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.
4iiii power meter. I need to crank up my cycling training again!
Garmin 235 plus ???? Because my 305 died and the vivoactive didn’t work out
I would get the Garmin forerunner 235 because It looks really cool!
I’m thinking of a bundle formed from Withings WS-50 and FR 235! Keeping my fingers crossed!
Unwound get a new kickr because I have been drooling over hen for years and can’t justify unless free!
The gorgeous white fenix sapphire!
a new edge 520!!
A Garmin Edge 520, ’cause my Powertap LYC is sooooo played.
Hi there,
I’d love to get a good home trainer, I’ve never had any and I’d love to continue training during the cold winter :)
Thanks a lot !
Raphael
My husband’s been asking for a power meter for ages!
I would get a safer swimmer and a new pair of goggles; planning on doing a lot more open water swims in 2016 :)
Garmin Vivosmart HR. To pair with my Garmin FR220 for HRM training. Hoping to go under 6 hr for my next full marathon in May 2016 http://www.sundownmarathon.com
power meter for my gravel bike! Maybe a Power2Max
New trainer, El Niño picking up…
Garmin Scale
I’d get the Garmin 230 along with some smaller goodies. I don’t need anything too fancy. Or maybe I’d do more research after winning a $500 gift card!
I would LOVE to have the Fenix 3. My Fenix 1 has unfortunately been a big disappointment to me since I got it.
Garmin varia would be sweet for added safety!
I’d buy a Fenix3 as a daily+triathlon watch (and hope to have no accuracy issues!).
I would get a wahoo kckr, for some serious intervals and also Zwift!
Probably a Garmin Vivosmart HR. I would like to try the HR feature and use it as a remote for my VIRB camera.
I would buy the garmin FR235 ’cause of the optical heart rate!
I would go for Suunto Ambit 4 without that bulky GPS part, with optical HR and much better connectivity to smartphone, making it really smart watch (but with the BW display).
As much as I’ve panned the Fenix 3 for all of its issues- it’s still the sexiest multisport watch out there.
I’d get the Fenix3 because it has other activity options besides running and seems to be the most well-rounded watch of them all!
I want the Garmin Fenix 3 :D Simply because i like to ski Rando during the winter. Regards!
I’d get either a trainer or power meter.
Suunto Ambit 2s! Looks really nice and looking for a swim+run gps watch!
I’d like a Fenix 3 because I want to spend more time outdoors and away from my tried and true routes.
Fenix 3 so I can go skiing
I would really, really, really love to get a power meter. However, I will most likely get a new trainer instead, since I wore mine out last week.
**fingers crossed**
I would probably get a Fenix 3 or 920XT because I would like the indoor swim tracking and my old 305 has literally been glued back together more than once.
I would get an updated GPS watch for my wife! I just got a TomTom Spark for my birthday a couple months ago and love it … but she’s got an older Garmin and would probably love the Forerunner 235.
Hi Ray,
I’d be interesting in purchasing a Fenix 3. As I’m training more and more for triathlons, the Vivoactive just isn’t cutting it without the multi-sport support.
Thanks!
Hi Ray, I would go for 4iii precision because I want to train with power on my racing bike as well.
A Garmin 920xt with the tri bundle to replace my current 910xt. Love the new features and flexibility.
Garmin Fenix 3 because of the battery life as I train for my first 100m!
I would love to get a power met so I can train with power outside.
A Garmin 520 would be nice – or better a Fenix 3?
There are so many great products that I would want from Clever Training. I would start in this order if I wonthe 500 dollars
1. Garmin 235 then the rest towards a
2. GoPro Hero4
Then I would go down the top 50 list they have on their website of awesome things.
So many great products.
A power meter to take my training to the next level.
Fenix 3 I never realized I wanted a skiing watch until I went and didn’t get the data I wanted from my Vivoactive!
Garmin Fenix 3 or Tacx/Wahoo Smart Trainer because my Garmin FR 305 won’t die and still using a roller.
I could go for a Fenix 3! Because it looks awesome and I don’t have one. :)
I’d choose a power meter… thanks!
I would love the new Garmin 235 in frost blue. I love the look of it as an everyday watch and for improving my running!
I would get a Garmin Edge 520 – much needed for my bike training.
I would buy a wahoo kickr or some other trainer for indoor riding during the winter months
My venerable FR305 gave up the ghost over the holidays. It’s time to find it a replacement.
I own a Fenix 2 and begin to have problem with the watch so I will replace it with the Fenix 3. If I can have it before january 23rd I have a race scheduled for this date :)
I would get the Garmin 920xt to replace my Garmin 910 cuz it keeps freaking out race morning.
I really wanted to get a KICKR but I needed to put the money towards the kiddos. They take priority over my wants at all times :)
I’d love to upgrade my old TomTom watch with cracked screen, preferably a new Garmin with built-in heart rate monitoring like the FR235 :)
Ambit3 Peak
Garmin XT 920. After many updates, it is now great triatlon watch.
Wahoo snap to use when it’s too rainy outside!
I would use it toward a power meter. I signed up for my first IM race next October and need to be more scientific in my training.
I would love a new watch or bike computer, maybe both! Have a polar watch now but love new technology.
I would like a 4iii precision power meter to help improve my training
I’d try to get both a running watch and bike GPS. My Forerunner 305 has finally bit the dust. I’d hope to get the Edge 520 and the Vivoactiv (I’d happily pay the extra cost). Thanks for doing this!!!
Garmin Vector 2, Easy to swap between bikes.
Fenix 3 – good for hiking, running, biking, everything!
I’d love a trainer, I’ve never had one and in the harsh Canadian winter it would be so useful. But I’d also love the new Garmin scale.
A trainer would be super neat though!
I have been enjoying training with virtual power and Trainerroad, but would really love to train with power outdoors. I’m leaning toward the power tap pedals, or maybe a crank-based power meter.
I’d like a Polar M450 head unit, my V800 which “supposedly” rebroadcasts BTLE, as of yet doesn’t to anything but Polar devices (as I understand it) so my phone which I normally sync to my BTLE for a cycle computer, isn’t useful if using the V800 watch (in triathlon for instance). It’d be nice to use the watch in a Tri, and still have the HUD on the bars, basically, without having to add other cyclecomputer sensors for a dedicated computer to the mix.
Fenix 3. Present to myself to kick start Tri training.
garmin edge 520 to replace my edge 500
Garmin Forerunner 630 because my old Polar’s GPS tracker is loosing signal all the time.
Fenix 3. Because I’m going to join my first triathlon early next year and a watch that has the multisport function would be really great!
Garmen Vector power meter set; it just was not in the budget this year ☹️
Boy, so many needs (wants). Ideally, it’d be a trainer to help me make the most of the long cold months ahead.
I’d put three prize towards a set of powertap pedals to help train for my first Ironman next year.
Definitely 4iiii power meter. I need to see if the values shown in my turbo trainer software (Tacx) are actually accurate on the road too!
Fenix 3! Then I can wear the watch 24/7/365!
Garmin 520 or 810, I can’t make up my mind.
I’d love a Garmin Fenix 3!
I would get the Garmin Fenix 3. It’s a beast!
I would love to get a garmin forerunner 235. GFR235 thank you for the give away!
A trainer for my bike! For those long, cold, dark winters in Sweden
UGH Garmin FR235 for sure.
I would use the $500 to buy a Tacx Vortex trainer, and step up my indoor riding game this winter!
Would like to have a Garmin Fenix 3. Looks really good.
I struggle with motivation in many facets of my life, but one of the constant themes of salvation is running and biking. Whenever I am more active and getting physical exercise in the fresh air or gym, I can feel my mind, body, and soul awaken; I feel better when I get moving, but struggle motivating myself. For that reason, I would use the $500 credit to purchase a Garmin Forerunner 230 or Fenix 3. I work with these products but unfortunately have never been able to get my hands on one. I see their value to users nearly everyday, and I believe that using one of these devices for exercising would help prompt a more consistent exercise routine, one that would benefit my overall life. Thanks for your blog…love reading it!
Garmin 235! I bought one for my boyfriend for Christmas and now I want one… ;)
I would get a Garmin Forerunner 630 for my wife. She got me a Fenix 3 for Christmas so I’m all set.
I finally committed to the FR 630 but I think a FR 235 might be my dream device if the HR data is accurate enough to drive LT and V02 Max calculations….. maybe I need both.
Trainer because noone likes winter.
Garmin 520!!
I would use the giveaway to purchase a Tacx Vortex Smart. I have recently started using Zwift and I love riding on my indoor trainer but it’s an old dumb trainer. I need a new Tacx smart trainer to get even more out of Zwift indoor training. Here is hoping that I win and can purchase a new smart trainer; I plan to start riding in the spring and be even faster than I was this past fall.
I would get a Fenix3, because it will look better than my 310XT!!!
Garmin 520 because I need an upgrade from my 500.
This would be a great time to get on the power meter wagon!
I’d go for a gopro cam, point it rearwards and record my “won’t ride precious bike in winter” mates while they disappear in the distance when we ride Roubaix next spring!
Muhahaha, I can hardly wait!
I’d go for a Favero Bepro so I can train more effeciently and stay in close up.
I need a new heart rate monitor–very intrigued by the Scosche RHYTHM+ Armband Heart Rate Monitor you mentioned in another post–and I desperately need to replace some older gear. Hook me up! :) And happy new year!
I would go after the fenix 3, its the watch that i want the most, I have a forerruner 610 its time to upgrade, so my swim can get recorded to :P
I feel like the Garmin Forerunner 235 is the ideal running watch for me due to its extra fitness tracking capabilities. I’ve been holding off on the purchase waiting for some of the bugs to be exterminated.
I got what I wanted for Christmas. That was before I read about those chubby water bottles. Now I think I need some of those. And maybe some chubby water bottle cages too. And a fat bike to fit them on?
Well the first thought goes to the new Garmin 630. Looks like a great choice for runners :)
I’d use it for a Garmin 520 because, well, I want a Garmin 520.
would be perfect for an Edge 520
and some new running shoes, too :)