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.
-
Check out my weekly podcast - with DesFit, which is packed with both gadget and non-gadget goodness!
-
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’m gonna run and then XC ski and then go ice skating in the impending subzero temps!
Valentine’s Day 5k followed by a TT bike ride on Sunday, and Group ride on Monday
Since it will be -21 C in Toronto, I will be riding the turbo trainer in the basement.
short swim and taking the rest of the day off!
Original plans were for snow shoeing, but we shall see with the temperatures in Western New York.
Still recovering from pregnancy but getting back running next month.
Long trainer ride in our apartment… and then back to the couch with her for the rest of the day. Too cold for anything else
Very romantic time on the indoor trainer!
Heading to Costa Rica for a week of mountain biking, hiking, and a bit of relaxing before getting back into tri training when I return :)
My girlfriend and I will take the dog out for a few hours of cross-country skiing (with hot-chocolate in the backpack).
I will be doing the usual weekend long run (~11 miles) with my buddy through part of the NYC Marathon routes (over Queensboro Bridge, 1 full loop in Central Park and back).
My Valentine and I are actually running a Trail 12K on Valentine’s Day this year.
Thanks for the giveaway Ray!
I’ll be trying to figure out what to wear on my training brick (Run 8 / Bike 30 / Run 5) in 18 degree weather w/ 30 mph winds. If I won, the “gifts” would go to my wife and son (who are the only two remaining in the fam without activity trackers). Cheers!
His – 90 minutes on the bike
Hers – 18 miler
duathlon 2.5 K run 10k bike 5 k run =D
Getting up early to go hike Barr Trail, Pikes Peak. It has been in the 60’s in Colorado springs, so a nice little morning orange sunrise off the pink granite and maybe chocolate for breakfast.
4-5 miles outside if not too cold. Supposed to be single digits with wind chill!
The plan calls for a long trainer session, let’s see …
Wake up, go to the pool for 45 minutes to do Total Immersion swimming drills. Head to the bank with my husband to let them know I have taken his last name (married in November 2014 – finally got the marriage certificate in the mail). Head to the indoor track with my husband and put 1.5 hours of Z2 work.
Hill repeats carrying the sled back up the tobogganing hill.
a 25km bike lap alone and a 4 km run with my Girl after the first lap.
Maybe a trainer ride and tons of sex
As every Saturday, I will drive my daughter to her horseback riding lesson, and then head out for a run in the nearby forest.
Matanuska on TrainerRoad while watching old episodes of The Wire, followed by squats & deadlifts.
Not a traditional training, but a nice round of golf.
A short 5k run after my daughters swimming lesson. First run in two weeks after a bad bout of man flu!
Vday will start with a morning masters swim followed by an easy run later in the afternoon.
Morning spinning class on Valentine’s Day before the blizzard hits!
Finally going to get out on bike; have been focused on running for the last few months but it’s time for a chance.
Me and the Girl will be doing some hiking in Puerto Rico’s National Forest!
A 3 hour zone 2-3 bike ride.
3hr bike + 2km hard brick run…afternoon taking it easier with 6x250m swim set then out for food and drinks:)
35 miles / 2 1/2 hr afternoon bike ride
XC run, followed by DIY
Recon ride for a group ride that I want to have around St. Patrick’s Day. Have to find some good hills to make them work for the beer.
SufferFest for my Wife and I
Doing a 60 minute recovery run in the freezing cold.
Valentine’s day will be me second 1/2 marathon (& my birthday!) and the first for my BFF & running partner!
Warm-up training for A competition (ski marathon on Sunday)
It’ll be an easy 5 mile run, just enough to justify the nice big dinner.
I will continue my build up period and push through 8×3 min VO2 intervalls and finish of with some low cadence power intervalls, all on the gym trainer.:) I love it.
11 Mile race pace training run
Going for a morning run with my wife.
There will be no training planned on Valentine’s Day as it is my rest day before going for long run on Sunday. My wife and I will be going for our closest friend’s wedding reception on Valentine’s Day evening. What a wonderful day to celebrate their union and cherish our love for 18 years and still counting strong.
I am most likely doing a recovery ride tomorrow as I am meeting some old friends tonight and expect to out long!
Looks like it will be a another run on the treadmill.With windchill temperature will be below 0.
A nice romantic swim! If you consider sharing a lane while swimming laps romantic.
4 Mike shakeout run with 5×100 strides. GF will be doing 4 mile tempo run.
Some laps inside the pool, just to get back in physical shape
Walking Disney World all day with kids.
1.5 hour morning swim is planned Saturday!
Easy 5 miler before work.
it’ll be -25C on saturday so just staying indoors, ride my bike on the trainer for a couple of hours
2 hours of riding the CompuTrainer, followed by watching my daughters swim meet
Upcoming half-marathon training around nearby lake with wife, meeting and pacing her with a cool down jog after every 2 tempo laps. She won’t miss me that much, I’m sure ;}}
3 hour ride on the trainer…too cold to go outside
4 Mile run with the wife and dogs.
I am taking my 3 daughters to tea, and wearing pink. No training tomorrow.
Currently injured so maybe a nice and easy ride on the bike followed by physical therapy…
I’ll be lying in bed trying to get rid of my cold!
Planning a 5 mile run between a Vet appointment and VDay Dinner.
Then Half Marathon on Sunday.
If smart would be on trainer in nice warm house but doing 6.5 mi training run for upcoming half-marathon…should be 30 degrees w/ 20-30 mph winds…and this is supposed to be healthy?? Then romantic dinner once I thaw out.
If training includes a paper on collection development then sure I am training this weekend..:)
A short bike ride to get my legs ready for sunday’s Romeo&Giuliet half marathon in Verona, Italy!
6 mile run at the park with my wife
Going to bundle up since it’s so cold here and try and get a 6 miles in, if I can avoid all the ice and snow piles.
Ive got a trail marathon on Sunday, the Heartbreak, here in Atlanta. Gonna be cold!!1
I will do a quick trainer ride while our toddler naps. My wife only runs/rides when being chased…
Threshold intervals, because love hurts. Also probably shoveling more Boston snow
Going to bootcamp in the morning and then chasing my children around the house while they are hyped up on candy hearts.
4 mile run in prep for a 10k I’m running later this spring!
Cupid’s Undies Run Philadelphia – ’nuff said!!
I’m sighting the course of an upcoming race.
My wife and I are going to run together for the first time since she started running again after 4 years!
Easy running with my lovely girlfriend and with another friends who i’m training.
Staying at home recovering from a really bad flu!!
I’ll just be going for a gentle 10k run along the river, enjoying no longer having a stinking cold.
An hour on the trainer
Valentine’s Day cardio, in the bedroom
Getting up early to knock out a Sufferfest/TrainerRoad workout on the Cyclops Power Pro before the hubby wakes up.
I’ll be doing a final “long run” in preparation for next week’s race up the Hancock Tower. (long run meaning long & slow stair climbing)
Morning run, cook my wife breakfast in bed, afternoon skiing together ☺ Saturdays are tough.
Skiing in Italy.
An early morning 5k-ish run!
5k with my wife and a 20km bike tour!
My partner and I will be doing a 10k morning run here in Puerto Rico tomorrow.
hitting the weight room for some strength workouts then it’s off to the track for some mile repeats (10 to be exact), all before 8am!
A day of downhill skiing on Saturday and then some cross country skiing on Sunday
Rest day – chasing our 2 kids around!
Will be heading to the gym with my wife for a treadmill workout. Followed by a trip to the Farmers Market!
nothing much as resting a tendon. Probably go for a walk on local beach with wife and kids.
Grade a Drill and Ceremony Competition in the morning, and than, time allowing, go for a nice 2-3 mile run. Just enjoy the Saturday before evening plans!
I’m doing a 6.5-mile run in -20C!! And having a glass of wine afterwards :-)
Me and my friends Kurt Kinetic, Trainer Road and Sufferfest will be sharing (or dishing out) some pain before my daughter’s 10th birthday celebration.
A 10km run together through the Vienna woods on a blue sky sunny day – they promise!
Coach training for all week-end !
Had a plan for a strength traing, but unfortunately caught a nasty cold, thus about to sleep this weekend at home.
My wife and I both have long Marathon training runs. Mine is 20 and hers is 10. Unfortunately it will probably close to 0 wind chills so it will make for a pretty frigid 2 and a half hours.
Long group ride in the morning, followed by a group TRX core class later in the day – with Sushi celebration in the evening!
A frigid 9 miler and a high school basketball tournament.