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…
I swim, bike and run. Then, I come here and write about my adventures. It’s as simple as that. Most of the time. If you’re new around these parts, here’s the long version of my story.
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You can use the above link for any Amazon country and it (should) automatically redirect to your local Amazon site.Want to compare the features of each product, down to the nitty-gritty? No problem, the product comparison data is constantly updated with new products and new features added to old products!
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Think my written reviews are deep? You should check out my videos. I take things to a whole new level of interactive depth!
Smart Trainers Buyers Guide: Looking at a smart trainer this winter? I cover all the units to buy (and avoid) for indoor training. The good, the bad, and the ugly.
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Check out my weekly podcast - with DesFit, which is packed with both gadget and non-gadget goodness!
Get all your awesome DC Rainmaker gear here!
FAQ’s
I have built an extensive list of my most frequently asked questions. Below are the most popular.
- Do you have a privacy policy posted?
- Why haven’t you yet released a review for XYZ product you mentioned months ago?
- Will you test our product before release?
- Are you willing to review or test beta products?
- Which trainer should I buy?
- Which GPS watch should I buy?
- I’m headed to Paris – what do you recommend for training or sightseeing?
- I’m headed to Washington DC – what do you recommend for training?
- I’m from out of the country and will be visiting the US, what’s the best triathlon shop in city XYZ?
- What kind of camera do you use?
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5 Easy Steps To The Site
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.
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!
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.
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!
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.
Getting blown right off the road on the bikes!
Awesome watch
Pineapples!
Good luck to all the competitors (both Kona and here),
Never ran Kona, nevr will…but enjoyed reading and discussing it with a fellow runner who regulraly qualifies for the race.
Kona memories = an Aussie winning what I thought at the time was the hardest event in the world.
Hope to be there some day :)
Never been there, bit that shouldn’t be an excuse not to win…
My only memory is watching on TV :(
One of my favorite beach runs!
Never been there.. but a morning run and then swimming in such paradise must be really nice :)
Ukulele!
Knowing my godfather did it and giving me inspiration. Not to mention Kona coffee!
i’m in, Brucelan
underpants run – what else
one day my husband will qualify for Kona!
Nadia K
Watching Paula Newby-Fraser winning her multiple Kona championships……I’m Zimbabwean.
finding out what triathlon was for the first time, and that people actually do this back in junior high. Bitten by the bug young!
i would like to train with this watch für kona ;-)
i would like to train with this watch für kona ;-)
Watching Mark Allen’s comeback in 1995 during the run. Awesome!
“You” are my first memory of Kona… just starting triathlon-training…
Great.
Great.
The Dick and Rick Hoyt story.
I like it!
Awesome!
Hearing that my hot gym instructor had qualified to race in Kona.
Tomorrow my second marathon and from next year, starting the triatlon. Kona is far, far away…
Watching Scott Rigsby, a double amputee crossing the finish line
Haloa!!! ;)
Very nice
Faris Al-Sultan is going to win the race!
Sitting all night in front of TV and watching Ironman Hawaii!
This summer I ran the Kona Half Marathon and gain a appreciation for the heat of Kona. Daphany
Lou Hollander kicking butt year after year.
In the local tri-store, stalling images due to a bad internet connection, lousy snacks, luke warm drinks but great race and wonderful atmosphere with fellow triathletes: my yearly Kona night!
Nice to see everyone made the swim cutoff
Need it for next year’s race ;-)
After watching the race for many years it was epic to see Macca and Raelert duel it out on the run in 2010.
I guess my chances of winning is pretty slim… Anywho, cheers from Norway!
I’m LOST!
My favorite memory comes from several years ago, watching a 60+ year old woman cross the finish line after 13 hours of hard work… not the fastest finisher, but certainly the most impressive!
Hello from Greece!
Kona videos’ inspired me to start training for triathlon!
Scott v Allen
Hi there fron Greece!
Kona videos’ inspired me to start training for triathlon!
Watching it on tv since I was very young.
Natasha Badman year after year
Watching the presentation by the winner of Kona at multisport world at the begining of the year
the heat from the sun on the lava fields
I remember watching ABC coverage in the early 1980s at my grandparents house. I remember watching Julie Moss crawl across the finish line and it being incomprehensible how someone could exhaust themselves to that extent.
100% Kona coffee beans make the best espresso !!! mmmmmm
Never been to Hawai, but see a lot of photo from my sister-in-law. A lot!!!
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For me, Team Hoyt is one of my most favorites from Kona.
i will never forget Normann Stadler having a flat and throwing bis bike away
it´s a great race!
schumi- at t-online.de
Chrissie Wellington destroying the record
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I hope Pete Jacobson has a great run on the Hawaii ironman.
Jerry Pierce
Sean Mackin – my favourite Kona memory is definitely of jumping into my pool at home with my BMX bike parked next to the pool as a child after watching the Allen/Scott duel in the late 80s. I may have only been 8 years old, but it marked me for life.
Long before I started thinking of competing in triathlons I remember watching televised versions of the first Ironman events, in Kona. I remember thinking “who’d be crazy enough to compete in such events?” Fast forward several years and the answer would be “me!”
Sean Mackin – my favourite Kona memory is definitely of jumping into my pool at home with my BMX bike parked next to the pool as a child after watching the Allen/Scott duel in the late 80s. I may have only been 8 years old, but it marked me for life.
My best memory is 1982- Julie Moss! What could possibly be better than that? (Yes, I’m THAT old) :)
Loved a boat tour with snokeling and seeing turtles in nature.
My favourite part of Kona is, without doubt, those last few hours before midnight, watching the age-groupers come in to thunderous support. I find that a lot more personally inspiring, as an armature athlete, than the elites.
The Crawl!
Would love to go to Hawaii, during IM would be bonus.
Kona’s undies run is the best!
Lava!
#1 memory of the islands: getting married, barefoot, on Kauai’s north shore.
#2 memory of the islands: going back less than two years later and watching my daughter take her first step just a few miles away from that very same spot.
The undies run!
me me me me me me!
Paula Newby hitting the wall in ’95
Watching Crowie dance it in on the live stream last year.
Hawaii, only seen on postcards. So far.
Apart from Ironman, Hawaii is all about volcanos and surfing. Seriously though, this would help with my tri training.
Thank you for all of your posts. Complete reviews are the best!
Watching it with my parents and saying, “I’m going to do that…”
I watched it for the first time last year, real time….the whole thing. Don’t know what’s harder, to watch a race for 17hours or race in it yourself ;-)
Sharing the race with my 5 year old this year
Either Dave Scott’s second place at age 40, or his fifth place two years later.
The volcano and the lava seen from the helicopter …
kona coffee!
I LOVE Hawaii!
Watching Kona for the first time this year!
My first memory of watching the race was as a little kid–there was a shot of someone keeled over on a bicycle–they had just completely lost it. That was when I realized how tough the race really was.
Go Mike Starkey!
I think I’ll also go with the Undy Run photos I’ve seen!!
Just watching for the first time: Absolutly fantanstic (a proud belgian)
Chrissie Wellington coming from behind last year on the run! What an effort!
Well, the thing is that I don’t know what to do to go to Kona as I will likely never qualify (i’m in the most crowded age group and don’t have time to train properly), so I have to convince my girlfriend to go. First try was to watch Lost scenery but I think I’ll have to marry her and got o Kona for our honeymoon… with a tri bike :-)
Favorit thing about Hawaii: Jack Johnson.
Fish1775
I worked with a korean kid for a while. He would tell me all about korean food, especially korean barbecue. He also liked to tell me all about how green tea would make me lose weight.
Watching Chris Lieto in 2009
watching kona on trainer during 5 hr ride for im fl
Maybe I’ll get to Hawaii one of these days! Sean D.
the Sunshine!!!
Swimming in the bay on at Kona on a family vacation imagining it was the chaos of the swim start…
Inspiration