question on gel bottle/flask

I have a gel flask for my bike and one for my run that I hook onto my Hydration belt.  For a longer run such as a marathon or Ironman you could use a gel flask to start out with and in your special needs store another one to exchange out at the halfway point.  I wouldn't carry three gel bottles I'd rather live off the course.  I think most, again personal preference, would say just live off the course if you like their products offered; less is more in most cases.  On the bike I have seen people with two Gel Flasks one on the top of the top tube and one underneath. 

Hammer Gel has large bottles of Gel that is easier to fill up than squeezing packets one by one.  Cost is around $20 or so depending on where you buy it.  Comes in different flavors.  I prefer Rasberry Gel.  I fill the flask up almost to the top and put in a small amount of water shake to incorporate the water to thin it out some.

I usually fill up the flask about 1/2-2/3 full of gel and then fill the rest with water.  I find it easier to eat/drink the gel this way.

x2 on the big hammer gel bottles.  PM me for a 15% discount on Hammer

I use gel bottles for all my longer races.  If your body tolerates gel well it is a very easy, simple way to deal with your nutrition.  I use the five ounce Hammer gel bottles and mix three parts gel and two parts water.  For my IM, I changed that to four parts gel and one part water.  It makes it much easier to drink it down.

I usually figure (with the 3:2 mix) about one bottle per 60 - 90 minutes.  For an HIM, I put two in my tri top back pockets and parse them out over the ride and supplement my calories with sport drink supplied on the course.  Same with run, I grab two more in T2 and put them in my back pockets.

For the IM, I had 2 bottles in T1, 2 in special needs bag (bike), 2 in T2, and 2 in special needs bag (run).  I was pretty sick of it by the end of the day but it gave me what I needed.  Also, I hate the single serve packets.  Drives me crazy trying to squeeze/suck the gel out of them and I hate to see them littering the roadsides.