I live 100 miles from the hottest place on planet earth and the peat inclusion allows me to go 2-4 days in summer without watering my established 5-1-1 pots. I don't know what Hydrogel is, but peat is cheap and effective when used in the right proportion. I hate Peat Pudding mixes, but I don't mind at all the small amt of peat used to make 5-1-1.

Some believe that hydrogel has some possible harmful chemicals. But so does almost everything we use. I would use some in the mix, but not so much as to replace peat. Also I have not heard coir is bad, I myself rather like it.
Also coconut husk chips are decent too! Coir is getting cheaper and cheaper too. Also it lasts longer than peat, so cost needs to be figured into that too. . I love peat too. In my alkaline world a little acid helps a lot!

Thanx guys!
Coir here in Germany is available everywhere and is much cheaper than peat. I think I'll go coco then! And I have found pine bark 4-8 mm size.
Even if hydrogel contains harmful stuff I ain't gonna eat my fuchsias or other shrubs. People look for bad things in wrong places. They should look what's inside of the food they buy every day.
And also we cannot use perlite in organic farming here, I really don't know why..