Matt Heywood's 20-Year Hammer Journey

I first heard of Hammer Nutrition in 2004 when I was an MTB-bum in Fernie, BC. The town was hosting the Trans Rocky Challenge which provided plenty of fit riding partners who talked in hushed tones about trips over the border to buy Perpetuem. What was this mystery potion? I didn’t know or think about it again until I raced at Xterra New Zealad 12 months later.

There, I met Rache, the Kiwi distributor for Hammer, handing out samples of Hammer Gel on a plastic teaspoon. Since then, Hammer has met 95% of my sports nutrition needs.

For me, the standout Hammer product is Perpetuem. Those endurance MTB racers in the Rockies were correct: it really is a game-changer, and it still surprises and frustrates me that more athletes are not better informed about proper nutrition. Back then I wanted to keep it a secret and maintain my competitive advantage. But I’m a better person now.

I distinctly remember finishing my first Half Ironman with Perp. It was the first race of that duration where my fuel tank was optimally charged for the whole event, and I’ve used it ever since. Recoverite is my second favourite product. The effect was like Perp and I felt able to complete up to 20 hours of training per week more effectively, consistently and healthily.

Hammer are not just about fuel, they are also about supplements. I have dodgy lungs, am suspectable to chest infections and have a tendency to overtrain. Premium Insurance Caps certainly seem to have had a positive effect on my day-to-day and, especially, my training health.

What of Hammer Gel then? In general, I’m not a fan of gels. I get them. I get why people like them but for me they are an emergency product. I’d rather get most of my fuel from Perp, Heed and Hammer Bars. That being said, I do use them, and I do rely on them, especially the caffeine hit from the Espresso and Tropical flavours. Talking of flavours, they are brilliant. There is definitely a cake recipe waiting to be written with “Peanut Butter Hammer Gel” as one of the ingredients. My only complaint is that they got rid of the hammer-head-shaped tear-off. Just a brilliant design: Made me smile at those race low points and as we all know, smiles=speed.

HEED “tastes like race day”. I love it and use it for all my sessions in under 2 hours. The taste is just enough to be enjoyed, not enough to irritate. And what can I say about the bars? Well, if I was rich enough, I’d have them as a snack every day.

These are my six Hammer staples. But I have tried most of the other products including the everyday and specific advantage supplements. Race Day Boost certainly seems to get me primed and the endurance and anti-fatigue supplements help during those 4-hour rides.

At the start, I said Hammer has provided 95% of my nutritional needs. What about the other 5%? Well, Hammer products can look expensive when taken at face value, and there have been times when I’ve been tempted by lower prices. But I’ve always come back because I believe not only in the products but also in the company. The people who work for Hammer believe in it, and I want to support people who believe in what they make and sell.

And on price, I’ve always respected that Hammer promotes a “less is more” approach to their recommended doses. I once did a spreadsheet (I am an engineer) of the cost per dose of Hammer products and some typical competitors and because you use less Hammer, it’s often around the same price per dose for a much higher quality and better performing product.

Sean and the team are doing a great job of growing the Hammer Brand in the UK and I wish them every continued success. I’ll be right there with you.