Few products have achieved cult status as quickly as Logan Paul and KSI’s PRIME Hydration. Just over a year on from its official release fans both young and old are still literally wrestling with each other in supermarkets to get their hands on a bottle.
In fact, it quite often hasn’t even made it as far as the shelves. KSI claimed ‘black market’ stockists have somehow been intercepting orders bound for the UK’s biggest chains and charging extortionate prices.
The hysteria probably hasn’t been helped by the fact PRIME signed mega partnership deals with the UFC and Premier League leaders Arsenal in its first year, propelling it onto an even bigger stage.
Such is the demand that multiple pages have been set up to track the availability of PRIME and inform fans accordingly. The biggest of which has 42,000 followers on Twitter alone.
All of this may sound like something from an episode of Black Mirror, and it’s certainly a lot of fuss for a hydration drink. So we thought we’d snag a bottle while we can and give our honest review of the product on everyone’s lips.
Here’s what we thought…
An Unlikely Partnership
I think it’s safe to say that when KSI and Logan Paul were knocking seven bells out of each other in a boxing ring no one saw them joining forces and becoming business partners and friends.
However, their coalition has been nothing short of a stroke of genius. Combining their respective audiences has helped them instantly crack the global market.
Success was pretty much guaranteed on their home turf, but people across the globe have been baying for PRIME to be introduced further afield. Wherever it has gone, manic scenes and instant sellouts have followed.
So unsurprisingly, the figures the business has posted in just over a year of trading are astronomical. During an interview on The Kyle and Jackie O Show earlier this year, the hosts asked if they knew how much money Prime made.
KSI laughed at the question as Paul prepared to answer and said, “oh god”.
But his partner-in-crime was a lot less reserved about sharing details of their success. He said: “In year 1, we cleared $250m in retail sales, $110m gross internally. In January of this year, we did $45m.”
If sales stay as they are then Paul and KSI are set to achieve more than double the numbers they saw in PRIME’s inaugural year.
What Is In PRIME?
It feels like everyone is talking about PRIME, but virtually no one speaks about what’s actually in it. While PRIME has now released an energy drink, the original is a hydration formula.
The drink is made up primarily of filtered water, coconut water from concentrate, 825g of electrolytes, 250mg of BCAAs such as L-Leucine and L-Isoleucine, and various vitamins.
I have to admit I was relatively surprised when I first read the label. Given their combined following – which is comfortably in the tens of millions – they could have just slapped any old drink together and it would have flown off the shelves regardless.
But as a hydration formula, this is actually fairly impressive. Take electrolytes for example. Electrolytes are naturally occurring salts in the body that perform several functions. When we sweat during exercise, we lose these salts that need replacing.
PRIME also contains branched-chain amino acids. These are essentially the building blocks of protein that the body can’t produce itself. Studies have shown they can reduce muscle soreness, prevent muscle wasting and help with recovery.
Another ingredient found within the drink is B-12, a vitamin known for its energy-boosting properties. If you’re trying to avoid caffeine but still want a post-workout boost while rehydrating then PRIME is actually a pretty viable option. At just 20 calories a serving, it’s friendly on the macros, too.
The only obvious negative I can see is the inclusion of artificial sweeteners such as Sucralose and Acesulfame Potassium. Generally speaking, it’s best to avoid sweeteners as some studies suggest they can have a damaging effect if consumed regularly over time.
Prime Hydration: The Gymfluencers Verdict
PRIME Hydration comes in five flavours: Strawberry Watermelon, Meta Moon, Ice Pop, Blue Raspberry, and Tropical Punch. I’m a sucker for anything that contains either strawberry or watermelon, so the combination of the two was near impossible for me to turn down.
I packed my bottle of PRIME into my gym bag and set off for a tough circuit training session, making sure it was safely locked away while out of site (you never know when PRIME Tracker is watching). Once the initial feeling of sickness had surpassed post-workout I reached for the bottle, cracked it open and took my first sip.
The flavour was nice and refreshing, but it was quite intensely sweet. I wouldn’t say it was a natural flavour, but it was definitely still enjoyable. However, it definitely did quench my thirst, and I was safe in the knowledge it was stacked with a pretty strong ingredient profile.
Overall, I think PRIME could definitely be a solid addition to your post-workout rehydration routine. Would I advise drinking it daily? Maybe not, but then again, I don’t think you’d be able to secure the supply.
If you’re struggling to get your hands on a bottle of PRIME then head to the Gymfluencers Store. We stock all the top American energy drinks such as Monster, 3D Energy, and REIGN at unbeatable prices.
