A hydrogel comprising: (a) 0.3 - 50.0 wt.%, based on the total weight of the hydrogel, of a water gellant, wherein the water gellant is obtainable by converting a hydrophilic polymer backbone P, wherein P is selected from polyethers, polyesters, or a copolymer of such polymers, in a first step into an amine functional prepolymer according to the formula P- n, wherein in a second step a simple hydrogen bonding unit is introduced at the termini of the hydrophobic linker L by reacting the amine functional prepolymer P- n with a mono- or difunctional compound selected from the group consisting of (di)isocyanates, (di)thioisocyanates, (di)amines which are optionally activated, (di)acid chlorides, (di)esters which are optionally activated, (di)ols which are optionally activated, (di)acryl amides, (di)methacryl amides, and (di)thiols which are optionally activated; wherein P and L are connected to each other by moieties selected from the group consisting of (thio)urea, (thio)urethane, amide, ester, carbonate, secondary amine, tertiary amine and ether moieties, wherein: n is in the range of 1.8 to 10; L is a hydrophobic linker selected from the group consisting of cyclic, linear or branched C 2 - C 24 alkylene groups, C 6 - C 24 arylene groups, C 7 - C 24 alkarylene groups and C 7 - C 24 arylalkylene groups, wherein the alkylene groups, arylene groups, alkarylene groups and arylalkylene groups optionally, but not preferably, comprise 1 - 5 heteroatoms selected from the group consisting of O, N and S; and (b) 50.0 to 99.7 wt.% water. (a) 0.3 - 50.0 wt.%, based on the total weight of the hydrogel, of a water gellant, wherein the water gellant is obtainable by converting a hydrophilic polymer backbone P, wherein P is selected from polyethers, polyesters, or a copolymer of such polymers, in a first step into an amine functional prepolymer according to the formula P- n, wherein in a second step a simple hydrogen bonding unit is introduced at the termini of the hydrophobic linker L by reacting the amine functional prepolymer P- n with a mono- or difunctional compound selected from the group consisting of (di)isocyanates, (di)thioisocyanates, (di)amines which are optionally activated, (di)acid chlorides, (di)esters which are optionally activated, (di)ols which are optionally activated, (di)acryl amides, (di)methacryl amides, and (di)thiols which are optionally activated; wherein P and L are connected to each other by moieties selected from the group consisting of (thio)urea, (thio)urethane, amide, ester, carbonate, secondary amine, tertiary amine and ether moieties, wherein: n is in the range of 1.8 to 10; L is a hydrophobic linker selected from the group consisting of cyclic, linear or branched C 2 - C 24 alkylene groups, C 6 - C 24 arylene groups, C 7 - C 24 alkarylene groups and C 7 - C 24 arylalkylene groups, wherein the alkylene groups, arylene groups, alkarylene groups and arylalkylene groups optionally, but not preferably, comprise 1 - 5 heteroatoms selected from the group consisting of O, N and S; and n is in the range of 1.8 to 10; L is a hydrophobic linker selected from the group consisting of cyclic, linear or branched C 2 - C 24 alkylene groups, C 6 - C 24 arylene groups, C 7 - C 24 alkarylene groups and C 7 - C 24 arylalkylene groups, wherein the alkylene groups, arylene groups, alkarylene groups and arylalkylene groups optionally, but not preferably, comprise 1 - 5 heteroatoms selected from the group consisting of O, N and S; and (b) 50.0 to 99.7 wt.% water.