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!
5
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.
My plan is to maybe do an easy run tonight (Friday), a fast group ride on Saturday and an easy group ride on Sunday. The run is a maybe because it’s supposed to be a rest day today but the sun looks very tempting :-)
I am planing on running at 15 miles at Torreya State Park in FL on Saturday followed by a 15 mile run on Sunday.
No good easter stories, but I will be doing a nice hill session running and biking on Sunday.
Was playing Easter bunny for a friends egg hunt. Brought costume to training ride and had pictures taken with my cycling jersey on.
hello DC!
no run this weekend to rest that calf sore after my first triathlon.
I’ll have a swim instead and probably a chocolate egg overdose afterwards…
thanks again for the giveaway!
Ben
No training plans. Recover from Boston, eat like a pig on Sunday, and start training again on Monday. Happy Cadbury bunny day!
My best Easter memories have been the recent ones with my children discovering the magic of the Easter bunny. My daughter’s birthday is the 24th, so we’ve been hearing about it since Christmas. I hope to squeeze in 8-10 miles sometime!
No funny Easter story, but at Christmas one year (when we were little) my twin sister put money in the basket by the life-size manger scene and tried to ride on the lamb!
Planning on running 11 miles. My first half-marathon is in 22 days from today!
I’ll give you a funny Easter story. It was snowing yesterday.
Hardeeharhar. Darling buds of May, my derrière.
Don’t celebrate Easter, but will be working out this weekend with my last long run before my 5/1 marathon in Eugene!
I’m really going to miss having a Creme Egg (or two) after my long runs – gotta stock up on Monday at the 1/2 off sales.
WC
Wow, thanks for just the opportunity to win a new FR610. I don’t really have any funny Easter stories. I am a retired Marine Corps. During my 24 years of service I’ve spent Easter in many different parts of the world. Regardless of where I was it always held the same significance to my family and I. It was instilled by my parents that Easter was to be remembered in honor of the sacrifice that our Lord Jesus Christ made with His life for our life. So no funny stories just many years of great joy knowing that it is because of Jesus The Christ that we live. I honor the Lord through a ministry of health and nutrition. I am an avid runner with 5 marathons under my feet. Thanks again for the opportunity.
This is an epic Easter weekend for me as I am running my very first ever, (be it virtual) 5K!!! Previous to this I’ve dealt w/ several years of back injury & never ever thought I would run!!! So excited & nervous all in one!
Those plastic eggs have been hiding in the house for over 20 years! Plan to better my 50k trail run time from Amicalola Falls to Hightower Gap (AT) and back this weekend.
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Oh droooool I want that! I’m dying for a garmin!
My planned workout: to run the full distance of my upcoming 5k on Sunday with a friend. My first 5k is next Sunday so this Sunday we’re going to do a trial run to see how it goes. Gulp!
When i was younger i begged my mother to buy me a giant 1 kilogram easter egg every year for years but she refused to. Then by chance she won one as 3rd prize in a raffle and gave it to me. I ate nearly the whole thing in one sitting and felt so sick that to this day, many years later, i have never eaten cheap easter egg chocolate again!
No really funny story but too many good memories! I’m visiting my parents and looking forward for an Eastern Breakfast, which includes chocolate bunnies / eggs / brownies / etc!
Txs for running the blog, it has been pretty helpful for me!
Nice eastern for everybody!
Easter will bring too much food, trying to keep track of the kids in the midst of easter egg hunting chaos, and then a 40-miler on the bike.
I’m hoping to get back to doing some quality running this weekend. Ever since the marathon, its been all about recovery…until now :)
But if you want an Easter-related story, I’d refer you to the urban legend of the Bunnyman Bridge in Clifton, VA: link to en.wikipedia.org
Thanks for the great giveaway. Plan to do a 10 mile run followed by two Easter egg hunts.
Bart M.
Story: The only story that comes to mind is a childhood memory. It’s funny or sad, depending on your frame of mind. We got a bunny named “Fluffy” for Easter. She was mean and sometime after Easter my parents decided it was time to bid her farewell. Years later, I found out that my dad had taken Fluffy down to the butcher and we ate her that night. Ew!
Planned workout: Get running again after Boston as I’m signed up for the Boston to Big Sur Challenge.
Why didn’t the egg cross the road?
Because he wasn’t a chicken yet!
think this failed first attempt, so will try again –
Another day, another dollar, spending easter at work, but planning for a 10k run this evening to unwind whilst thinking of winning the latest giveaway from DC
Awesome blog. Can’t wait to try out the 610.
Celebrate Easter! The blog is amazing. Thanks again for all the info and giveaways!
Great giveaway, count me in! When we were kids my sister once hid a real (hardboiled) Easter egg so well it didn’t get found for nine months. Surprisingly, I don’t remember it smelling awful, although maybe my young mind suppressed such a traumatic event.
The easter bunny brought me a new pair of jammers this week. “But I need to go try out my new suit!” does not play well as a reason to abandon the OH.
Epic group cycling ride of 70 miles, 7000 ft of climbing, and a whole lot of pain.
This weekend’s workout will be fueled by many Reese’s peanut butter eggs.. and consist of a little 5k training. I’m also trying to achieve a 6 minute mile just for fun.. which is much tougher than I imagined (6’40” is my best so far).. but I just got back into running recently, so I’ll get there =]
DC, Thanks for the review of the 610. I’m a new runner having just completed the ‘Couch to 5k’ running plan and am running in my first 5k tomorrow. I’m looking into the Garmin watches as a way to improve my training. Your reviews are very helpful. I will definitely follow you in the future.
When we were kids we always search for the Golden Egg because it ususally contained $20. It was way better than the chocolate bunnies.
I plan on doing a very short run and spending the rest if the weekend with family. I also predict a large reese’s egg will be eaten in the near future.
Easy Run followed by brunch with the in-laws…likely to be followed with some munching on chocolate bunnies.
Maybe this will be the first giveaway I’ve won!
Hey, thanks for this blog! It has taught me a lot-like sticking my Garmin 305 in my swim cap (boy, do I get a lot of strange looks) and cold-water swimming! Just did the RAGE triathlon last week in Vegas–was so thankful to have read your post on cold-water swimming, as many people panicked by the cold-water reaction and had to hang onto kayaks, but not me!! Thanks
When I was a child mom had to lock me in the house on easter morning so I wouldn’t go outside and get my new easter clothes dirty/ruined. I think one of the best years was when I was passing the football with dad before church and dove to catch the ball in the front yard. Not real good on new white pants. Always had a gift for ruining good clothes
Long run and work
Deparately need to replace my Polar! Would love to win this! OMG how I need this! Would make an awesome Easter gift to me!
I plan to do a 20+ run the day before Easter. I plan to spend Easter as a couch potato.
I once caught my little cousin stealing eggs from my other cousin’s basket during an egg hunt. I didn’t call him out on it, so he took the win…oops.
I dont celebrate the holiday, but my husband loves all the easter candy. its his time of year to munch on peeps
plan for easter. a short 4 mile race and then about a nice 30-40 mile bike ride
On Easter I’ll probably do nothing because the next day there’ll be a run across some hills packed with cherry trees. It’s quite hard for an amateur runner like me, but the setting is so awesome that I have to try :)
Tomorrow I will go for a 60km ride and on Sunday for a shorter 40km one.
count me in! facebooking, blogging, whatevs. doing it all :-)
Getting up early to nab all the chocolate easter bunnies before my brother.
Planning to get a good swim in this weekend + a brick session. We’ll see!
Plan to eat some Cadbury mini chocolate Easter eggs while biking. Hope it doesn’t get too hot, otherwise they’ll be SCRAMBLED chocolate Easter eggs.
Think I’ll do a long run saturday with my old 305, sure would be nice to win the 610!
Rain here for the weekend so it’ll be wet rides and runs. Though the sun may come out on Sunday…I think the Chocolate Bunny is this weekend, but I’m not in.
Thanks for all the great reviews!
jej212@yahoo.com
We once found a chocolate egg the next winter – it was hidden in one of my mom’s ski boots.
I just did my very first 5K race couple weeks ago. Since then I try to run regularly. My plan for the weekend is to beat my first 5K race record. :)
I do enjoy your meticulous reviews which address the nuances of us endurance athletes. Count me in for the FR610 giveaway.
Unless it’s one on one (aka ME!) I’m so not a competitive person and thus, Easter Egg hunts as a child brought on much anxiety and few found eggs! I randomly (and thankfully) found your site in my HRM/GPS search and am presently trying to decide which Garmin product to buy for my spinnning/running/hiking ventures. Thanks again!
Great review of the 610. Looking to replace my deceased 205, and counting my 30 & 60 second pickups is beginning to anoy the wildlife.
Ran the Boston (GA) Half-Marathon back in the dark ages (pre-Garmin) around 1983. Ah, those heady, pre-peak years. Nothing but PRs.
Three 8 to 9 mile rins to hit my 50 mile target
Home with the family, not candy as I try to lose weight for this season.
I now have the forerunner 605.
I enjoy running much more with this gear device.
This new type 610 looks great!t
Looking forward to running with the bunny on Sunday!
I’ll do my last long run before my first half and head up to see my family for the weekend!
Weekend workout:
Sat – 3.5 hr ride with a few intervals
Sun – hang out with my boys and watch the wife run 10 miles!!!
Planning for a lot of grdening work. Puls tracking lawn mowing perhaps? Should manage a swim and one or two runs as well. Thanks for all the god work with the reviews.
When my son was about 2 we decided to hide some real hard boiled eggs that we had decorated because that was all we had on hand. He ended up stepping on most of them without realizing it. Live and learn. We now have an ample supply of plastic eggs on hand.
When I was 6 years old, I screamed out in the middle of the mall: “MOMMY! The Easter Bunny’s got GLASSES IN HIS MOUTH!”
Great review of the Forerunner 610! Planning on hiding eggs for the kids this weekend and hopefully finding time for a long run-10miles?
Cant wait to get the 601(hopefully win), would come in handy for my first marathon-Raleigh City of Oaks Marathon in November!
Plan to take the husband and puppy on a 30 mile bike ride. The puppy will be trying out her new doggy trailer, so hubby will be getting an extra workout.
That is so cool!
Plan on actually playing some basketball in the morning since here in UT spring has decided to be so rainy, hopefully I can get out on the bike on sat and have a good 50 mi ride to report about!
No REGRETS!!
I ran my first 10k, the “Bunny Hop” 5 years ago this Easter weekend. Hard to believe! We are packing lots of training into this weekend. Coached swim + long ride tomorrow, long run Sunday, and another ride Monday. Happy Easter! :)
I plan on spending my Easter memorizing your “In Depth Review” of the 610, so I’ll be good to go after I win it.
Kayaking and cycling for me this Easter. Glad the weather is finally warming up!
Run Saturday, bike Sunday. In for the giveaway!
ryans in MN
Took today off for my birthday, but back out there tomorrow. Started running 7 weeks ago to get fit, with diet as well I’ve lost 17lbs and ran my first ever 5K last weekend in 27:48, gotta keep at it and have another 5k coming up! But for this weekend, just 2 5mile runs planned for this weekend
We have ran over unfortunate Easter eggs months later with the lawn mower :) Easter confetti.
Planned workout is to go dig clams with my family tomorrow morning and get a run in on the beach. Coaching my husband in his first 1/2 in Eugene on the 1st.
My 2 year old was scared to death by the 6 foot tall scary bunny last year at easter. Hopefully this year the bunny won’t be from a horror movie set. Another note, plan on running 4 miles today and 6 miles tomorrow per TrainingPeaks schedule.
I typically enjoy leaving clever or humorous posts but I can’t think of anything bunny to say at this time…
I typically enjoy leaving clever or humorous comments but I can’t think of anything bunny to say at the moment…
My kids were dyeing Easter eggs this morning and kept returning to the yellow dye, even after they had put the eggs into darker colours. Can you imagine?
Love your website. As for an Easter story well when my daughter was 2 years old we participated in the traditional Easter egg hunt complete with real colored eggs, plastic ‘prize’ eggs and chocolate eggs all hidden in the garden. My daughter mostly had an affinity for the chocolate ones until she found a chocolate egg a little different from the rest. She stuffed her mouth with a chocolate egg manufactured by the dog and spent the next 20 min traumatized.
As for a workout, I am planning my taper for the wildflower triathlon. I see you have done that before. If you are ever in SF Bay area, let’s ride/train…j
Love your website. As for an Easter story well when my daughter was 2 years old we participated in the traditional Easter egg hunt complete with real colored eggs, plastic ‘prize’ eggs and chocolate eggs all hidden in the garden. My daughter mostly had an affinity for the chocolate ones until she found a chocolate egg in the garded a little different from the rest. She stuffed her mouth with a chocolate egg manufactured by the dog and spent the next 20 min traumatized.
As for a workout, I am planning my taper for the wildflower triathlon. I see you have done that before. If you are ever in SF Bay area, let’s ride/train…j
only got in 66km of a 110km ride took a wrong turn in the direction of home today.
maybe a long run tomorrow and another ride of some sort sun and mon.
“When you wish upon a star, makes no difference who you are
Anything your heart desires will come to you
If your heart is in your dreams, no request is too extreme
When you wish upon a star as dreamers do
Like a bolt out of the blue, fate steps in and sees you thru
When you wish upon a star, your dreams come true”
I wish I may,
I wish I might,
have this wish
I wish tonight,
a new Forerunner 610
to guide my runs
with Easter bunnies
and for year-round fun!
Did you know that Hawaii had a Easter holiday? Yet another thing you didn’t really need to know but I thought I should embellish my entry into the contest too :)
Favorite funny Easter story… Uncle Ron thought we had too many easter eggs… Got all the boy cousins at my Grandmas house outside and we played 3 innings of hard boiled eggball… Tough to field those things.
Kyle G
I can’t remember any funny Easter stories but I do remember elements of a Easter drive around the city and getting lost with my family. It was raining lightly in Los Angeles and we ended up at this restaurant with an Easter Bunny mascot in it. I still have the pictures but the memory is interesting, the way the sky looked, how much rain was falling, being a goofball in the pictures hehehe! Anyways, nice watch! New to triathlons here but not to endurance! Signed up for first sprint tri at Newport Beach, CA this coming September! Woot! Program starts this Sunday! At least a 42 minute bike ride! =D
Mom used to hide eggs with prizes and make us do scavenger hunt. She thought we got them all the year I turned 16. About four months later, the plastic egg she stashed in an air vent rolled out. I stepped on it and cut my foot. Had to have eight stitches, but on the bright side, I got the twenty dollar prize from the egg for my trouble.
Unfortunately, I’m recovering from a tibial stress fracture, so no running for me. Instead, I’m walking, doing yardwork, and will try to get in a 20k+ ride. Of course, this is between all the other family activities.
And the funny Easter story? Does a 1-year-old being so scared of the Easter Bunny that she wouldn’t pick up any of the candy at the Easter Egg hunt count?
I’m hoping the rain will hold off so I can do a 20 mile run.
Would love to strap this on my wrist for my next long run. This weekend lot’s of running and eating.
Thanks for another cool giveaway contest.
I enjoy your blog and reviews.
I’m hoping the rain will hold off for a 20 mile run.
The best bunny story I have is when I was younger. My parents did the whole egg hunt thing around our house. My bother and I went out to look for the eggs with no luck. It wasn’t till two hours later when the dog got sick did we understand where the eggs went. :)
First born decided that eating the plastic easter egg rather than the chocloate one was a good plan. Planned workout is ride on Friday and run/swim this weekend.
when I was a child I used to smash easter eggs on my forehead before putting the pieces in a big container. I think it made me feel manly. happy easter!
i’m getting a new bike!
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I’m planning on microwaving lots of peeps this Easter! Thanks for the chance to win an awesome watch!
Hey I am planning to do a 10k on Saturday, so I can eat some chocolate guilty free on Sunday. Happy Easter yo all!
I am currently in Iraq and about to take my mid-tour leave to Turkey. Between having limited, unmarked, routes around the FOB to run and a broken Polar RS800 that is not Mac compatible, this would be a great way for me to find out just how out of shape I have gotten after 7 months while on leave and then on my return to finish out my tour I can track my training.
My Garmin FR60 line has been great for tracking runs with my dog, the little terrier/dachshund mix runs 7 min miles and has won 2 5K races this year already with my by her side. Sox has won 50 lbs of dog food in prizes. Would love to train with a 610 GPS watch! Thanks for keeping us motivated!
AJ Duran
the plan is to hit the hills this weekend. hamstrings need a good beating.