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.
I’ll be running a 1/2 Marathon Rae on Sunday and recovering on Monday!
Saturday: 8lbs of pork shoulder sitting in the fridge soaking up flavors from a custom dry rub. Sunday: Firing up the smoker and enjoying the smell of slowly cooking meat. Monday: Invite friends over to enjoy the final day off with a delicious meal!
BBQ with friends :), studying for the bar :(
Running friday my long distance, saturday after work my running intervals and sunday… I will go to the beach with a good friend!
Half of the weekend was actually spent returning home to The Netherlands from a 2 day meeting in DC. After coming home I did a short run on the TM, and tomorrow I am planning something more substantial outside. Monday is just another working day here
Great site DC Rainmaker! I love my Garmin Forerunner and love your tech tips….thanks for all the great posts!
This weekend is a family weekend for me. The kids (two girls age 13, one boy age 11) are going to participate in a bicycling race, and after that its celebrations at an amousement park.
I’ll be putting in miles on my bamboo bike.
bamboodavid@gmail.com
Both kids are playing in soccer tournaments this weekend, so that will take up a large portion of Saturday and Sunday. However, my 11 year old son asked to run with me this weekend and I am really looking forward to that. It is looking like a fishy weekend on the grill – salmon on Sunday and tuna on Monday.
Today, after a morning run, we’re painting the driveway into a basketball court. Tomorrow is golf. Memorial Day will see us back in the driveway, hopefully finishing up! Nevertheless, it’s relaxing compared to working.
Spent the long weekend with my wife and sister hiking in the mountains near Rocky Mountain house Alberta.
I’m taking my CFA exam next weekend.
Ray,
Over here in Canada it is just a normal weekend.
Planning-wise: two short runs and a bit of core training.
Take care
YouYou
Hello all!
Had a (UK) passport interview today to prove I was who I said I was. Came to the conclusion I’d make a lousy criminal because I felt nervous just answering easy questions about myself. Hopefully get to fire up the BBQ tomorrow weather permitting – then run it off later!
Thanks for the blog Ray, makes for great reading.
grilling 2 ribeyes and 2 strips right now. veggies and rice cooking right alongside.
My husband and I did a trail run on the AT, wedding in the DC area, and are now back at home in WV. Looking forward to relaxing for the rest of the weekend…. and hopefully winning a watch… I’ve been trying to justify buying this watch since I read your review!
Saturday – 16 mile run
Sunday – 12 mile run
Monday – 8 mile run and 12 mile bike
a good weekend :-)
No big plans this time, just having my little jog and getting ready for next 5 days at work :)No barbies, sorry :D
Riding, riding, and more riding. Hopefully a scrabble game with the neighbor and not too much Thrash Metal from my son’s garage band.
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We are going to a Bluegrass Festival in Branson this weekend. We have friends whose family are competing in a competition at Silver Dollar City. Throwing in a long bike ride and long run amongst that fun, too!
Recovering from a fu….
I’ll be watching friends race the Ottawa Marathon.
Yay contest!
With all the rain here in Toronto I had to spend hours weeding my jungle of a backyard…my poor back and hands.
I’ll be testing out my bum foot with a short run or two (and praying that the two weeks of rest have performed miracles!). Otherwise, lots of relaxing since the weather here is going to be terrible.
Vegas baby!
Most likely spending the weekend on high alert, awaiting the birth of my second child. If he doesn’t arrive yet, hopefully we’ll get in a nice family BBQ Sunday special at Brother Jimmy’s!
Hopefully plenty of working out to compensate for the eating this wekeend!
-Guillermo
memito22581@yahoo.com
Spent the day at The Winery At La Grange in Haymarket. Great place to take the kids. Has a huge grassy lawn where they kids can run around and not get into any trouble.
Hi
Working Fri, Sat, and Sun. On Memorial day I plan to jog take a nap and have a barbecue with family perhaps invite some friends. Thanks for your reviews.
I am hanging out at the pool and running 15 miles on Sunday!
A nice weekend in Milwaukee at home. Please somebody get me out of here. I hate cheese, kringles, and motorcycles. I’ll go anywhere, especially if its: Boulder, Eugene, or San Diego. If you can have a job waiting, I’m cool with that. Oh, and a tall, gorgeous, brunette nanny would be perfect for me, I mean the kids.
Hi. Plans for the weekend? Baked 4 loaves of bread on Saturday, 15 mile run on Sunday, barbecuing beef brisket on Sunday and relaxing on Monday. Oh, and hoping I win this – my 305 is getting wonky.
In Australia we have a 3 day w’end in 2 weeks and I’m taking 10+ high school kids away on an adventure based – multi discipline weekend! We’ll be cycling, hiking, paddling and generally having a whole lot of fun around a camp fire BBQ’ing the crocodiles we catch :)
Resting, eating, and training
runnin’ and ridin’
Love the blog – love the reviews – keep it up. No long weekend her just a 10km time trial run and a lttle ride in the Adelaide hills – fantastic in Autum.
Well I am still recovering from a stress fracture in my right leg so it’s in bed all weekend for me!
Kia Ora from New Zealand… Will you ship a pear or cheeseburge or fat italian chef timer with the 610? :o)
been raining cats and dogs in the philippines. so i’m chillin’ indoors. hope for a nice hard week of training ahead.
This weekend there’s nothing special on the program. I live in The Netherlands and Pirates of the Caribean is released here in the cinema, so i’ll give that a go. Also a running workout of one-and-a-half-hour is scheduled. The weather isn’t quite right for a bbq.
Big steaks on the BBQ are planned rain or shine! Yus!
One BBQ so far – fingers crossed for more – no rain !
mabooth_uk@hotmail.com
Wow, great comments. I spent the last weekend doing an open water swim, visiting family and working.
Great Blog! Friday night setting up surprise, Saturday morning Boxing/Bootcamp session, Saturday arvo BIG surprise BBQ for friends birthday and Sunday just Chillaxing time!
I went out boating yesterday so did a 1 mile OWS in Long Island Sound hoping not to get hit by a passing boat. Today is a 3 hr bike and brick 6 mile run. More biking tomorrow. I hope to throw another BBQ in there somewhere.
went for a 40 mile ride on Saturday, 7 mile run on SUnday. then probably swim for a mile on Monday plus a 4 mile run.
And host a bbq on SUnday
No long weekend here in Switzerland, A hard evening bike ride along a lake, an early morning long run through the mountains, and a nice easy bike ride with my daughter through the countryside on an otherwise lazy Sunday afternoon. Thanks for all your great posts!
Grilling burgers and brats in multiple sessions. Might take in Kung Fu Panda 2 with my kids. Then a 5k tomorrow, and possibly more burgers and brats.
Saturday morning bike ride on Beach Dr. and playing with the kids at the pool, Sunday afternoon watching my daughter’s ballet/tap recital, Monday run and maybe the first outdoor swim of the year at the pool
Will look good on my wrist!
I will be spending Saturday AND Monday at work at the firehouse, honoring those who have made the ultimate sacrifice for our country. Oh yeah, and a 10K on Sunday. No big deal
Long bike and short run on Saturday, followed by a simple BBQ of pork shops, ribs, burgers, saussages and corn. Lake swim and long run on Sunday. Work on Monday as we don’t have a holiday :-(
Hello! Always good to have a long weekend – wish we had one here!
Cheers,
Virginia
alundi_delphane@hotmail.com
No long weekend here.. :( so probably be sitting inside watching the rain waiting for our BBQ season :)
Coun’t me in!
Found your blog just in time to enter. Awesome!
My weekend started Saturday w a 3 am phone call from a woman who’s water just broke.. yes, I’m a midwife! and a triathlete! I wondered which would come first, the 5k I had scheduled w my family or this baby.. as it turned out, 5K was accomplished & 20 mile bike done before his mom checked into the birth center.. he was born just shortly before midnight! Sunday holds a bike ride & a celebration for a midwife friend who died a couple years ago when she developed high blood pressure during her pregnancy (her baby survived!)… Oh, did I mention that my daughter turned 15 & had a sleepover too?? Monday promises to be a day of relaxation (which includes cleaning)..time at the beach.. maybe an ows.. as for the BBQ..??.. it was at my house sat night while I was delivering the baby! I did spy some leftovers in the fridge!
I’ll be spending the weekend packing to go out west for the summer. I am so excited about the high altitude training I can get it, as my body is use to the lovely 200 feet I currently live at:) Happy Memorial Day!
Running, swimming and eating BBQ.
Thanks for doing another giveaway! Preparing for the forthcoming openwater series in Denmark :-)
I am going to the Senior PGA Championship in Louisville, KY!
Riding, running, but most importantly, just hanging out with the fam.
Got in an 8 mile run on Saturday, 13 mile bike on Sunday, then headed out for camping and a fish fry.
I will do some running, some relaxing, maybe a BBQ…
3 days of workout, my first ow swim this year (52 degrees, oh yeah!) and some much needed laundry.
Great blog, keep it up!
Had a great week off visiting family in PA. Sort of summer training camp – two a days with a lot of trail running and riding, and since the home pool was shut down I went to the local Y and got a swim w/o in. Birthday party today and :^( drive back tomorrow to work tomorrow night.
My memorial day weekend will start off with a nice easy run with some friends later today. Later we’re heading over to relatives in the suburbs for some delicious grilled salmon and steak kabobs. Not the traditional BBQ, but scrumptious nonetheless! Monday is time to relax, probably catch a movie, and go out for a fancy dinner! Not sure where to yet but it’ll definitely be some gourmet cuisine!
Hi from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil!
Check your blog daily.
Great!
Great blog, great reviews! Be careful riding in the rain (personal experience here).
Not trying to post twice. the system is looping me back.
Great blog! bought the 210. Training for IM St. George in 2012. Would love the 610.
Careful riding in the rain!
thanks!
Vacation later next Month so quiet weekend at home this holiday.
Running saturday and sunday, biking Monday.
Hopefully with good weather.
Spending the weekend finishing decorating the bathroom, otherwise my girlfriend will not be happy come Tuesday.
It was a cold, wet, rainy long weekend for me. No running or outdoor cycling, so it was the pool and a trainer ride. Sigh.
I’ll be spending this weekend in the beach, and going to a bbq with my parents this Sunday.
As a triathlon newbie I like this blog very much. Nice giveaways! So I’ll take my 0,08% chance for Garmin Forerunner 610 =)
Three days of eating! …and maybe some working out as well. :)
Hi Ray, thanks for all the reviews. I recently purchased the FR60 after reading your review, and I have been amazed at the accuracy of the footpod, even without calibration. I do not run much, but walk the dog, and it is interesting to add some distance to the effort. Here in South Africa it is getting a bit chilly, as winter is upon us, so we will probably have one of the last outdoor barbeques of the season. Normally a “Bloubul Steak”. Best way to describe it would be “a piece of marinated rump large enough to feed a small army”. In this case it is fondly named after the local provincial rugby team, the Blue Bulls. “Blou bul” = Blue Bull in the Afrikaans language. And of course the steak is best enjoyed with a few nice cold beers. There you have it!
After almost 19 years of marriage my wife and I spent two days on “An Adventure in Intimacy” course in Dublin, run by a couple from Florida who have 46 years experience! Would highly recommend it – wish we had done it years ago – see http://www.hedyyumi.com Also managed to get out for a couple of short runs. Weather here in ireland not good enough for a BBQ. All the best for your Wedding – enjoy the day! Thanks again for the email advice last month.
Hi
This weekend repairing the old 305: the sound broke down. Turns out the speaker is defect, and this only costs 15 cts! (of course, the postage on the speaker is a lot more
In case repairing the 305 fails: I look forward to winning the 610!
Greetings
G
Spending my weekend running. finally getting into the double digits again after 5 months of injuries..
Oh and a good steak afterwards.
Getting this watch would be so sweet.
My girlfriend could have my 305 and i could get this one…i would be so pumped!
I spent the weekend tracking marathon results from Ottawa & Vermont that my buddies were running in. Weekend before that, same thing but the marathon in Halifax, Nova Scotia.
Absolutely a fabulous blog you keep here – and sure I would like to have my own FR610 :-)
Awesome and very generous give-away!
My next weekend is gonna consist of 2 bike races: One hillclimb and one amateur-race of >100km. After that I’ll need a big BBQ ;)
You are great, Ray…!!!
Road rides on Sunday and Monday… might venture down to Greenville on Monday for the US Pro Championship road race. Hanging with the fam otherwise.
Just finished the Calgary Half-Marathon this morning. Then lined up for 40min for a tasty (free!) rootbeer milkshake.
As the wife has abandoned me and the child to go Durham to see the Take That concert with her mates. I will be adding 10kg of extra resistance to all my ironman UK training by pushing the buggy for my long run and lugging the sprog about in a child seat on the bike. Will BBQ some meat on Monday to celebrate her return so the sauce would come in handy.
I love glue.
I’m getting my last long workouts in before packing and taper for the Deuces Wild Half Ironman next weekend!
68km of MTBing Sat, 39km of Mtbing Sun, 38km of Mtbing Mon, and lots of walking with S.O.
Great reviews.
Peace
Peter Phillips
Got a 14 mile trail run in on the Sylamore Creek Trail in Arkansas. Now for the fireworks!
I intended to just spend the weekend (including today, my birthday!) with family, but now I’m researching watches! Hubby wants me to decide on one as my b-day gift, and that’s how I found your blog. Great reviews!
Sign me up!
Hello guys!! It´s my first time here and I´m from Brazil!
I found you when searching for information about the Finis swimsense!
Anyway, let me tell you about my next weekend!
I’m a 31 yo, semi-pro swimmer and we’ll be having a great super-damn-strong practice on saturday morning! It’s the most fun way to start your weekend having all your friends at the pool, with 6 or 7 per lane in a 4K trainning!
And then, after that, there’s the BBK!
I live in the south of Brazil, at Rio Grande do Sul state, home of the best BBK in the world! (Yes, all those great Brazilian steakhouses that you’ve been to there in US came from my state!)
We gather the group and do a pretty nice afternoon at the park eating and drinking a lot! Enjoing the hole week of running and swimming practices!
Cheers to you all!
From a new friend,
Ed!
I will be spending time with our twins as my wife is up in NOVA with my eldest at a swim meet. If I am lucky I will be able to get a couple of miles on the bike and BBQ with the whole family on Monday once Kristin and Olivia get back.