Heads up! Here’s your massive list of sports tech deals! This includes the Garmin Forerunner 965 for just $499, Garmin Epix for $429, the Apple Watch Ultra 2 Black Titanium for $735, the GoPro Hero 12 Black for $299, (or Hero 13 bundle for $339!) and plenty more! Go check out the full list here!
I’m DC RAINMAKER…
Here’s how to save!
Wanna save some cash and support the site? These companies help support the site! With Backcountry.com or Competitive Cyclist with either the coupon code DCRAINMAKER for first time users saving 15% on applicable products.
You can also pick-up tons of gear at REI via these links, which is a long-time supporter as well:
Alternatively, for everything else on the planet, simply buy your goods from Amazon via the link below and I get a tiny bit back as an Amazon Associate. No cost to you, easy as pie!
You can use the above link for any Amazon country and it (should) automatically redirect to your local Amazon site.
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Check out my weekly podcast - with DesFit, which is packed with both gadget and non-gadget goodness!
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5 Easy Steps To The Site
1
In Depth Product Reviews
You probably stumbled upon here looking for a review of a sports gadget. If you’re trying to decide which unit to buy – check out my in-depth reviews section. Some reviews are over 60 pages long when printed out, with hundreds of photos! I aim to leave no stone unturned.
2
Read My Sports Gadget Recommendations.
Here’s my most recent GPS watch guide here, and cycling GPS computers here. Plus there are smart trainers here, all in these guides cover almost every category of sports gadgets out there. Looking for the equipment I use day-to-day? I also just put together my complete ‘Gear I Use’ equipment list, from swim to bike to run and everything in between (plus a few extra things). And to compliment that, here’s The Girl’s (my wife’s) list. Enjoy, and thanks for stopping by!
3
Have some fun in the travel section.
I travel a fair bit, both for work and for fun. Here’s a bunch of random trip reports and daily trip-logs that I’ve put together and posted. I’ve sorted it all by world geography, in an attempt to make it easy to figure out where I’ve been.
4
My Photography Gear: The Cameras/Drones/Action Cams I Use Daily
The most common question I receive outside of the “what’s the best GPS watch for me” variant, are photography-esq based. So in efforts to combat the amount of emails I need to sort through on a daily basis, I’ve complied this “My Photography Gear” post for your curious minds (including drones & action cams!)! It’s a nice break from the day-to-day sports-tech talk, and I hope you get something out of it!
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The Swim/Bike/Run Gear I Use List
Many readers stumble into my website in search of information on the latest and greatest sports tech products. But at the end of the day, you might just be wondering “What does Ray use when not testing new products?”. So here is the most up to date list of products I like and fit the bill for me and my training needs best! DC Rainmaker 2023 swim, bike, run, and general gear list. But wait, are you a female and feel like these things might not apply to you? If that’s the case (but certainly not saying my choices aren’t good for women), and you just want to see a different gear junkies “picks”, check out The Girl’s Gear Guide too.
Funniest moment was doing a mountain bike ride. I made it through a nice hard technical section and stopped where my friends were waiting for everyone. Unclipped one side and proceeded to fall to the other. My friends couldn’t stop laughing. Luckily I feel into a nice soft pile of moss and not the rocks all around me
I’m a new triathlete, although I’m all injured at the moment. Anyway, last year, I did 3 Sprint Tris in a single month. Survived them all, and even did them on my 15-year-old mountain bike (didn’t want the high cost investment yet).
So, I’m riding back to my car after the Celebration Tri, happy to have done all uninjured . . . and fell off my bike, right onto my knee.
The injury to my knee left a huge gash on my knee, literally in the shape of a heart. ;-) Good thing I’m a Skeptic, otherwise I would have thought it was a “sign.”
Finishing a race and puking on the timer at the end.
In the median at an intersection there was a 4 inch thick metal pole with a button to trigger the pedestrian crossing lights. I stopped in the median and rather than unclip I decided to just grab the pole. Turns out the pole was designed to not damage cars if it gets hit. Imagine the Weebles wobble kind of thing, it didn’t fall down but I did.
Hi ;-)
love the blog. fingers crossed!
College water polo…suit ripped in a Canadian tournament. Swam back to bench holding suit up.
Not realizing my chain was off the front ring, clipping in, spinning like a mad man and going no where until I fell over.
Can’t think of a funny entry offhand, but I do love your blog and check it every day. Thanks for keeping it up!
let’s just say, a sports bra malfunction!
While practicing transitions in front of my house, neighbors gathered on their front porches, beers in hand, just to watch.
-Elaine
I have no funny training stories yet, nut I do love your blog so there is my entry. Thanks!
Jogging by a group of birds sitting on a powerline, when they decided to attack about 6 of them dive bombed me. I managed to get away.
I had a squirrel try to dive through the spokes of my front wheel as I was riding about 18 MPH. He didn’t make it sadly. He bounced off the wheel, hit my foot, then shuffled off the side of the road. Scared the crap out of me.
I have had treadmills power off on me mid-run which causes me to run into the console. I don’t use that treadmill at the gym anymore. I am sure just seeing me struggle through my training is pretty entertaining for spectators. Maybe I should sell tickets.
about drowning myself in the pool by non-purposeful taking on of the water. As I stood up and hacked the water out I had a few water jazzersizer ladies ask if I needed help.
Giving my new carbon road bike a nice tuneup only to overs-shift into the spokes and break off my derailleur and damage by PowerTap wheel … oops!
I laugh about it now, but it was not funny at the time. We were on the Big Island training and riding the Kona IM course. We stopped and filled up bottles and had 40 miles to go. Right after that the wind picked up. When we hit the next water stop we decided not to stop because we still had tons of water and only 30 miles to go. At one point we both realized we were out of water (I had been for about 15 minutes). I said ‘don’t worry, there’s a little convenience store just ahead’ and after every little hill it did not appear. But I was insistent there was a little store just ahead. I’ve ridden that course close to 50 times, but the person i was with had never ridden it, so she was trusting me. There is no little store out in the middle of the lava fields north of the Kona airport. No matter how hard I insisted it was there. Needless to say when we got to Kona we both drank about 2 gallons of water. We still laugh about my delusions from the heat and wind.
Hello!!
Hi. Did anyone say that yet?
On early morning runs, having to avoid the cane toads in the dark.
Great Giveaway Ray !
count me on it!
On early morning runs avoiding the cane toads lurking on the path
Great Giveaway Ray !!
Catching up to my training partner at IMC who I thought was slowing down so we can chat…. instead he was having a piss and I got sprayed in the wind coming up to say hi!
Funniest training moment; on a club training run a climb (the Conor Pass here in Ireland) had broken the group up entirely and I was neck and neck with one of my clubmates, both of us chewing the handlebars as we came to a viewing point below a small lake on the way to the summit.
Ahead was a tour bus stopped with maybe two dozen French tourists taking snaps of the scenery. Seeing us approach the cameras turned our way and the cheering started – ALLEZ! ALLEZ! ALLEZ!!
My pulse was in my head, HR running along the red line and could swear my eyeballs were sweating (!) but given the foreign-cycle-supporter flash mob there was nothing to do but for us to grin & put a sprint on – till we cleared the next bend anyhow and got another serving of bar tape anyhow!
Never discount the extra wattage accessable given a group of cheering French spectators!!
First MTB ride down at Appin (NSW, AUS) … getting half way down came across a curve in the trail, which happened to be concrete covered in leaves, and damp from the light rain … realizing i was going to stack about 20m or so before i did. My 405CX if you zoom in enough on garmin connect picks up where i stacked, and the short loop i had to walk to ‘collect myself’ rofl
In my first triathlon I rode a borrowed bike. About 2 miles into the ride I dropped my water bottle and it got caught on the chainstay. No problem I though, until I slowed down and it got sucked in between the spokes and the chainstay. Fortunately only one spoke broke and the wobble wasn’t severe, but I didn’t know enough to release the rear brake so I finished the race with a dragging brake.
Howdy from Texas!!
Hi Ray
Hey Ray,
I didn’t know how to pump up my tires so I had to ask my neighbors…Now I know you have to unscrew that little thingy.
Best blog around. Best reviews too!
Hi from Philly!
“Hi”
Hi!
You have to laugh at yourself when you try and balance on your bike at a stop light then realize you are going to fall and don’t unclip in time.
Hello
I swallowed a bee, and it stung my tongue.
Getting stung on the lip about halfway round my normal ride. Rode the return leg drooling uncontrollably as half of every mouthful of drink ended up on me/ toptube/ road. Got a few looks from tourists in my hometown that day.
Enginerds rule!
Double front flip in a bike crash… well at least it was funny for the people who watched the scene!
During an interval workout I forgot to leave my lap field on my FR60, I stopped after 5. (set of 6) The next guy in the group yelled at me that we had one more yet, I pretty much screamed the F-bomb in front of the coach. (didn’t know he was there)
Gosh I hate stern talking-to’s…
i ran a route backwards one morning (early morning) earlier this winter and because i didn’t recognize the views going this way i tried to enter the wrong house!
Funniest training moment was during my first ride with new tri club. We were standing with out bikes watching the coach change his flat – I was clipped in on one side (WHY??) when I suddenly started to go over. It all happened in very slow motion (for me anyway). Luckily I landed on the grass at the side of the road and didn’t take anyone out. Unluckily everyone had a good laugh at my expense. Okay, maybe this moment wasn’t so funny after all!
Hello. Forgot my swim suit after driving an exta 30 min. Getting back to the YMCA and found out the pool was closed any way.
Thinking I was crushing an easy run, then realizing I forgot to switch back from km (xc skiing units) to miles (for running). crap!
Starting to fall on my bike, unclipping in time to put my foot down but then slipping on my cleat and falling anyway…really hope the neighbors weren’t watching.
Sorry, no funny stories here. But I’ll say ‘Hi’ anyway! :)
Hi.
Hey hey hey ray!
Hi from Malaysia.
Funniest moment during training? well, should be i drove 8km to the meet up place for run, and i realised that i left my running shoes at home. drove home got my shoes, drove back. and the leader just puzzle how could i forget my shoes.
Hi from Kuala Lumpur, have been following your blog for some time :) Great blog :)
Hi
I locked myself out, planning going for a run. Had to run to the closest friend nearby to borrow a phone to call my roomate, where i found out he was 10km away in a bar drinking. Walking in to that bar with running tights wasnt the most impressive moment in my life, but i got the key and some change, so i at least could get at bus ride home the last 10km.
Love the blog
I forgot to tie my drag suit once. I realized this after I dove into the pool.
hi
I was a recon platoon leader in the Army and we were out one morning on a run. A couple miles in, one of my soldiers announced he really, really had to… leave a deposit at a porta potty up ahead. He sprinted ahead of us and got to the porta potty to find it was occupied. He bounced around anxiously for a few seconds and then started knocking and urging the occupant to hurry up. The occupant was apparently busy with his own “deposit” and let my soldier know this in no uncertain terms. As pressure mounted, my soldier started beating on the door until… he stopped. As he waddled away, the porta potty door opened and the previous occupant came out, telling my soldier that he could have the porta potty. My soldier simply said, “I don’t need it anymore.” Needless to say, his run was over.
I went for a run after it had snowed a few inches but the ground was warm causing most of the snow to melt and then freeze creating a thin layer of ice. I was doing fine until I went to turn around on the path and of course my feet came out from under me,hands went up in the air and down I went. Wasn’t physically hurt but I’m sure someone got a good laugh out of it.
Thinking that one can somehow magically stay dry during a spring training ride, only to be soaked 500 meters from leaving your house
Hello
Hi!
Funniest one lately…Riding the local Mountan Bike trail when I turn the corner and see a huge black snake laying in the trail. Slammed on my brakes, uncoupled, & threw the bike out in front of me. About the time I regained my balance I noticed it was a bike tube someone had dropped on the trail. Just glad no one was around…
Waking up with no clothes on, wait that is a dream…
Forgetting to unclip and crashing in front of a group of girls we came across, because I was extremely distracted.
Funniest one lately…Riding the local Mountan Bike trail when I turn the corner and see a huge black snake laying in the trail. Slammed on my brakes, uncoupled, & threw the bike out in front of me. About the time I regained my balance I noticed it was a bike tube someone had dropped on the trail. Just glad no one was around…
I help out with swim sessions for the tri team I train with. A couple of weeks ago, I slipped on the pool deck and did the splits onto my rear. One of the athletes thought I was stretching and yelled “You go girl, stretch it out!” I would have went with it if the rest of the team wasn’t laughing so hard.
I was running on the beach in Pensacola, FL and suddenly three birds started dive-bombing me! I freaked out and ran into the ocean, both to escape the birds and wash off the bird-poop.
HI!!!! awesome blog. one time i started during the first open swim of the season…. needless to say.. not cool!
When my bike buddy came up behind me, and goes “oh by the way…I can read the writing on your underwear through your bike pants.” Yeah….the black pants are evidentally see through….
I’m in.
Hi
Riding up Pound Cake Hill with Comet!
Got my first set of clipless pedals and shoes on a Saturday. First race ever was Sunday….
I’m afraid (or very pleased) to say I don’t have anything as funny as the rest of these fine folks. Yet.
Running with my headphones on means no one else is around right? When I stopped at a corner to wait for traffic, I had a little bellyache and let a huge fart, while blasting tunes through my ipod. I sudddenly sensed something and realized a guy and his dog were standing directly behind me and I had totally cropdusted them. Oops.
Had 5 kids. That is all.
Well it was actually in a race and it wasnt funny at the time, but in retrospect I laugh- I taped my gels to the handlebars of the bike thinking it would be easy access. However, it turns out that I am unable to open the packets with one hand (tried biting it open and it really hurt my teeth), so I went without on a two hour ride. I was hurting at the end!
funniest moment is immortalized on film. A photo of me at my first tri on the run, gave new meaning to “unfit”
Having to slide down the stairs in my house after my first 1/2 marathon because I could not walk down the stairs.
Went on a trail Half Marathon wearing huaraches and heard a comment “That guy is running in Bathroom Slippers”!!!
Hi!
All my training is late at night as I have 3 young children. If on a longer session I can easily be out after 11pm. One particular run I was still 10kms from home and crossed paths with a very intoxicated teenager stumbling his way back from a heavy drinking session who shoulder-charged me as I ran past him. This set up a rather tense verbal exchange and confrontation. It was only after we separated and I continued on my way that I realised how far from home I still was and that he had probably headed off to get his mates to come looking for me in a car. The humour only dawned on me the next morning when I checked my splits and realised wkat kind of kick I was capable of!! – easily a PB for that particular route!
Tom
thomash@talkingtech.com
Hi!
HI
hi
realising everone at the poolk isnt swimming in underarmour undies like me… jammers… what are those? oooooooh…. i see…
Calling my sister for ride after flat tire and forgetting my repair kit, not in the nicest neighborhood either!!!
Just saying HI!!!
This actually just happened, I forgot my cycling shoes and had 2 wear my gym shoes. We tried everything from just pushing on my speedplay pedals to taping my shoes to the pedals, not a good idea! lol
Kia ora from New Zealand. You and The Girl should come and visit.
Races through the city passing all the people falling out of nightclubs.
During my first ride with clipless pedals of course I tipped over on my firs stop :) Despite I read many times “remember to unclip” beforehand.
Hiiiii!
I was swimming in the pool doing intervals and in one set, for some odd reason I closed my eyes for a brief moment and hit the wall head on. Literally “hit the wall”. Lucky no one around to witness :)
HI!
This comment has been removed by the author.
Why “Hi Ray”
Oh hi.
I like this idea for entries! My funniest training moment has to be previewing the Bellevue, WA 5K course last year and running the wrong direction. Boy, was I surprised the next day when everyone lined up!
Accidentally running out of T2 with my helmet on.