Appreciate the comments. I haven't tried the HCl but I should. The small issue I have with it is that SNS makes it in capsules, which is fine but I already take plenty of capsules and prefer mixing it with my post workout drink. However, the powder that SNS does make is all flavors which don't blend with my protein powders. If it were flavorless I'd definitely pick it up.
Now I know that sounds stupid... why not just have the protein shake and then mix the creatine separately? Or just take the pills? The short answer is convenience. It's just more convenient to throw it all into my post workout shake rather than adding more pills or another drink to my routine.
I had this one open to reply to when you posted the new one below, so I multi-quoted them both to answer everything for you in one post.
We offer Magnesium Creatine Chelate powder in an unflavored from, although we have been out of stock for reasons explained in an above post about the suppliers prices being through the roof for awhile; but we get asked constantly to offer a flavored powder form in it rather than an unflavored.
Creatine HCI caps have always outsold the powdered form for us because a lot of people consider it more convenient to be able to pop 1 or 2 capsules than have to make a a drink mix.
We do have Creatine HCI powder due back in stock this coming week and have added some new flavors.
I would try it regardless of which creatine you use, although I am a fan of dicreatine malate. Out of curiosity, why doesn't your HCl powder come in flavorless form? Just seems more convenient that way to mix it with your protein shake.
A lot of people consider capsules to be the most convenient way to take Creatine HCI because the dosage is so low, it doesn't require a lot of capsules and they can wash them down with their pre-workout or protein shake afterward or whatever/whenever else that they would like to.
I had thought about offering an unflavored Creatine HCI powder for years - I had even had label artwork designed for the label and was going to do one, but in one of these threads a few years ago, I had asked for opinions and everyone wanted new flavors and literally no one, not a single person, said anything positive about offering an unflavored powder, so I had shelved the idea.
I don't like the taste at all of Creatine HCI unflavored so its not one that I would ever use personally honestly; I would go with a flavored powder if I wanted powder or I'd go with the capsules if I wanted convenience.
I've thrown Lemon Lime over in my protein shakes a ton of times and the flavor is so feint I didn't even know it was in there.
Something else that has to be considered overall too is that most people use Creatine HCI either in the morning and then pre or post or they use it pre and post; so they may not always being doing a protein shake to mix unflavored into.
Sorry if overexplained, I just wanted to thoroughly answer your question and explain why we hadn't.