Gulf Coast Kratom Brand Review [2023 Update]

Some kratom vendors are strictly business and have an almost soulless feel about them. However, others adopt a more friendly and personal approach. Gulf Coast Kratom is one such company putting a face to the name. Let's learn more about them in this brand review.

I want to touch upon Gulf Coast Kratom's products, how much they charge, if they are serious about lab testing, customers' experiences with this vendor, and more. It doesn't matter whether or not you have heard of them before - this post has something for you.

Before we get into the details, let's start with general information about Gulf Coast Kratom.

Gulf Coast Kratom (GCK) is one of multiple Texas-based brands in the U.S. kratom market. The vendor is operated by husband and wife pairing Roel and Isabel, who are based north of Corpus Christi. Well, that explains the origin of the “Gulf Coast Kratom” name!

The GCK About Us page shares a personal story about kratom, which I find encouraging from a quality perspective. It shows an understanding of kratom and its value and, hopefully, a desire to deliver the best possible products to customers.

I noticed an unusual membership system on the GCK website. It seems like you once had to register for an account before you could place an order. But going by the information on GCK’s homepage, this is not the case as of July 2023. And that is probably for the best.

Unfortunately, there is no direct way of contacting the GCK team with questions. Most vendors have a ‘Contact Us’ page. And given the lack of an FAQ page, there is a good chance you will have questions! Maybe contact options become available upon signing up for membership.

There is no built-in payment system on the GCK website. You must place your order before going through an email process. GCK accepts payment via CashApp, Facebook Pay, GPay, and Zelle. This ordering system is a little clunky and not as streamlined as I would hope for.

Ready to discover more about GCK's Mitragyna speciosa range? Excellent! The vendor offers kratom powder and capsule products. The selections are limited, but they have evidently gone for quality over quantity.

Note: All prices mentioned in this review were correct at the time of writing (July 2023).

GCK has a 10-strain kratom powder selection, with a mixture of green, white, and red vein offerings. While not the biggest collection, GCK has the vein color variety to satisfy all. Maybe you like energizing white powder, or perhaps you prefer the slow speed of an easy-going red.

Each product page states where the kratom powder originates from. For instance, GCK’s Coastal Paradise strain is sourced from the Hulu Kapuas jungle. The vendor also provides a suggested serving size, the lot number, and details on the possible effects.

The product pages state that GCK’s kratom powder is a product of Indonesia and consists of 100% Mitragyna speciosa leaf. Furthermore, the mitragynine content does not exceed 2%. GCK’s kratom powder comes in packages ranging from 100 grams to 1 kilogram.

Strains: Coastal Paradise, Emerald Ocean Waves, Green Borneo, Green Maeng Da, Red Bali, Red Hulu Kapuas, Red Maeng Da, Super Green, Super White, and White Maeng Da

Bag Sizes: 100 grams, 200 grams, 500 grams, 1000 grams (1 kilogram)

Capsules are the answer to kratom's bitter flavor problem! If the herb's sharp taste is enough to put you off it, capsules are one of the few viable options, even though they cost more. Kratom caps are also discreet, have pre-measured dosages, and you can buy them at GCK.

Indeed, this vendor stocks four kratom capsule strains. It is common for a brand's capsule range to be smaller than its powder selection. Importantly, GCK still offers variety with red, green, and white vein strains.

GCK sells kratom capsules by weight, with a 65-gram bag roughly equal to 100 caps. However, they say that most bags have a few extra capsules. On these numbers, each capsule would contain approximately 650mg of kratom powder. GCK doesn’t say if they use gelatin or vegetarian-based capsules.

Strains: Coastal Gold Sunrise, Green Maeng Da, Red Bali, and Whitecap Waves

I often have more confidence in kratom shops run by enthusiasts than in the so-called bigger companies looking to make a quick buck. And there are several arguments for GCK being a legit brand.

Firstly, the vendor is hot on third-party testing - even more so than many established brands. GCK publishes third-party certificates of analysis (COAs) for its kratom products, updating them with every lot. So, you don’t need to worry about the data being months or even years out of date.

The COAs I saw were from Murray-Brown Laboratories, a well-known lab based in Colorado. The technicians checked the purity and alkaloid content of GCK’s powders and capsules.

GCK is not accredited by the American Kratom Association (AKA). The organization has a list of GMP-qualified vendors which have been shown, via audit, to uphold certain manufacturing standards. Having this would be a bonus for a small-scale brand like GCK, but it is not necessary.

Unfortunately, the GCK homepage states there are “no refunds or exchanges.” I understand that small kratom retailers are less able to offer comprehensive refund policies than larger vendors. But this is still underwhelming and affects their ability to ensure customer satisfaction.

GCK strikes me as a company that cares about selling premium kratom products to customers - or they would not bother to post lab reports. And since these results are impressive, I expected a positive response from kratom users.

The GCK website has a smattering of product reviews posted by “verified owners.” Only GCK members who have purchased that specific product can comment. While not a third-party verification system, these reviews are more meaningful than those not checked whatsoever.

I was more keen to discover what the kratom lovers of Reddit thought of GCK. And guess what? They have gone down well.

Redditor u/Past_Middle2744 posted about GCK on r/Vendorsofkratom in late 2022. They were “def happy” with the brand’s White Maeng Da strain and appreciated the fast shipping. Furthermore, u/OriginalLHB called them a “first-class vendor with a first-class product.”

Interestingly, Roel from GCK posted a thread on r/Vendorsofkratom2 in 2022. Several Redditors chimed in with support for the company, and Roel’s comments suggested that GCK is a friendly vendor with excellent customer service.

It is rare to see so many people speaking highly of a kratom vendor on an independent forum! That GCK has garnered such respect can only be a good thing.

GCK has a reasonably priced range of products - and less than $100 for one kilogram of lab-tested kratom powder is superb value for money. Moreover, the lab results show that GCK’s kratom contains high levels of mitragynine, so a little goes a long way!

The vendor’s kratom capsules work out rather expensive since strains are only for sale in one bag size (65 grams). Many stores have several options available, so you can reduce the cost per capsule with larger purchases.

Orders from GCK do not come with free shipping. The shipping fee varies depending on the weight of the order and where you are shipping to. For instance, shipping to Canada incurs a higher cost relative to somewhere in the United States.

But overall, given the brand’s transparency, reviews, and affordable prices, GCK’s kratom products are worth the money. The ‘no refund’ policy is a drawback, but you could start by buying a couple of small bags to minimize your risk.

GCK may not be the most stylish kratom vendor, but there is plenty of substance. I am impressed with the brand’s lab-testing approach, which outperforms that of many more experienced companies.

However, the lack of an in-built payment system arguably hurts GCK. The simplicity and security of buying directly from the website is a big thing for many shoppers. If GCK improves in this area, it could go on to reach even greater heights.