Howdy All
I'm really glad we have so many different options for meeting fluid, carbohydrate, and water needs. The higher sodium gels such as Powerbar gel provide about 200 mg of sodium -- as much as 8 ounces of a higher sodium sports drink.
There are many electrolyte replacement products as well -- Nuun, Salt Stick, etc. I also recommend carrying some of those little packets of salt that you can get in fast food restaurants -- it's easy to pour them in a bottle or Camelbak.
Regarding sports drinks -- everyone has different preferences and tolerances. Again, the key is to find what works. Some folks like Mark do better with drinking water and obtaining carbohydrate and sodium from gels and/or tablets. I use Gatorade Endurance, Steve (Bluerail) uses Cytomax, others use Powerbar Endurance or Accelerade, etc.
I'm happy to answer questions regarding fueling for hikes and/or marathons, triathlons, etc.
Miles of smiles,
Ellen