatically bad. Carbohydrate helps water absorb and gives working crews fuel. Zero-sugar formulas suit diabetic, keto and calorie-restricted drinkers.

Electrolyte drink comparison chart

Product	Serving	Calories	Total carb (g)	Sugar (g)	Sodium (mg)	Potassium (mg)

Fat and protein are 0 g in every product listed.
HydraFreeze is eaten frozen, not mixed with water, so it has no "per 12 oz of drink" value. Four pops is roughly 12 oz of liquid.
Values in the 12 oz view are scaled from each manufacturer's printed panel and rounded.
Where a brand sells several forms (powder, liquid concentrate, ready-to-drink), the panel can differ slightly between them. Figures here are for the form Hydration Depot sells in bulk.

Sodium delivered per 12 oz of finished drink

This is the ranking that changes most once everything is on the same ruler. A Gatorade stick prints 230 mg of sodium, but that is spread across 20 oz. Pour 12 oz of it and you are getting 138 mg.

Light replacement under 150 mg Standard work shift 150 to 300 mg High sweat rate and heat 300 mg and up

Pick the format before you pick the brand

For most buyers the format decides the order more than the nutrition panel does. Here is what each one is good at.

Freeze pops

Frozen, individually wrapped, zero prep. Cools core temperature as well as replacing fluid, which nothing else on this page does.

HydraFreeze HD Exclusive, Sqwincher Sqweeze and Sqweeze ZERO, All Sport regular, sugar free and tropical, plus SHIELD and Overtime. See all freeze pops.

No mixing, no cups, no cleanup
Portion controlled by the wrapper
Needs freezer space on site

Best for: jobsites, plants and yards in peak heat

Single-serve sticks

One stick per bottle, nothing to measure. Highest sodium per serving of anything here.

DripDrop, Liquid I.V., Gatorade and Gatorade Zero, SHIELD and SHIELD ZERO, All Sport Zero, Propel. See all single-serve packets.

Highest sodium per serving of any format
Travels with the worker
Highest cost per gallon

Best for: mobile crews, trucks, first-aid kits

Bulk powder and liquid concentrate

Mixed into coolers at the start of the shift, in 1, 2.5, 5 and 6 gallon yields.

Gatorade and G Zero, Sqwincher Original and Sqwincher ZERO, powder or liquid concentrate.

Lowest cost per gallon by a wide margin
Needs coolers, cups and someone to mix
Mix ratio controls the strength

Best for: fixed sites, shops, large crews

Ready to drink

Sealed bottles and cans. Nothing to prepare at all.

Gatorade and Gatorade Zero, Sqwincher Original and ZERO, SWORD, SHIELD and SHIELD ZERO, Propel, plus bottled water including private label.

Zero labor, zero mixing error
Sealed and tamper evident
Heaviest to ship and store

Best for: events, disaster relief, visitor and guest supply

Sugar or zero sugar?

Choose a sugar formula when

The shift is long and physical and the crew needs fuel, not just fluid
Workers are not eating regularly through the day
You want faster fluid absorption, since carbohydrate helps pull water across the gut

Gatorade, Sqwincher Original, SWORD, SHIELD, DripDrop, Liquid I.V., HydraFreeze

Choose a zero sugar formula when

Any of your people are diabetic, pre-diabetic or on a restricted diet
Drinking goes on all day and the calories would stack up
Your safety program limits added sugar

Gatorade Zero, Sqwincher ZERO, SHIELD ZERO, All Sport Zero, Propel

Common questions

Why do the numbers here look different from the back of the package?

How much sodium does a crew actually need in the heat?

Is a higher sodium number always better?

Which of these is cheapest per gallon?

Not sure which one fits your crew?

Tell us headcount, shift length and how hot the site gets, and we will build the mix for you: pops for peak heat, sticks for the trucks, bulk powder for the coolers. Exclusive bundles and the Workforce Hydration Program ship it on a schedule so nobody has to reorder.

Workforce Hydration Program Exclusive bundles Call 866-380-5600

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