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5 Easy Steps To The Site
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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.
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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!
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Have some fun in the travel section.
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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.
I stick with the same sports but I train cycling base miles on the trainer using trainer road following their traditional base plan as opposed to cycling outside.
I live in Norway and we can quite a bit of bad weather. During winter I keep on running, maybe just slower pace or with spikes under the shoes. I recently picked up swimming which I’ll keep doing as well!
I barely adapt my trainings in the winter.
Last sunday for example, i’ve done a quite windy mountain bike ride in the mud :-)
living in cold and wet germany now is the time to reactivate the pain cave. Cleaning up my cervelo and put it on the wahoo kickr where it will stay until the temperatures raise again next year.
I usually start the winter season with a sweet spot base plan from trainerroad and mix and match after that depending on my mood. Already looking forward to the highlight of the trainer season which for me is the Tour of Sufferlandria sometime in january / february. So much fun. Interestingly i spend more hours on my bike during the trainer season, guess those structured trainerroad plans is whats helping me stay motivated.
The transition to cross-country skiing is underway in Falun, Sweden. A big part of running training has been replaced by roller skiing, Nordic walking (uphill) and strength training for the upper body.
I’ve been fortunate enough to live in Kuala Lumpur so basically good weather all year round, although quite warm and humid. The only thing I can compare to winter is the haze. Due to forest burning in Sumatra and Borneo the air quality becomes really bad at times. So bad you can’t do outdoor exercise. This year it was two months and the KL marathon and other events were cancelled. So during those days I get grumpy for not getting my rides and runs in and angry at those multi nationals that burn forest without a second thought. Please let us all safe the forest, we only have one earth.
shorter indoor training sessions at higher intensity + cross training
In czech republic the winter is ok, so i am just switching the clothes and continue in running :-) . Impact to training is small frequency is lower because i need to run in the dark
Take a few ‘harden up’ pills and just get on with it!
I just suck it up :D
For Europeans Clever Training is not really an option.
Since you are now living in Europe maybe setup the same deals with an European supplier ?
Winter is when the swimming fun begins!
Same old school running, Layer it up from top to bottom and keep running :)
More ice-skating, less biking.
I simply exclude interval runs from my schedule. Just do long runs and multiple indoor training to strengthen my body. And that’s basically it ))
Winter means to me cycling on my ergometer, more running, technical training in swimming, more torso power training. The temperatures (I live in Germany) are not so much a problem, more the darkness.
Turbo trainer in the garage, or get wet outside :-)
I’m lucky enough to be living in southern Japan where it was 30 Celsius today. So I don’t have to change anything for winter.
No changes here in Arizona. Just start a little later on the weekends.
3 month recovery from operation will allow me to focus on reading on sport rather than pedaling in the cold.
I would love train in cold conditions for the few next months. Here at Rio de Janeiro with such hot and wet summer starts the dark season for training. You must train after the sunset or before the sunrise.
NJ can be a bipolar state from year to year. Sometimes we get a nice mild winter that allows for training to continue outdoors and other times we get hit with a polar vortex that locks us inside until months after the groundhog sees his shadow. When the later takes place it’s time to focus on swimming, crossing training and spending hours on the endless hammer wheel of a treadmill!
I always switch to full running in winter because I don’t like indoor cycling and going to swim while it is cold and covered in snow is not pleasing.
Make use of the snow, and go skiing.
Winter = wetter over here so I transition to running. The wet weather bikes come out when I get tired of soggy socks.
Run on treadmill when too cold.
I do more computrainer and treadmill sessions.
Ohh yeah. I’ve been wanting this Fenix3 until it was released early 2015. Hope to win :) !!
Living in Berlin. Bike commute as usual. Run with extra layer and at different times. But… going back to native Mexico city for 6 weeks. So… will be more like 2,200 ms elevation adaptation. :/
Competition Haiku
Winter training woes,
Cold, windy, raining and snow,
Bike less, swim, run more.
I adjust to winter training not much. Try to do my long runs during day time, and shorter in the evening.
winter time is running time! in addition I also do some indoor cycling training on the simulator
I run outside when I can. I also use the treadmill and showshoe/ski.
Winter time means nothing but slow aerobic training.
Running is still fine during winter, biketraining is changed to MTB and Wattbike
Well, the only difference is I grab a wetsuit to swim. I live in Florida and water is chilly but generally doable. Day light hours are limited so be prepared to run in the dark
Living half of my life in Iraq and the other half in San Diego, there is a bit of adaptation required each time I shift (every 4 weeks). I keep a pair of gore tex running shoes in both places but I still tend to run outside as the temps do not go below freezing. Year round pool in Iraq but open water in San Diego (I try to OW swim even in the winter).
for me no running stop during the winter. as i love to run trails i’am in training for a 21k trail in february in the netherlands. rain, wind, snow or frost. the garmin fenix 3 would fit perfectly in these conditions.
greetings, erik
More clothes on and easy running.
Living on a big rock in the North Atlantic, St johns , Nl. I survive winter by having great running buds that are as passionate about running and good laughs as I am. Enjoy winter everyone.
When winter comes, I will revisit the Wattbike that has got very dusty over the summer, try and learn how Zwift works properly, try and stand on the scales less, buy another long sleeved item from Rapha and generally hope that a combination of retail therapy and a healthy dollop of good intentions will save my waistline.
Failing that I will be avoiding looking at Strava/Garmin Connect in December and training like mad in January to undo the Christmas damage.
I live in Australia, but do resort to the trainer when its to bleak to cycle outside.
Pull on the yaktrax, add a few more layers and just keep on running!
Move training indoors to avoid dark and cold. Shorter, higher intensity workouts.
Training moves inside, it’s wet and cold here. Less cycling, more running.
I’m a triathlete and during winter I use a little bit more my MTB.
Due to living in the Isle of Man and mostly training for the London Marathon, I mostly train in the winter. I keep to areas with street lights, I wear high vis clothing, but beyond that, not much changes, I tend to double layer when it gets cold, and a wind jacket when it is windy (pretty much always) It would be nice to run in the daylight, but I ended up in the wrong place! I need to not wear too much, Im a pretty fast runner, and its easy to get too hot once I have got up to pace.
Switch it up a lot more running and winter sports (snowshoeing, CC skiing, hiking) when the cold weather drops.
It’s back on the treadmill for me.
Switch from intense Road cycling to casual Mountain Biking and indoor cross training. It is the off season after all!
Less cycling, as it is too cold, and more running and swimming. So no, I am not one of the lucky ones living in Hawaii and have thus to do some kind of sports changing.
Winter clothing for running, indoor gym pool for swimming and a mix of road and indoor cycling! Keep the Triathlon spirit warm!
Wow that’s nice
A few more turbo trainer workouts, appreciate the cold but not icey days for cycling and a resignation that some of my run workouts may end up on the gym treadmill if I cant get outside to do a suitable interval workout!
I’m sure like many people the change from outdoor to indoor is pretty common. I try to mix up my daily workout routine with sprinkles of other indoor activities such as racketball, basketball, indoor rock climbing, gym classes, and some times crossfit. Summer sprinkles are usually outdoor runs, hikes, lake swims…
Being in New Zealand it is pretty temperate most of the year but alas I have been known to hit the dreadmill for the odd 30km run…… It’s harder mentally than physically I can assure you…
During winter coming i’m already closed bike season, moved from openwater to swimming pool but continue running three time a week and more often visit climbing wall
Winter gear for biking the roads and more indoor activities like gym and inddor trainers
winter training calls for a look at the thermometer first – if its below 5c then its just a case of thermal tights/top with hat and gloves. Hopefully this winter i will be wearing a Fenix 3 watch as well.
I change from short to long, and less tennis means more running!
I change from a short to a long sleeve sweater – and from short leg to long leg trousers.
And of course, because I tend to run in the evening, I try to be safe in traffic; lots of refleclective materials and blinking LED’s!
The frequency of sports itself doesn’t change much; 5 times a week. But instead of 3 or 4 times tennis, and 1 or 2 runs it changes to 3 runs and 1,5 times tennis.
Just got to zip up my man suit and do it ???
Swim focus, ride indoors, run outside ALWAYS.
I live in Winnipeg Canada. For the winter I spend more time swimming. I am getting the bike set up on the trainer for indoor rides and I actually enjoy the cold weather runs… As long as I dress warm enough.
Hopefully this season I’ll get on the Inside Ride and off the boring trainer.
I still try to get runs in when the weather is cooperative, run inside, ski, but the reality is I end up going backwards for a few months.
I live in Brazil, a place where “winter” simply doesn’t exist. For me the real challenge is to adapt to hot and humid days; not cold ones. All I do is to go running early in the morning, before temperature starts to rise or go running around 8pm, when there’s no sun and temperatures start to drop. Winter is actually the best season of the year for running. And by “winter” I mean all those 4 weeks in July when the lowest temp might be 8 degrees Celsius. And yes, I have never seen snow in my life…
Jump onto the tacx trainer, get running out in the woods, and wrap up!
No winter here in Malaysia, Just Run!!
Trainer sessions and xc skiing.
To me, adapting my training schedule to winter is a mental exercise. We become better by training, not just the body but also the mind. Research shows that when you imagine certain physical activity, your brain is actually practising how to activate those movements. So in theory, I could become a better cyclist by lying in bed, closing my eyes and re-living the climb up the Ventoux…
Of course, this will only have some effect if the body also gets better. And here I turn psycho. I hate riding against the wind (this is the windiest part of the country…) so when it is windy, I imagine I’m climbing up a beautiful mountain in the French alpes. And when it rains, I tell myself the water is warm. If the weather is really awful, I’ll climb up the indoor trainer, put on some netflix series and zone out.
Does this really work? Doubtful… but it certainly helps me get on the bike more than I would otherwise!
Winter is coming, it´s trainer time for a couple of months. Hopefully the snow day will be few and you can run outside.
The bike will go on the trainer and I’ll pull out the cold weather running gear. But the rest stays the same. Off season, is a great time build endurance and strength.
I try to go running at lunch hour instead of doing it in the before of after work.
Mudguards, squats in the gym, and pints in the pub. Plus the setting of targets for next year to help ease out of the darkness of winter eventually.
I back down training quite a bit in late October an November. Ride mtb more often cause I love the smell of trails in the fall. It’s great to unwind after tough in-season training. Normally start winter training late November mixing riding trainer and outdoors with a bit of treadmill.
a lot more indoor spin classes. I like to get the competitive juices flowing in there
During the Pennsylvania winter months everything moves indoors except some running and skiing and snowboarding.
Fortunately some smart guys thought about fancy functional clothing that keeps me warm during my outdoor activities in winter. That is sufficient for the typical Viennese winter (Usually temperatures do not go much below -5 degree Celsius).
Just for the high intensity units I move indoors to the treadmill, because the cold temperatures definitely have significant influence to the performance – at least for me
I live in Denmark and work for the Royal Danish Air Force. The weather changes on minute basis here in the north, but in the winther I don’t change anything about my training.
I only run, so the “only” thing I change, is my shoes and clothing, so it fits winther training.
Winter doesn’t affect my gym! – I only hope bad weather wont affect my will…
In the winter it’s mostly a combination of indoor cycling on rollers and strength/stretching. Running takes a backseat since the only time can get out during daylight is over the weekend.
Now that triathlon season is over, I tend to scale back the tri-specific training a bit and focus more on the running…with some time in the pool too…read, “I hate biking in the cold!”
I usually move half of the runs indoor to a treadmill plus some indoor swim. Otherwise, add more layers of clothing.
Unfortunately I don’t live anywhere that even remotely resembles Hawaii, but the winters here in Curitiba (Brazil) aren’t that cold, so not many changes. There may be more skipped workouts, though.
Still the same :)
Got myself a Bkool trainer and paired it with Zwift – Great :) But would love to have the Fenix3 for the good weather days.
As global temperatures continue to rise, one of few benefits seems to be year-round riding possibilities in piedmont Virginia. Embracing the cold involves getting rid of those bald, wimpy 700×23 PRO4’s and bringing out the big guns — 700×28’s with honest-to-god tread!!! On days where things get more sketchy, it’s time to celebrate gravel and benefit from the lower speeds and the shelter of tree cover on a gravel grinder. When things get really bad, it is time to retreat to the trainer and celebrate real pain and suffering with Graeme Street, Coach Troy, & Chris Carmichael. Cyclists can be Winter People — to a “degree”, anyway!
I’m one of the lucky ducks that live in Yorkshire, we have rain, wet rain, heavy rain and the sort of rain that soaks you through. In winter I change my bike from geared to fixed, I sometimes add mudguards, I have even been known to wear gloves when it gets really cold. Winter is ace, the wetter, the wilder, the better ! It is great preparation for the spring classics and then into the warmer (wetter) Yorkshire weather. Riding fixed through winter is a fantastic workout, great for core body, great for strength training and generally just an awesome feeling.
More treadmill and shoveling snow
I am a lucky duck living in Bangkok! “Winter” is still hot and steamy but it’s the best time to train. Early mornings is my answer.
Move training indoors during the winter months. Here in Toronto it’s hArd to run during the short days. I usually run at noon.
How I’ll be training this winter? Hopefully with a new Gamin watch around my wrist :-). But seriously: the road bike gets changed for the mountainbike in rainy and muddy Belgium, the tacx is moved downstairs to the living room so the girlfriend can enjoy Zwift as well wile I ride it, and the running training starts again in january (3 months before the marathon of Antwerp).
I try to run to my normal schedule, but I add some swimming pool session in addition to the running.
Morning run starts at 6:30 instead of 6:00…
With Chicago weather: Running outside to the gym, inside on treadmill, then outside back home, walking on incline treadmill or stairs with weight vest, I also want to get into snow shoeing.
Fortunately, since I live in Texas, I don’t really have to adapt my workouts much. I just throw on an extra layer and head outside!
Figuring out my winter transition and planning to mix in some yoga and strength training along with some swimming and indoor bike trainer time. now to buy said trainer which means no budget for a watch that I completely covet!!!
Triathlete suffering offseason in a northern climate; so base building and technique work in swim and bike. I do focus more on the running side through the winter though.
Winter is The Season, since I’ve left triathlon and serious road/track running. Seems like I switched seasons, so my main concern is to adapt my summer schedule to the most competitive months of the year.
I primarily race xc-ski long distance events, such as Marcialonga and Vasaloppet.
Winter shorter runs with only 5% or 10% increase per week. Learnt my lesson as an old croaky 58yr old not to suddenly increase distance or time over what is usual – takes ages to recover from IT band or other strain injury.
Winter? In Orlando Fl, winter is when everyone gains a little speed as we take a break from swampy weather! For winter, I will get faster :)
running when raining counts double…. so I’ll just keep running :)