Heads up!!! Here’s your massive holiday sports tech deals list! This includes the Garmin Epix for just $419, the Apple AirTag 4-Pack for just $69, the GoPro Hero 12 Black for $249, (or the brand new Hero 13 or $299!) and plenty more! Go check out the full list of 100+ deals here!
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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.
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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 2024 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 just remembered the Ironman 70.3 which recently was held in Budapest for the first time.
Watching my friend Jay Lakamp finish less than one minute under the time limit a few year ago.
Jürgen Zack-Attack crushin it on the bike. Legend!
The first time watching is what got me into the sport. I thought one day I will do this
First saw Mike pig blast the bike leg and thought that’s a Great sport
Early 80’s on Wide World of Sports. I seriously thought many people would die trying to attempt this!
Watching my friend achieve his dream of winning his age group at Kona… Then backing it up again the next year.
Definitely the tv special which is funny because we now complain about it so much.
Watching athletes run on hot day alongside lava fields.
Watching Team Hoyt finish Ironman Kona at the second attempt in 1989. To see the joy in the sons face and the speed of that sprint finish had me in tears! A massive inspiration to anyone.
That would be that viral video of a woman crawling across the finish line in the eighties.
My first memory of watching Kona was a few years ago. I’m on the couch with my Weimaraner Ashton balling my eyes out at all the inspirational stories. Between Team Hoyt, Sister Madonna and Chrissie Wellington I was a basket case of joyfull tears. As a triathlon coach and marathon runner it’s an ultimate goal of mine to one day make it to Kona.
Watching a woman from my small little town in New Hampshire compete in Kona last year as part of team chocolate milk. It turned me on to triathlon, which subsequently changed my life!
Julie Moss crawling to the finish.
It was the first triathlon I saw. Since then, the goal that I have now is to go there someday.
When I was 15, I remember randomly coming across the ironman world championships on tv. I was frozen in amazement. It was 1995 and I was only vaguely aware of triathlons and had never heard of an ironman. I watched Mark Allen cap his career with a 6th victory, in what I thought was the most hardcore athletic event I’d ever seen. To do it 6 times at that level was incredible. There are so many things that could could wrong and to succeed at that level on a given day under any conditions was astounding. I was a runner and to swim that far was beyond my comprehension. Then to race a marathon after 112 miles on a bike seems impossible. Up to that point I thought a marathon was a singularly amazing achievement. What a sport!
Sebastian Kienle’s 4:33:23 bike leg after getting a flat.
I remember watching it on TV when I was a kid growing up in South Africa and I thought it was the craziest thing anyone could ever do! I still think it’s crazy which is probably why I spend every year bopping around various courses to cheer on my teammates as they do their training victory laps at Ironman.
Julie Moss 1982. Followed quickly by Mark Allen and Dave Scott in 1989.
Watching Chrisse winning a couple of years ago. Wow
First time i think it was the first victory from Luc Van Lierde!
First memories are clips of Finnish legend Pauli Kiuru finishing top3 in early 90s. Haven’t really followed since…
The crawl. Oh the crawl.
macca and andi running shoulder by shoulder and shaking hands…
Watching Chris McCormack win his first world championship!
Thanks!
Watching Chrissie Wellington coming back after flat tire on bike course. It was like superman! I always remember that when someone much more faster than I am pass me by. It does not matter if it is running, cycling or swimming. I just remember Chrissie
Luc van lierde s win in 1997!
Chrissie Wellington in 2009
Watching Macca and Raelart battling for first in the final miles of the 2010 race
Brady Murray, 2012, and his dedication to the Downs kids. Awesome!
First watched it on TV in the early 80s, and said boy I would love to do that one day – but with no thought I actually might. 30 years later and I’ve done a sprint and will probably do an Olympic length next year, then who knows. Thank god for age grouping.
Watching the victory of Faris Al Sultan in 2005.
Marvelling at the tenacity of the Kona athletes.
Don’t know it, but would love to win the watch :-)
I’m a roadie who does a bit of running one of my friends does Iron man the training and dedication required blow me away. The mental power to carry on when your body is screaming stop!!! Very impressive. Something we should all aspire to.
Watching a snippet of Kona at a high school presentation from an Ironman finisher.
Being injured now… Would need a win to cheer up….!
Watching it on YouTube 2 minutes ago…
Love to see all of the cool new bikes
Most inspiring for me was the Ironman YouTube video documenting Team Hoyt. Dick towing his son Rick behind him on the swim, I was amazed!
Watching the Hoyts – Father of the century !
Watch it dream it, then right back to sprints! Grand Masters isn’t bad just slower.
The first time i Head about ir was the ironwar
Than I saw Christies flat and catch up and the latest iron war I think raelert and McCormick
Seeing champions come back and cheer on age groupers as midnight nears.
Standing in the water at the start, staring out at the ocean and into yourself.
Watching Chrissie Wellington win in 2007. Always good to see a Brit win :)
Crawling across the finish line and laughing my head off…ok so I was like ten years old….Total admiration now!!
My first (YouTube) images of Kona inspired me to start competent myself. And it gives me a great excuse to put Hawaii in my bucketlist…;)
Watching a short on Team Hoyt racing Kona, really inspiring!
My best memory was being inspired by the 2011 Kona Ironman as I was finishing up my training for my first Ironman at the 2011 Florida Ironman.
Kona: will Alex Zanardi show again to all of us that the power of our mind is stronger than our legs?
Woohoo, I have never watched Kona
YouTube!
My best and first memory of the Hawaii Ironman was seeing a story about Dick and Rick Hoyt. It was a Saturday or Sunday afternoon and I randomly turned on the TV. By the end of the hour I was in tears.
When I was about 13 years old, I watched the triathlon on television. Like lots of 13-year-olds, I spent most of my afternoons watching cartoons and crap on TV.
That lead me to start running around my neighborhood, and I converted my mountain-bike to a road-bike tire and handlebar layout. I started biking about 100 miles per week, and then enrolled myself in the school track competition. (There wasn’t a real track team.) Reasonable success there led me to join the Cross-Country team when I went to high-school, and a lifetime of trail-running since then.
“Another flat TIRE”
Meltdown normann stadler 2005 beautifull moment to show how hard it is and what emotions are doing with you
Was watching my first Kona about 3 years ago via crappy EDGE. Was so inspired by old people who finished in Kona. After that only thought was in my head: “What’s your excuse?”
Sarah Reinertsen crossing the finish line in 2005!
I saw last years kona through a tablet…and i remember that i watch te night before a big national race in greece in witch i partipated
It’s pure fun watching all the real pro
Watching Peter Reid dominate in the late 90s
Julie Moss
watching The Man
Julie Moss crawling across the finish line (early 80’s I believe)…
Watching Jonas Colting on YouTube a few years ago…
Seeing Julie Moss in agony and still wanting to do it some day
Watching that age grouper who crashed on the bike and had to walk his bike like 15 or so miles in bare feet and just made it under time limit despite blistering feet. I was in awe of that dude.
Iron(wo)man 2005: Natascha Badmann
Mark Allen compete with Dave Scott in the Eightes
First exposure was watching the nbc sports presentation when Craig Alexander won his first kona. Watching his patience and composure as he passed the field on the run is what began my endeavors into endurance sports.
Last year was my first “Kona live” internet streaming and the best part was reading comments on a local tri forum :)
Chrissie fixing a flat and then winning in zoom mode..amazing!
First time I watched it there was an impressive scene by this woman in her late 60s reaching the finish line at the very last minute, that was amazing!
Watching the people of age group cut away from the because the clock beats them… makes me cry!
Watching Freddy van lierde slowly gaining and then overtaking luke Mackenzie .. While looking very strong on the run
Miranda Carfrae’s finish last year.
sorry correction to my post it was a 2:42, still super impresive!
Watching Chrissie Wellington’s come-from-behind, post-crash win in 2011!
I’d like to try that…
I frist watched it online. A small local tv stations had a online stream. But quality back than but the only way ;)
I can remember first seeing Iroman in the 80’s. I thought….those guys are nuts! Now at 47…..I want to complete my first and be just like them!
Watching my 6th Kona but 1st with my 4-month old son!!
I, as many others, remember Julie Moss being utterly destroyed yet still finding the willpower to soldier on and crawl. Unbelievable.
In the unlikely case I win, Fenix2 please:)
Watching on wide world of sports and being in awe of the distances
6 time winner: Dave Scott!
I remember channel surfing and coming upon it during wide world of sports. Glued me to the TV for hours. 17 years later started racing to loose weight and decided to work toward an Ironman.
My first memory was like : “These guys are crazy” . At that time i didnt do any triathlon.
My first memory is the 1999 NBC broadcast and the story of the Hoyts. I watch it every year or so as a source of inspiration. Pure awesome.
couple of years ago via livestream. Got inspired and did my first long distance triathlon ALMERE, NETHERLANDS a couple of weeks ago
Last year was my first time watching the whole event over the Internet using livestream.
The helicopter views during the swimming will not leave my memories soon. The enormous amount of people competing and the actual understanding of the length of the swim made me humble and challenge me to today if I’m ever able to do an Ironman.
Watching as a kid after swim practice on a Saturday morning. Other kids were watching cartoons. I was fascinated by Ironman!
wide world of sports dave scott/mark allen era
Hines Ward last year –
2013 Kona with the bikes on the black rocky fields
Seeing the Dr my wife works for complete a tri was the most impactful for me. It made it real and seem achievable with hard work and dedication. I’m still working hard to be able to conquer my first.
Flipping the channels one day, I was transfixed and knew that it was on the list.
Watching McCormack and Raelert fight it out in 2010!
Fight between Macca and Raelert throughout the whole runcourse :-)
Watching Crowie get redemption after getting ganged up on during the bike
I just remember being so fascinated by what these people were accomplishing.
I remember watching a female athlete crawling to the finish line and saying to myself why would someone do that to themselves.
The first Ironman I remember watching was when it was on ABC’s Wide World of Sports (I think), and the famous collapse of Julie Moss yards from the finish line. I was watching with my dad, and I remember being absolutely incredulous that anyone could finish something like that.