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!
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!
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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?
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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 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.
A easy 5k for me while wifey runs around the toddler :)
I can’t (well, don’t want to) go too far as my wife is expecting and ready to go any day now, so after celebrating Valentines day and keeping her happy enough to allow me to train on the special day/weekend, I’m just hitting the trainer for an hour or two each day while reading DC Rainmaker posts and drooling over new fitness tech toys.
Ran the “Cupid 5K” in Shelburne VT. 0 degrees and snow on the road, but a good time and my first 5K in quite a while!
Attempting to wear out my Vizsla puppy as the high winds have forced a rest day.
12K, cross-country skiing
Well I just took the baby for a nice long 1.5 hour walk while she slept. :o)
10k bike ride with Lilly in the bike seat behind Deanna
simple k run
10 km easy running and some cycling.
We set up a new trainer in the basement and had a go…
I ran 12 miles and my valentine joined me for 3 of those in the middle.
I started Valentine’s Day with over 400 of my closest trail-loving friends runnig 10 of the hardest miles in the KC area –> PsychoWyco 2015. Great weather, a bit Muddy, but bearable. Great way to start the day!
Too cold for a proper cycle, so we spent 90 minutes side-by-side spinning.
I ran intervals, 1 minute fast 1 minute slow
Just hoping to get my heart rate up any way I can.
nice easy tandem bicycle ride
10k personal best + some cardio weights for me
8 miles of slow cross-country skiing in beautiful winter scenes :)
3 mile recovery run
20km bike ride + 1 hour of squash with friends.
Back home, and 12km long run with wife.
Awesome Valentine morning!
Thanks for the giveaway, Ray!
We with my wife planned and did lovely walk around the lake.
If we win it will be the best gift for us whatever we choose.
I’m cross training inside since it’s freezing outside!
2600m strenth workout in the pool + 2 hr sufferfest video on the trainer. Yes, my bike is my valentine.
just a easy running around nearby lake.
Actually, my wife and I didn’t run on Valentine’s Day but we decided to enrol for the 10k and the half at the Montreal Marathon.
Training together until this fall will be nice!
Count me in! Thanks.
ran 12 grueling miles on a treadmill. when will winter be over :(
Ran on a treadmille in a hotel. 15k. Was a nice hotel though. Yep, that’s how my weekend was spent :)
My Valentine day workout will unfortunately include only running from one kids’ event to another – so no proper training.
No training to speak of but I did walk to the shops to pick up supplies on Saturday, no far but something. I did fit in an 8k run on Sunday though..
I went out on a 24 mile ride around Lake Monroe and hit it pretty hard. The temperature averaged around 70°F so it was a great day for a ride.
Went out for 49 mile ride with an old friend and group of others.
My valentine day training was cancelled due to extrimely bad weather. I plan to do paddle.
Spent time with the family. No planned training.
Brick
trainer for 2 hours, then 6 miles
My valentine day: 11km run & after watch TV :)
1 hour swimming and 5 km running
No workout nor races for me this past weekend; I did take my daughter to her 8&U swim meet and she killed her 1st 100 IM!
8 miles of running in great Minnesota weather.
Keeping up with my kids!
I spent it with family and my mother-in-law who is battling breast cancer
Sitting on the couch with the girlfriend and watching Big Hero 6….love winter training!
23 km long run.
Easy run through the bushes..
I went for a short ride as soon as there was some sun. Hélas, I took a good shower, I went back home so dirty, and my wife was clearly not happy. Great warm up for Valentine ;) It got better after that.
Hoping being at the bottom helps!! My plans were to go for a 10K run then walk around an outdoor mall, but my Valentine, horrible drivers, and the stupid cold weather had other plans. So it consisted of walking around the farmers market (indoors), then sitting in a car for 5 hours in traffic with my wife and another couple (horrible accident 300m ahead of us closing the major highway for 6+ hours), then finally getting dinner and going home… Then the stupid cold (-20F) prevented any run on Sunday. Not a great training weekend, but memorable…
Coming off two 50K runs the previous two weekends, I vegged out. Walked about 4 cold miles yesterday. Legs feeling pretty good
3 hour mountain bike
I did a 4 miles run in Grapevine, Texas. :)
We saw some videos at home. :)
Regards Ray
Bike on the trainer and then a walk with the wife!
Easy treadmill run, and then off to the Millrose Games in NYC to watch some professionals run indoor track!
My wife and I ran a half marathon down in Charlottesville, VA on Valentine’s Day! Adam and Eve – it was a great race.
A quick 5k run in the park followed by a lovely diner at home, perfect Valentine’s Day !
Swam 4k together and cooked a delicious dinner at night!
On V-Day, I did a Z2 11-mile run, and took a swim lesson!
Hot Chocolate 5K, because nothing says training like shoving your face full of chocolate afterwards.
Husband was out of town for son’s orienteering meet (Nationals). So, to make up for it we are going on a nice hike today!
Raining cats and dogs, training postponed to Sunday :-(
Training for my first 5k after 5 years and being mom.
My sisters and I went a walk/run around the neighborhood. My sister and I are trying to get sister #3 into jogging/running. So far – so good :)
Training for a middle year 10km
Undie Run in Vegas.
10k run!
1 hour running and 2 hours gym
A 5k with my wife. It will be slow but enjoyable :)
25 km bike loop around town
Continue training for this Sunday’s Hypothermic Half marathon!
Heart rate training.
25km long run
Plan was to do an indoor ride on my Wahoo Kickr. Ended up being anoter ppt preparation time… :-/
Just a free km run as a part of triathlon tournament. 11.52
Intervals on the trainer… it’s cold!
Went on a long bike ride with my hubby on Valentines Day :)
It was 10 km :)
A very early bike ride in time to get back and have breakfast with my wife and daughter celebrating the occasion.
Cheers.
Valentine’s bike ride with my wife this weekend
fitness run with my girlfriend (after childbirth)
1 hour of hill repeats early in the morning with a few friends who have agreed to run their first half or full marathon at the Phoenix Marathon. Later in the afternoon, a 40 mile ride.
Planned a long run which became much longer after a missed turn. My wife simply said it was a good thing she did not go with me or she might have filed for divorce on valentines day. JK…
10K Run
5km evening run!
Making love.
The local running club holds a 5k race where the women get a 3min head start!
The PLAN: 90 min running; 60 min GA1, 30 min GA 2
The REALITY: Icing my inflamed achilles tendon
9 mile mountain bike ride on my new Trek Superbly 9.6.
Same as @Tisztul_A_Visztula on VD! But Today it’s -20 ºC here in Montreal (-32 ºC with wind factor or if you prefer -4 ºF –> -26 ºF with wind factor) so a quick lunch time indoor pool 2000m. for her and a lunch time spin class for him…
Brrr!
Morning 5 mile run. Yoga in the afternoon.
The wife and I go to the gym together. She does assorted cardio training while I do a mix of StrongLifts 5×5 and cardio — plan to get back into longer running as soon as the frigid weather in our area breaks and we both plan on swim training in the warm weather.
A 5 mile interval training with my other half.
Sick in bed, 63km sunny bike ride on sunday.
My wife recently gave birth to our son, so training activity was limited! As it happened, vday training was ~5 trips hauling folding tables and plastic bins of materials back and forth from the car at a tradeshow…
with 70 deg weather here this weekend (north- CA) a long road bike ride is in…
We purchased her a road bike and did our first road ride together (32 miles), and she is debating on doing the MS150 (2 day ride from Houston to Austin) with me!!!
A 1 hour wobble on my turbo using trainer road to burn off the birthday cake
Hi,
My Valentine’s day training was a one hour run at a fairly easy pace while my girlfriend played with the kids. When I came back after a short shower, I played with the kids and my girlfriend went for a run. We didn’t ran with the kids, it’s freezing in Montreal theses days…
After that hard work, a great supper with only the two of us while the kids slept. A fin ending to a great day!
Thanks for the great site, I bought a Forerunner 220 because of your incredibly detailled review!
Saturday morning Yoga for me and the Mrs.
we ran the Nashville Hot Chocolate 15k, our first 15K btw.
5 miles on a sunny winter afternoon
2h of cross country skiing at minus 21 deg C.
Spin session on the trainer.