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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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.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!
Wanna create comparison chart graphs just like I do for GPS, heart rate, power meters and more? No problem, here's the platform I use - you can too!
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.
6k run around the big paddock, then swap with wife so she can go for a ride while I have the boy…
XC skiing, if we get any snow! If not, run instead.
Flying overnight to get back home to the family first of all. Might try to get the first run in for the year after cracking a few ribs right at the start of it.
Bike in the Al hajar mountains!
We’ll probably be doing a nice walk for cardio! Thank you! :)
long run of 20 miles.
Alpine skiing in the morning and then running a heart-shaped “track” in Oslo downtown, record it with Strava and send the map to my +1 :)
Just little swim training.
6 mile run around the neighborhood
A long and slow run in the Woods
400 metre repeats at the track in the am for some speed work. Then a nice long walk in the pm with the wife to our favourite coffee place for a snack.
Taper has begun so maybe just 8-10 on Friday and Saturday.
Swim, Bike, Run, Dinner, Champagne
After a hard week I will have some rest and visit a ski jumping race.
5:30 run in Venice, 5 km at 5:30 am with girl friend in Mash!
Long Mountain Run 23k, 1500m ascending in a lot of snow ;)
Going for an early morning run with my usual training group and finishing it up with a little breakfast together.
Oh crap – it’s valentine’s day already? Following my training plan I will be doing a longrun around a bay here in Helsinki…
I’ll be making sure that my daughter doesn’t wake up my wife so she can get a sleep in. There’s nothing more romantic when you’ve got a young kid.
Saturday morning LSD. But we have a massage booked in together. Can’t wait!
Hope to have the opportunity to do some cross-country skiing with my wife; but I guess its gone be sled fun with the kids ;)
Morning run followed by some skiing then off to take kids to a monster truck show.
i will be exploring a new city to me -London – with a 5 k run. We are visiting London with my so for valentines/2-year-anniversary :)
Coming from Chicago where it will be 2 degrees I will be in Santa Monica California and running 5+ miles on the warm beach.
Cycling, training for STP – 30-50 miles depending on the time I wake up!
5 mile run with wife and stroller :)
Morning x-country skiing and 25k trail running in the afternoon
Trainer ride and a swim
3:00 h easy run in good company ;-)
I’m going to Paris with my girl (yeah, I know that’s kind of clishee on Valentine’s). Given the amount of walking we usualy do on citytrips there probably won’t be any need for extra training, but I still hope I can squeeze in a run along the Seine ;-)
I might do a long run across a frozen lake with my girlfriend and all the dogs.
My wife and I are heading down to the pub to watch some football. Does that count as training!
Good dinner and a glass of wine will be as much as I do on the 14th
• Warm up, 10 minutes.
• Run in Z4, threshold pace, 8 minutes. Recovery run, 2 minutes. Repeat 4 times.
• Cool down, 5 to 10 minutes.
• Stretch.
Valentine’s Day falls this year on parkrun day, or Saturday as I used to know it. I’m trying to break a sub 19 5K for the first time but that’s looking simultaneously oh-so-close but oh-so-far (last week I hit 19:15).
Maybe the missing ingredient is love and some Clever Training?
We’ll go skiing. Not exactly defined how long, or what we want to do. Just skiing and having fun… :)
Wifey and I will be doing our own little triathlon – 5k trail run near our house, then off to a 90min spin session followed by laps in the pool…
30 mile ride!
Thanks for the chance! We just rejoined a gym, so looking forward to another fun session there Sat with my wife and kids probably in the pool, or maybe on treadmills, or some spin bikes… definitely the hot tub.
I was going to race a 5k on Valentine’s Day, but I came down with a chest cold, so I think I’ll head out for an easy run if my lungs allow me to.
hoping to go for a run tho it’s so icy i might need to take a friend along to keep me standing haha
Time for some more winter training. Might be braving the cold for a run or if it’s terrible, it’s time on the trainer.
10km run at friendly pace.
Planning to do a trail run with my son. Looking to get all muddy in the PNW.
i will do my first ever 25k muddy trail race. when i picked up my packet, i sort of hopefully said that it probably wouldn’t be too muddy since it hasn’t been raining. they assured me there would be no running water on the trails. oh well. at least there is a lake to rinse off in.
going to pedal my bike for a while on saturday. gotta get ready for that triathlon.
on my bike :)
Partners in Pain 5k … coed team race with my lovely wife
10k morning recovery run with my wife and banana pancakes after it :)
I’m doing a 5km swim.
Drinking wine with my new wife
Hiya, me and my brother will be taking an overnight trip to my mom’s, which is a little bit under 30 miles away and through the woods ;-) hope we dont get lost. Or eaten.
My wife and I are on different continents for Valentines Day so she’ll be going for a long run somewhere in TN and I will be in the Bavarian Alps
42 km cross country skiing race tomorrow.
Nothing sexier than a Fartlek on Valentine’s day.
5-10 mile snowshoe hike in Denali National Park.
I will take a long run to my girl’s place!
I’ll be running up le Salève just outside Geneva with my dog, while my wife hits the early morning CrossFit class. I win! Take that, Valentine’s Day!
I would run in the morning along the beautiful seashore next to the skyscrapers in Central, Hong Kong. In the afternoon I will hike to the Victoria Peak to enjoy the rest of the day in a decent restaurant with my wife.
1 hour run
Long slow swim for the wife on Sunday….
Only a short shakeout run for me, as we are running a 20 k race the day after Valentine’s Day.
Planning a treadmill session as it’ll be -20 C outside.
10k run and spend a nice time with family in the park.
Probably will have a more intensive running planned to start building speed for spring.
My wife and I will be doing a hike through the hills of Tuscany
21 k run
A nice 100km bike ride along the coast and then a well deserved romantic dinner.
10k in the AM and then downhill skiing in the PM
Long morning bike ride to make space for some chocolate in the evening ;)
Going to do a morning group ride and make sure my valentine has clear air all the way.
a run then breakfast!
5K intervals in the morning
I have plans to go for cross country hike with wife, followed by dinner in the evening :)
A long run (25k) with a good friend!
20 Km long run with Tasos, Babis and Stratos. Triadi – Pylaia – Triadi
A 40k+10K BR brick unit, thinking about the girl, who lives in a different city :/
We’re slowly switching to barefoot running. Very different and very hard on your calves. Started off with 500m per run a few weeks ago. 1,5 km will it be on Valentine’s day.
Swimming laps and stroll on the local walking trail.
I’m hoping to get the opportunity to do a long run with my wife.
Short run (5K) on powdery snow, probably at under -20 degrees celcius, followed by some hot yoga.
A light 5 miler on the treadmill recovering from surgery :).
2h+ run n a snowy forrest trail
Just some Freeletics and maybe a short run will do it since I have to work, bummer =)
Nice and slow 20 mins just to keep the legs moving…. prep for Marathon on the Sunday !
I am training for the Tour Divide Race this year so tomorrow will be spent on a 150km+, 3000m bikepack training ride. Yes……my wife is happy with that……!
Hope to get a long ride in with the wife
3K recovery after surgery. First run.
my plan says 2h on the trainer…. happy valentine’s?
Some indoor climbing with the family.
Valentines day has a 50-60 min recovery ride on the trainer in store for me.
A romantic mountain bike ride through the mud. And back home a warm shower.
A visit to a shoe museum with the girlfriend (recovering from a flu :) )
2 hours on the trainer – next to my gal of course!
Walking with my lovely wife and newborn in baby stroller to nearest coffee house to drink a cup of much needed coffee…
Sleeping in, refereeing kids soccer, then calibrating and figuring out what the metrics mean on my Tickr run.
Early morning few kilometers alone to wake up, return, great breakfast served to bed for my beloved wife and then… love wrestling all day ;-D OK, maybe not all day because of kids ;-) but hope they will wake up at noon and we get our time until then.
Going to do a 50 mile ride and finishing it off with a 10oz burger mm mmm!
Do some more testing with a garmin pre-production wearable device.
Just some power walking.