COMPARISON · DIY RECOVERY
DIY Recovery vs SiS REGO, Skratch, Tailwind, Klean Athlete, Maurten
A DIY post-workout recovery powder using maltodextrin, whey isolate (or pea + rice), tart cherry extract, and sodium citrate hits the same 4:1 carb-to-protein ratio as SiS REGO, Skratch, Tailwind, and Klean Athlete at roughly $0.60 to $0.80 per serving versus $2.95 to $4.50 commercial. The commercial brands earn their premium through convenience, certification, and flavor work, not biochemistry.
Pick DIY when cost, customization, and add-ins (tart cherry, creatine, L-glutamine) matter. Pick a certified commercial brand when you compete under NSF or Informed Sport rules. Pick a stickpack or sachet when race-day portability beats every other consideration.
| Feature | DIY | SiS REGO | Skratch Recovery | Tailwind Recovery | Klean Athlete | Maurten Solid C |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cost per serving DIY math: bulk maltodextrin + whey isolate + tart cherry powder + sodium citrate. Maurten Solid C is a bar, not a drink. | ~$0.60-$0.80 | ~$3.50 | ~$3.75 | ~$2.95 | ~$3.20 | ~$4.50 |
| Carbs per serving | You choose (60-80g) | ~22g | ~16g (40g with milk) | ~25g | ~30g | ~44g |
| Protein per serving | You choose (15-20g) | ~20g whey | ~4g (mix with milk) | ~10g rice | ~8g whey | ~5g |
| Carb : Protein ratio | 4:1 (target) | ~1.1:1 (protein-heavy) | 4:1 with milk | 2.5:1 | ~3.75:1 | ~9:1 (carb-dominant) |
| Sodium per serving | You choose (300-600mg) | ~280mg | ~270mg | ~310mg | ~150mg | ~110mg |
| Tart cherry / anti-inflammatory | yes (scaled to workout) | |||||
| Creatine option | yes (5g add-in) | |||||
| L-glutamine option | yes (5g add-in) | |||||
| Vegan / plant-based option | yes (pea + rice blend) | no (whey) | no (uses dairy) | yes (rice protein) | no (whey) | yes (oat-based) |
| Gluten-free | yes (ingredient choice) | |||||
| NSF or Informed Sport certified | partial (ingredient-dependent) | yes (Informed Sport) | yes (Informed Sport) | yes (NSF Certified for Sport) | yes (Informed Sport) | |
| Customizable to workout intensity | ||||||
| Sourcing transparency | You see every ingredient | Label only | Label only | Label only | Label only (NSF audited) | Label only |
| Requires kitchen scale | Yes (0.1g recommended) | no (single-serve sachet) | no (scoop) | no (scoop) | no (scoop) | no (bar) |
| Mixing required | Yes (shake 30 sec) | Yes (shake 30 sec) | Yes (mix with milk) | Yes (shake) | Yes (shake) | No (eat the bar) |
| Format | Bulk powder | Single-serve sachet | Tub + scoop | Tub + scoop or stickpack | Tub + scoop | Solid bar |
| Shelf life | 12+ months (sealed) | 24 months unopened | 12-18 months unopened | 24 months unopened | 24 months unopened | 12 months unopened |
| Race-bag convenience | Pre-portion zip bags | High (sachet) | Medium (tub) | High (stickpack) | Medium (tub) | Highest (just eat it) |
| WADA / NCAA legal | Yes (ingredients only) | Yes (Informed Sport) | Yes (ingredients) | Yes (Informed Sport) | Yes (NSF Certified for Sport) | Yes (Informed Sport) |
Prices and product details accurate as of 2026-05. All trademarks belong to their respective owners. Brand-neutral assessment from an athlete-first perspective; no commercial partnership with any listed product.
PER-BRAND PROFILES
Strengths and Tradeoffs
Every product on this list works. The right pick depends on whether you optimize for cost, certification, portability, or full customization.
Recommended for most
DIY Recovery (this calculator)
Strengths
- Hits any 4:1 (or custom) carb-to-protein ratio you target
- Adds tart cherry, creatine, and L-glutamine on demand
- $0.60 to $0.80 per serving in bulk vs $3 to $4 commercial
- Vegan-friendly pea + rice variant or whey isolate, your choice
Tradeoffs
- Requires a 0.1g kitchen scale and 60-90 seconds of prep
- Certification depends on which bulk brand you source
- No printed protocol on the package, you reference the tool
Protein-heavy single-serve
SiS REGO Rapid Recovery
Strengths
- Informed Sport certified, batch-tested
- Single-serve sachet survives any race bag
- High protein dose (~20g whey) for muscle-protein synthesis
Tradeoffs
- Protein-heavy 1.1:1 ratio is far from the classic 4:1 endurance target
- No tart cherry, creatine, or polyphenol stack
- ~$3.50 per serving adds up across a training block
Chocolate milk in powder form
Skratch Labs Sport Recovery
Strengths
- Designed to mix with milk to land near 4:1
- Excellent taste, dissolves cleanly
- Honest, simple ingredient list
Tradeoffs
- Requires real milk to hit full protein dose
- Not Informed Sport or NSF certified
- Tub + scoop format is less portable than sachets
Vegan-friendly stickpack
Tailwind Recovery Mix
Strengths
- Informed Sport certified
- Rice protein works for dairy-sensitive athletes
- Stickpack format is the most travel-friendly here
- Lowest commercial cost in this list (~$2.95 per serving)
Tradeoffs
- 2.5:1 ratio is below the 4:1 endurance-recovery target
- No anti-inflammatory polyphenol stack
- Rice protein has a coarser mouthfeel than whey
NSF Certified for Sport
Klean Athlete Klean Recovery
Strengths
- NSF Certified for Sport (the standard NCAA and MLB request)
- Solid base formula (~30g carbs, ~8g whey)
- Trusted by collegiate strength staff
Tradeoffs
- Lower sodium (~150mg) than most peers
- No anti-inflammatory or recovery add-ins
- Premium price for a fairly standard formula
Carb bar, not a drink
Maurten Solid C 225
Strengths
- No mixing, just eat the bar
- Informed Sport certified
- ~44g carbs in a portable, race-bag-stable format
Tradeoffs
- Only ~5g protein, far from a recovery 4:1 ratio
- Marketed for pre-race fueling, not full recovery
- Highest per-serving cost in this list (~$4.50)
FREQUENTLY ASKED
Post-Workout Recovery: Common Questions
For an athlete training 4+ days per week, the per-serving gap between DIY (~$0.70) and commercial recovery brands ($2.95 to $4.50) adds up to several hundred dollars per year. The decision usually comes down to one variable: do you compete under NSF or Informed Sport rules, or do you want maximum flexibility on ratio and add-ins?
Is SiS REGO Rapid Recovery worth the price?
SiS REGO is a credible recovery sachet: ~22g carbs, ~20g whey protein, ~280mg sodium, Informed Sport certified at ~$3.50 per serving. The strengths are convenience (single-serve sachet that survives a race bag) and Informed Sport certification, which matters if you compete under WADA or NCAA testing. The tradeoffs are a protein-heavy ratio closer to 1.1:1 than the classic 4:1 endurance-recovery target, no tart cherry or polyphenol stack for inflammation, and a per-serving cost roughly 5x what the same active ingredients cost in bulk. If you train 4+ days per week, that gap reaches several hundred dollars per year.
Skratch Labs Sport Recovery vs Tailwind Recovery: which is better for endurance?
Skratch Sport Recovery is built around the chocolate milk model: ~16g carbs and ~4g protein in the mix, designed to be shaken with milk to land near the classic 4:1 ratio. The flavor is excellent and it dissolves cleanly. Tailwind Recovery uses rice protein, comes in stickpacks, is Informed Sport certified, and works for vegan athletes who do not tolerate dairy. For endurance turnaround, Tailwind has the slight edge on portability and certification; Skratch has the edge on taste and if you already drink milk post-workout. Both are honest products and either is a fine pick if you do not want to weigh bulk ingredients.
Why is Klean Athlete Klean Recovery often recommended for collegiate athletes?
Klean Athlete carries NSF Certified for Sport certification, which is the certification specifically requested by NCAA athletic departments, MLB, NHL, and PGA Tour drug-testing programs. The certification means every batch is tested against the prohibited substance list and against contamination from anabolic agents. The formula itself (~30g carbs, ~8g whey protein, ~150mg sodium) is solid but not exceptional. For an athlete subject to NSF-specific compliance rules, the certification alone is worth the ~$3.20 per serving. For an athlete not subject to those rules, a DIY blend using NSF-certified bulk ingredients gets the same compliance at lower cost.
Is Maurten Solid C 225 a recovery product or a fuel product?
Maurten Solid C 225 is primarily a high-carb oat bar (~44g carbs, ~5g protein) marketed for pre-race fueling and intra-stage carb top-ups. It can function as a quick post-workout carb hit when no shaker bottle is available, but the ~9:1 carb-to-protein ratio is well outside the classic 4:1 endurance-recovery target. For glycogen-only refueling on a multi-stage day, it is genuinely convenient and travels well. For full recovery (glycogen plus muscle protein synthesis plus inflammation control), it is the wrong tool. Pair it with a protein source if it is your only option after a hard session.
Can a DIY recovery powder really match the metabolic profile of these commercial brands?
Yes, on the metabolic side. The active ingredients driving recovery are the same across nearly every commercial product: a fast carb source (maltodextrin, dextrose, or oat flour), a complete protein source (whey isolate, or a pea + rice blend), sodium, and optional polyphenols. The DIY calculator produces exact gram weights for each, and you can hit the same 4:1 ratio and the same sodium dose as any commercial brand. What DIY does not replace is third-party batch certification (NSF Certified for Sport, Informed Sport), which matters specifically for athletes subject to drug testing. If certification is a hard requirement, Klean Athlete or Tailwind are the cleanest commercial picks; if it is not, DIY delivers the same biochemistry at roughly 20% of the cost.
BUILD YOUR RECIPE
See Your Numbers In 30 Seconds.
Pick your workout type, gut sensitivity, and recovery profile. The DIY Recovery calculator returns exact gram weights for maltodextrin, protein, tart cherry, sodium, and optional creatine, plus an annual cost audit versus the brands on this page.
OPEN THE DIY RECOVERY CALCULATOR