Heads up! Here’s your massive list of sports tech deals! This includes the Garmin Forerunner 965 for just $499, Garmin Epix for $449, the Apple Watch Ultra 2 Black Titanium for $735, the GoPro Hero 12 Black for $299, 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.
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You can use the above link for any Amazon country and it (should) automatically redirect to your local Amazon site.
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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.
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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!
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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.
Awsome Ray, I wish I could be there. An amazing event!
The run’s a great idea, I’m in on both and if I can borrow a 235 for the run that would be awesome ;-)
Since you asked first, assuming I have one, it’s yours to try.
Great, thanks !
Having gotten a hold of a FR235 I’ll “free up” the one you’d kindly set aside for me (saw other requests) and would like to switch to the TomTom Cardio (the first one with the Mio sensor) if you have one handy, thanks!
I have a feeling I’ve used the wrong form (no directions received so far). I’m accessing this from my iPhone but I don’t see a feedback form (I only see this option to reply to your post).
Can you send me the meeting point for the morning run in an email?
Ray, that’s awesome – if I wasn’t horrendously broke and Paris wasn’t eye wateringly expensive I would be on a Eurostar and there… as it is I may have to wait until next year :(
When does your Christmas run go on international tour?
Enjoy it!
I’ve pondered a few ideas around that. Sorta a training camp style, but with various tech companies there. Depending on how busy I get over the next few months, might be a fun spring idea.
DC might be a cool place to start…
Need a Zwift for running. Or maybe you should add in a Zwift group ride.
+1 on a DCR boot camp with four head units, four power meters and assorted sundry strapped to the bike and your person for a day. Hard to beat that.
Cheers to the 2nd Open House, and may there be many more!
See you at the Sea Otter Classic…
Maybe you could Airbnb around Europe hosting a evening with all your gadgets and tech in various places. Get local people to recommend run or ride routes?
Sitting here in the African Sun I had better play the Lotto as winning is the only way I’m going to get here… Sounds like fun. We’ll just have to follow the day on Twitter!
Count me in and let me know if as a local I can help somehow.
Wow!!!
I hope I will make it next year.
Sounds like a good time for sure… Care to pass along some of your airline miles? The wife and I cancelled our Paris vacation last year when we (slash she) got pregnant and was too far along to travel. Lost 2/3 of the costs but on the bright side I now have the cutest baby every made. True story.
Would love to be there, however it is not possible unless tickets from Rio de Janeiro are also available for free :-) Sounds awesome!
Dam I always miss out. Daughters 3rd Birthday which in all honesty is more important but would have been nice to meet you.
Hope you have a good day. I will be partially there in spirit.
Darn, I get on the plane December 12th. I am moving to Versailles from Oregon. I am looking forward to meeting you sometime in the future though.
I see only one choice: Change your flights.
Moving to Versailles? Let me know if you want to get together for a drink or ride. I moved here three weeks ago. Unfortunately I’ll be in the south of France riding this weekend otherwise I’d love to come to the open house.
So jealous! Was in Paris with my bicycle a month ago.
I’ve long thought that there could be a market for you and the Girl to run DC Rainmaker tours or events. With enough notice I, for one, would pay for a DC Rainmaker inspired tour of some unique, sports type destination filled with tech gadgets, exercise and great food.
I wish I could get to Paris this December but the timing is bad. Maybe next year.
Right, mark me down for two DCR bike jerseys to help bank roll the first tour start up costs.
I’d be up for two XL running shirts :D
Out of pure curiosity – what would you pay for such an event? Assume it was run on a weekend, sorta like a 2-day training camp.
I’ve kinda tossed some ideas around in my head on how to operate something like that – but curious of course on thoughts from others.
In Paris or in the Alps? Hmm. For an all-inclusive weekend (hotel+food+cake/cupcakes), 400-500 would be easy. For a week, 1500 is easy, even up to 3000 would make sense.
And which currency? Chinese yen? :-)
Left it ambiguous on purpose. Euros/pounds/dollars, there’s enough range to make any of them work.
I was going to say a cost of a Garmin 520 for around town, and a Tacx Neo for a more exotic location. Of course we all know that the exchange rates can cause havoc in the numbers.
sign me up! I’m down for US $300/ day! Can you do it in Los Angeles, though?
LA is easy as a “guide”.
“Hi. You’re in Glendale. Go north until you can’t climb anymore”.
link to strava.com
Very cool! Maybe you could do a Christmas in July event based around bikes. Why yes, I will be in Paris in early July!
Seriously, looks like a very cool event and a great way to build the DCRainmaker brand. (Hope that doesn’t sound to crass and Trumpish.) Have a great time.
I’m not clear – there’s a cycling event in July in France? Nah.
Too far from Kona, Hawaii – good excuse to get away from winter and do a visit here! I volunteer to show you around!
“Note: Folks from various sports tech companies are of course more than welcome for either!”
would be a bit awkward if the LIMITS guys show up after yesterday’s rather sharp reprimand…
;-)
no dubt they will send heavily pixelated photos of them running with ray, perhaps they need extra funding for the flights…….
I also often will pay my own way to fly to events. Should they open those doors, I’m happy to pay my own way there.
This is so awesome! Thanks Ray and The Girl! <3
Awesome idea. I’m currently searching for some reasonable priced plane tickets to get to Paris (Friday evening) for the run in the morning and the open house in the afternoon.
Would it make sense to leave the open house event at approx 20:00 to take a flight home Saturday or would I miss all the fun by leaving so early?
Hmm, it depends on the airport and how you’re getting there. I typically budget 2hrs that time of day prior to departure. So if the flight is at 8PM, you’d want to leave here at about 6PM on a Saturday to get to CDG by about 7:40-7:45PM. Orly would be about 7:30, but you can cut it tighter since it’s quicker once you’re there.
As for leaving the DCR Cave at 8PM – no problem at all there!
Thanks for the info. There is a plane leaving Orly at 21:35 so that seems to fit perfectly. I just have to make sure that someone can take care of my kids on Friday before I order the tickets. Hope to see you soon in Paris :-)
Brilliant idea…will love to joins..let’s see if I can arrange a small trip with family..will love to test 235 either:) next item in my wish list. Will confirm shortly.
Aargh!! I’ll be in Paris on business next week. I’m a month off! ?
Do you have any Limit Power meters to give away :-)
One of our bakers made a few hundred macaroons in the studio a day or so ago, I could paint one silver/black and call it done. About the same size, and likely similar functionality.
If you start a Indiegogo for power meter macaroons I’ll take a dozen. Being a design engineer, I loved you writeup on them
Very good idea this morning run, I follow your stuffs advices and French sport competition experiences since a long time and December will be a good opportunity to meet you, see you next month.
Ohhhh….. From my home, ticket is around… 1,7 € ! Nice to live in Paris ?
So… I.ll be there !
Great initiative!! If you have one of those TOMTOM MULTI-SPORT CARDIO watches laying around I’d love to take it for a spin during the morning run. :)
Yup, no problem!
Looking forward to it. Count me in for both events
I missed it last year due to a surprise business trip… Hope to make it this time!
Thanks ray – this sounds really good. I’d like to join for both events.
Hi Ray, I shot straight past the survey monkey first time around. Hope it isn’t too late to submit.
Is there a risk that this will be like one of those impromptu Facebook parties where hundreds of people show up at someone’s house and chaos ensues with local police having to divert traffic etc? ;-)
Might be more entertaining that way. ;)
But I don’t give out the address except to registered folks closer to the date. :)
Just heard about attacks in Paris. Hoping you and the girl are ok.
Thanks, we’re safe. A very sad night here.
Good to hear, be safe
I´ve just heard the sad news! Glad to hear you guys are safe!
Glad you and your loved ones are safe.
Count me in :-)
Is it always around this time of the year? If so i will start planning for next year. Was in Paris Oct, nice place. Bakery/cake shop will be a Must visit next time as like to meet you n girl in person and the cakes too.
Yup! Always about the same time each year. Perhaps in the future we’ll do a summer/winter one (maybe around the TdF or so). But one thing at a time…
Is this closed now? I had a friend who wanted to come along but didn’t manage to fill in the forum.
Regards
Nope, still open!
Though, I believe if you’ve already filled in the survey from that browser once before it’ll basically show like you’ve completed it already. You can just open up an InPrivate (or similar) browser window to access it again.
Thanks!
I’d like to sign up for the open house My wife, Nancy Salzman has already signed up
Hi Daniel-
Simply go ahead and sign-up as well, and that way you’ll be all accounted for.
See ya there!
bummer i have a trip to rome at that time :(
Just signed up for the morning run. Joining the run led by The Girl since sub-8:00 miles are in my distant past.
Will attend the Saturday night only.
Hi. Was the meet-up point for the morning run already announced?