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.
Sat was sprints on turbo followed sun by 1.50 turbo endurance ride and weights just to round off w.e I know I’ve gotta get a life?
An endurance pace run and some fun on the turbo: FTP test!
Rode 60k on both Saturday and Sunday here in sunny Tampa, FL.
I hiked the East Peak of Mt. Tam and did weights at the gym.
My training log involved tissues, cough drops, and chicken noodle soup….
I did a 45 minutes TRX session first thing Saturday morning (had friends over on Friday and, unfortunately, we had a few glasses of wine…). Afternoon I went on my trainer for roughly 90 minutes but low wattage.
Sunday I did 10x400m intervals running on a track… Those were tough!!!
14 km slow run, one hour on the trainer and one and a half hour Taekwondoo training.
A 31K long run on Saturday night finishing at 23:00… Loooong (for me).
Fit in a short run in order to take a break from wedding planning.
On saturday I did about 7k trail run, up and down a couple of old volcanos, then I got a cold and couldn’t workout anymore until today, when I did a swimming session to get back on track. I want so much a Garmin Fenix 3!! May the Randomness God please smile at me.
Well, on sunday i did a half marathon in an easy pace. It was part of the training, not a race!
90 Minute Run in Zone 2 (easy week mid Marathon training)
60 Minute Sweetspot work on the turbo, courtesy of Trainer Road
60 Minutes Pilates / Core Strength work
Saturday: nice easy ride with my honey, exploring new-to-us roads
Sunday: rolling hills cycling training
I had the weekend off from training, but did manage a 4 hour hike in the single digits with my son for a cubscout activity. That counts…right?
Easy spinning 40k to get ready for a harder workout on Monday.
Stage 8 and 9 of the Tour of Sufferlandria, of course ;)
Intervals on the bike on Saturday, than an hour run on Sunday. Pretty easy weekend…
Last weekend? I finished Tour of Sufferlandria and did some other general riding. Using calories as an approximate measurement of effort, Saturday was 1600 and Sunday was 2900.
No running this weekend because I was off skiing.
3000 yards swimming both on Saturday and Sunday! Still getting over a foot injury so no running or cycling yet for me
On the east digging out of snow but to do so I did a one hour warm up on the indoor recumbent bike followed by squats since I knew I would be bending and stooping to move too much SNOWWWWWWWWW!!
6 MIles easy on Saturday. 18 miles alternating marathon race pace and 1 min/mile slower.
It was a Sufferfest kind of weekend — here in Boston, the nighttime low was -9 degrees Fahrenheit! The Blender on Saturday, The Way Out on Sunday. Thanks so much!
UCLA Road Race at Devil’s Punchbowl Pearblossom, Ca…so full gas. :)
Sat-
2:20 bike on the trainer
0:25 run on the treadmill
Practiced hydration and nutrition
Sun-
1:00 long run
Fartleks Saturday, then a (PR) 10k Sunday, and then work because my office doesn’t believe in holidays.
Sadly, nothing. I was traveling and not nearly as organized as Ray. I was going to do a long run when I got home on Monday, but it did not happen.
Well maybe at least I’ll get some point for honesty, and if I do win this contest the new stuff will motivate me to get out there an run.
Bitter cold outside so 4 miles on the treadmill and 12 miles on the trainer.
Indoor trainer bike ride.
10k on a loaded fatbike by -30C in high winds. Chilly.
sub-freezing temps and winds drove me indoors and did tempo interval training on Saturday with my local club and Sunday went to a trainer studio to do 2 hours of Sufferfest.
Saturday I did the SST short zwift trainer workout. then on Sunday there is a group ride here in Halifax (Canada), called the Winter bike league! We go on varying routes in and around the city. about 120km on average depending on whether you bike to the start or not.
50k race which I did as a long run to train for the coming Transgrancaria!
Well, it was freaking cold so I had to run a treadmill… nothing like running outside, but at least, didn’t feel like a potato couch!
Two trainer workouts – one sweet spot type and another more tempo’ish.
I need a new Garmin 520 to replace my ailing 500!
I did intervals on my bike saturday a 6 km run sunday
Long gasy spin on Sunday and a easy run on Saturday
Rode a couple mountain bike trails: job relocation and cold weather got in the way of real training.
For me it was a 20 mile long run. First run of that distance in the build up to my first marathon. 15miles felt comfortable; the last 5 were definitely not!
And thanks for the giveaway generosity Ray!
Training for my first Boston Marathon! Had a shorter (1:30) trainer ride on Saturday and a 16 mile run on Sunday (12 of those at marathon pace).
I did some cadece training in a HIIT fashion!
An easy run was all for me
A couple of trainer rides as well as a short treadmill run.
Picked my bike up from the shop (broken spoke!) and did a couple < 1hr rides to get back into it after not riding for a couple weeks.
Indoor Triathlon on Sunday. 20min swim/spin/run
Lot’s of hiking in Red Rock canyon!
My training log is as follows: Running Monday, Wednesday, Friday. Saturday and Sunday were spent hiking around Southern Utah.
I ran a seven-mile trail run.
A hike with snowshoes in the Alps
Basically my normal routine. With work, wife, and kid in limited to 50-60 miles a week but I try to make them count on 3 climbs that are on my normal 25 mile route.
I rode 230 miles, including a 112 mile ride from Tucson to Chandler. I did an hour TrainerRoad session, commuted to work on my bike, and rode a few 20-to-30 mile rides also.
I was supposed to do a long run for a spring half…
Saturday spin on Trainer Road, with my woefully outdated Travel Trac
Sunday yoga
Saturday: lactate-threshold intervals
Sunday: yoga and a high aerobic zone ride
I had a bike trainer workout planned, however due to a cold/cough, my only workout consisted of getting up from the bed to get some tea and lay back down….
Saturday – Group ride – hard 60 miles
Sunday intervals on Trainerroad followed by hike with wife.
Unfortunately slowly recovering from a knee problem, my plan was to have an easy 45 minutes run hill oriented which I did on Saturday morning without feeling even the beginning of a pain to my knee ;-)
Last weekend my schedule got messed up a bit. I usually run some speed work Friday morning followed by a long, slow run on Saturday with Sunday being a full rest day. It was too cold to be outside Friday morning, so I did some quarter mile inclines on the treadmill for speed work. But then I was out late Friday night at an event. I slept in and made Saturday a full rest day. Still feeling tired and a little beat up, I ran again Sunday morning on the treadmill for my long, slow run — 5 miles.
16k long run on Saturday and a 4 course valentine’s meal on Sunday.
Two bike/run brick workouts plus two weight training days.
Nothing, unfortunately. Illness combined with a number of other responsibilities took up the time.
I was on a training camp in Portugal which meant 4 orienteering sessions a day in some very nice places. Pity about the rain.
Getting in my first rides on Zwift. So much fun!
Bike trainer with warm uo, cools down and 3x20min @ HIM pace.
Spin class on Saturday, yoga on Sunday and a cold 15 mile run on Monday (President’s day)
on Saturday just watching sports on TV on Sunday a slow pace run with my girlfriend
i did on saturday a 100 ride, on sunday a simplex 10k recovery run
A few 1 mile repeat intervals. Had to work off the valentine steak. Mmmm.
Trainerroad with Kickr both days. Matanuska on Saturday (4x20min@80-90%-FTP) and 120 min easy endurance ride on Sunday.
A weekend of rest! Back at it this week though.
A 20k run on my new trail shoes.
10KM hike around the local mountain then swim for 45 mins to loosen up the legs, then sleep through the whole night. Nice.
Last weekend I was on the trainer for stages 8 and 9 of the Tour of Sufferlandria.
In the weekend there was the 3rd run from week 3 from my road to the great breweries marathon.
Sickeningly i did nothing. And so this week i feel like crap :(
On Sunday I did usual “longer” run, which wa somewhat around 2 hours (not training for anything yet).
Fat Bike Race with a -10 degree Farenheit start. First “real” snow ride and it was a blast!
50 minute treadmill run on Saturday and then a 4.5 mile trail run on Sunday.
Some gym time 4 me
Long trainer ride on Saturday.
Weights on Sunday.
Saturday: easy 4 mile run
Sunday: backpack’d 24 bottles of beer across NYC from Costco to apt
3 hour trainer ride on Saturday + 2.5 mile run and 2 hour run on Sunday.
Hour skate skiing both days – big ski marathon coming up at the end of Feb.
Friday
– Crossfit (Snatch/Met Com)
Saturday
-1:20 Min Fat Bike Ride
Sunday
-Team Workout
Ran 10 miles on Saturday and 10k Sunday.
Fri-Brick (54min SS ride followed by 6.5 miles of speed work), Saturday-45min TT work on the trainer. Sunday-Rest!
Training for first Sprint of the year, last week was Monday – Bike 60 min, Tuesday – Swim 30 min Run – 30 min, Thursday – Bike 45 min, Friday Run – 45 min and Saturday was a nice swim of 35 min.
3 times half hour easy pace. 1 time 12miles at easy pace.
Last weekend’s training was 3 easy hours on the bike, noting that some hill workouts are unavoidable, and 6 hours of strength training in the form of splitting, hauling, and stacking firewood.
It was mainly speed work training, my goal being to run an under 20min 5k. So far, my PB is 21:16 :-).
On Friday I did a high pace 2km run and on Sunday I did 2x2km intervals.
I was riding on my Rowingbike :-) Outside… perfect workout !
I had a couple short easy runs during the week with a 10K race on Valentine’s Day. It was -35C with the windchill when the race started.
– Speed Bike
-Force Swim
-Hills Run
-Anaerobic Endurance
-Aerobic Swim
– Brick (swim/run)
-Long Ride
I ran 6 miles on Saturday and biked 60 minutes on Sunday
Last weekend was a Crossfit class… With a partner as fast as you can: 100 Double Unders, 80 Cleans (115#), 80 Box Jumps, 80 Hand Stand Push Ups, 80 Pull Ups, 80 Sit Ups and 100 Double Unders… took 20mins.
(Will saying the word Crossfit get me banned from this site?)
Cold and snowy days meant doing core and trainer work. Nicer weather is coming this weekend though!
some GPS-loss occurred unfortunately, therefore only 0km.
Finished my 8 weeks general build on TrainerRoad, the two peak weeks almost killed me
Steady 15km run on Saturday followed by a 4k swim and 1.5 hours of yoga on Sunday for me. No cycling due to the impending 20minute FTP test on TrainerRoad on Monday!
Love the podcast! You and Ben make a good straight man and funny guy team! Always come to your site to read the latest in sport tech.