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!
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Here’s how to save!
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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.
Julie Moss. When or how I don’t remember.
have not watched Kona before…will do so today!
The first time that I saw Kona’s Ironman was 10 years ago. I was a little kid that enjoyed riding a bike and swiming like a crocodile in a pool. I was in home and turned on TV and watched a man with an “alien” like helmet and I thought that it was something like a halloween bike event. I saw the rest of the program and since that time, I enjoy a lot triathlon.
Watching McCormack and Raelert fight it out in 2010!
I recall seeing Julie Moss crawl. Coverage has come a long way.
Smilling Chrissie all the way long.At every of her starts.It would be Macca winning,cramping Craig,Rinny smashing field…too many.
View Frederik Van Lierde win kona 2013
Beat memory was being at te race in 2009 and finishing.
I remember hearing about it sometime in the early 1990s when Finnish Pauli “Polar” Kiuru finished second.
Watching Craig Alexander set the course record in 2011
My first memory of Kona is this blog.
Watching Leanda Cave drop Rinnie just as it looked like game over for her before powering to the win.
Team Hoydt- Father and Son….
Definitely Julie Moss in 1982, watching it on ABC’s Wide World of Sports. Can still hear Jim Lampley’s voice narrating. Couldn’t understand at that time why endurance athletes put themselves through such insanity. Even a marathon seemed so far beyond my reach.
Mark allen ,dave scott, scott tinley, etc from the late 80s and early 90s. Half of our High school xc team had saucony “azua st” trainers!
I’m convinced I saw the early days one with Julie Moss…. It took a long while before I even knew what that all meant or if it had an effect, but 2007 I did IM wisconsin.. Wow..
Watching the Hoyts fhe first time. 1988? 1989?
Remember how sexy her Fenix 2 looked upon her wrist as she laid naked sleeping next me. . .
Actually, watching the Kona in 2005 so inspired me by all the various age groups, participants, that such led me to compete in my first tri 2 years later. . . An accomplishment considering I’ve never actively participated competively in events comprising of swimming, cycling!
My friend finished Kona last year.
My best memory was watching 2010 Kona Ironman with the local triathlon club at the annual viewing party. We were fortunate to have third place finisher Julie Dibens as a celebrity guest at the viewing party!
I’ve never follow the event, but this year it’s gone be the first and If i win the 920 next could be my first Kona jajaja
Reading about it in Runners World, and as a runner thinking “Crazy people”.
Now I am a triathlete, and thinking “I wish I was there too”.
2012 Chris after a flat saying ‘You had the technology where were you’ naturally a really professional thank you after the tire change!
My husband told me about the race. Even though he’s a triathlete I still think it’s an absurd event.
I didn’t know what it was at the time as I was very young (and it was, as I’d later learn, a replay from a few years prior), but I watched a woman try to win some crazy long race and just repeatedly stagger and fall. She continued to get up and eventually had to crawl across the finish line. In conclusion, Julie Moss is awesome.
I remember catching it on TV once in the early-mid 90s when I was still in high school. I can’t remember which year. I was fascinated by the incredible endurance of these folks and started dreaming of eventually doing it muself.
Seeing Chrissie Wellington win the world champs for the 3rd time in a row and wondering why the British Media were not all over it. Helluva achievement with little fanfare.
Definitely Julie Moss’ finish…granted I just looked it up a few minutes ago given that I wasn’t even alive yet!
Macca and Chrissie!
I remember watching snippets of Kona as a kid. For some reason I think it was on during morning cartoons (probably tape delayed and condensed).
Always the finish!
I am so inspired by Kona Ironman! I started watching Kona a couple of years ago when I started running and tried my very first triathlon this year. I made it through and learned a lot and realize I really love it! I am going to do the same one next year and try to demolish my time. I realize you need the right equipment for training and racing so that is something I am trying to put together as well. I am very excited about Kona this year, sister Madonna Buder is who I am rooting for! :)
Watching Kona while training on the rollers… For 3 hours
Kona 2011 Crowie’s win
Macca
Chrissie running down the opposition… several times :-)
Chrissie winning
My first memory of watching via TV was along the lines of “are they crazy?” and “why would anyone want to do all that on the same day?”.
Crowie, setting new world record
2013 — Watching youtube recaps while I ride the trainer.
Watching McCormack and Raelert fight it out in 2010!
Watched it occasionally on Internet. All those competitors are incredible athletes, but the Hoyt team is made of real men. Anything is possible when you want it.
My first experience watching Kona was earlier this year when I decided to try and do an ironman myself(I still wonder if I am crazy). I pulled up the 2013 Kona video on Youtube and watched it.
Julie Moss’s original race and Chrissie Wellington coming back spectacularly. Realising that the winning ladies no longer crawl over the line. And also Dave Scott and Mark Allen going toe to toe. All of these embody that tenacity and grit that makes them heroes of the sport.
2012 watching Sebastian Kienle killing it on the bike
My first memory of Kona was of newsreel footage of fellow Zimbabwean Paula Newby – Fraser winning the World Championship in the 80s. Best memory has to be Macca going side by side with Raelert before breaking away to win
Julie Moss crawling
The amazing start of the race on TV
watched a lot of videos on youtube after read macca´s book
I started out the hard way… while I was trainning for my first ironman I burned youtube searching for Kona videos. I remember watching everything available during the nights in my bed…
watching the finishes at youtube, intense stuff.
Every time I watch Ironman Kona I think how miserably hot the competitors look!
Pauli Kiuru’s first podium race, year 1990.
New to triathlons this year but I do remember seeing clips from previous Kona’s with people crossing the finish line all crippled and cramping. Their bodys breaking down.. fans/family cheering & crying. Emotional stuff!
The Ironman inspiration videos that come out every year. There is a specific one for 2014 with the theme “Hall of Fame” by The Script. It is my alarm ring tone – it gets me up and training every morning.
Watched online. Reflection: I can’t swim properly.
920xt!
As a Belgian immigrant, moved to Canada in 2011, Kona is one of the few reasons to mention, where I am proud to be a Belgian ! I saw Luc Van Lierde’s victories (yes, two ! 1996 & 1999) and Frederik Van Lierde’s (not related) last year.
I am ready for another Belgian victory !
First memory was actually a highlight reel from kona 2007 a few months after it. Really motivational stuff :D
Watching Miranda Carfrae win last year
I watched some of it for the first time three years ago. One of my friends was a volunteer there
Ryder Hesjedal won the Giro on a Kona. :)
The “Iron Wars” of Mark Allen and Dave Scott
We’re making that memory right now – watching the livestream from Kona 2014 with two of my boys who participated in their first kids tri’s this summer. I hope this will inspire them to continue with me next summer.
Just watching it for the first time – very nervous for the starters!!
Watching team Hoyt for the first time. simply namazing.
Being lucky enough to have a work trip to Hilo the week before and extending it to watch the race live basically for free!
Watching WWS as a fat 16 year old and resolving that I would do that someday, but Julie Moss’s gutsy finish is still a close second to this life changing memory.
2013 online streaming, watching my girlfriend competing
Julie struggling to finish
Finding out that Ironman exists and I had years available to watch on YouTube. Seeing Macca win in ’10.
Chrissie Wellington overcoming her injuries and winning the female race of the ironman world championships in 2011! Amazing!
My 1st memory is Magnum TV-series in the 1980ies – but the best one is my own finish sprint along Alii Drive of course! :)
Best memory = Jon Blais finishing and rolling over the line!
Doing demolition of my basement bathroom while hearing web diffusion of Kona, once and a while I was doing a peak and was a relieve of my misery since I was thinking that those guy were suffering a little bite more then I was ;)
I’ve watched my husband watch it, and it drives me crazy. Give him this watch so he can train, and not bore me with the television.
marc herremans with his handbike in 2006
I watched the first time Chrissy Wellington won.
Faris Al-Sultan, speedo and all
Watching Chrissie Wellington’s flat, watched it on youtube after reading her book.
I like the 920XT with dynamic running.
I watched 3 minutes ago the Kona Triathlon Motivation – NBC Mashup, on youtube.
A few years back…was inspired to begin training myself!
2 Years ago I was going through a rough time and watch IM Kona cheered me up and after that I wanted to race an Ironman!
This is my first time watching IM Kona!! Live video right now, and It is being awesome!!
I have raced for two sprints so far, but I hope to qualify some day for Kona. Go go ironman! Everyone is a champion.
It’s all about the bikes. I just sit there and wonder how much those bikes are worth and how much they weigh.
I always enjoy watching them sat hour of any race and kona is exceptional in this respect. The crowd, the joy and reliefs of the finishers,it’s just inspiring.
Unbelievable event… Emotions.. Motivations.. Triathlon… Love at first sight….
Watching parts of the 2009 Ironman online and thinking How can they finish in this Heat? I melt at anything over 80 F – Incredible!
Kona is like heaven to me – those who get there thoroughly deserve it!
Superhumans on TV.
watched last year – unfortunately fell a sleep between last hallf of bikeride until the last 10K of the run. (between 2-5AM where i live) Definately great to see Rinny catch up. I don’t think i’ve seen a more relaxed run from a longdistance runner before. It pretty much looked like she had a whole lot more in the legs left.
Watching anything like this show what can be done if you put the time in and play the mind game with your self.
Visiting the big island with my wife a few years back.
It’s interesting to see athletes swimming in the sea with dolphin, Kona 2013
McCormack failed to finish
Watching Julie Moss’ inspiring finish (on youtube, I wasn’t born yet when it occurred.) I was blown away by the dedication and endurance
Scott Tinley’s upset.
I watched my first NBC broadcast while I was pregnant 8 years ago. I was sitting in the ski condo feeling sorry for myself while everyone else was skiing. Couldn’t have imagined then that I’d be training for ironman 8 years later. It really inspired me to start this journey.
First in on tv, a documentary, probably 7 years ago…. just amazing … and now, i’m doing olympic triathlon :)
The grit and emotion at the finish line!