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.
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.
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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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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.
Dawn patrol ride on the old bike (nowhere on the new one for massive lights) to be home for kid sports early Saturday morning, then snuck out again in the afternoon to finish the ride on the new ride!
Took my children on their first ever “proper” off-road ride!
On saturday the Inaugural Thurso (far north of Scotland) Park Run followed by Beinn Ratha interclub Hill Run then Sunday Caithness Cycling Club social ride followed by Mt Pleasant Hilly TT course to make up the miles for the Celtman in June. Not so quiet a weekend!
Not much of an athletic adventure here as I am still recovering from a fractured arm.
Did a 12.5 km run around the lake. Great weather.
Oh, and the 19th is my birthday and there’s never enough presents ;-)
My first long ride of the year
Ran a short run with my wife for the first time after her being pregnant. Slow and careful, but fun.
Gruelling 3.5 hrs ride on my trainer and my first outdoor ride on my new tri bike Quintana Roo PR5
A bit of zwifting, a bit of walking around with heavy boxes (postoral exercices) of dirty and clean clothes. Some squats to fold them afterwards.
Did 10km run in the forest under icy condition. Hoping for spring to come in Quebec.
Regards
H.I.M. without the swim aka a long bike and a long run
Decent Power Meter pedals would be a perfect match for my Cannondale bike :)
I did my first open water swim of the year. The cold water made it hurt to put my face in the water.
I took part in a road race. The course is was a 23 km circuit with a steep climb. On the flat parts the peloton went like a train despite the wind. After 2 laps of way too high intensity I was done and still had 3 to go…
Had some nice weather so got in a run along with some yard work around the house getting ready for warmer weather!
I did a 2.5 hour workout on Zwift and was forced to run 12 miles on a treadmill this weekend due to the inability of spring to arrive in New York. The roads were like a skating rink with freezing rain and sleet.
My first marathon was this sunday, and i’m very happy with my 3:14 i achived:) time to use my bike more now.
cycling in freezing rain
Longest trainer ride yet! 40 miles, 2.5 hours
Team ride on Saturday.
2 hours at low gear high cadens, through the Dutch countryside.
8 mile run race pace and 1 mile swim Olympic pace. thanks current :)
Did a 27 mile ride and got back just in time for my son’s school pic-nic on Sunday. Not without fixing a flat on the last half mile.
I ran the Ragnar Trail Relay in Atlanta this weekend. 3 legs totaling 15.5 miles. The most I’ve run at one time!
Easy 45 mile road ride with cafe stop half way.
First weekend without the cross country skis so hit the road running.
Went for a walk on the beach in Zeeland. :-)
Went for some short runs with my friends 3 year old daughter.
Rode 215km from your new hometown Amsterdam to Brugge in Belgium. Lovely ride, the downside was the headwind the entire way.
I finished the last hard SS workout in trainerroad before rest week! Yay!
Final weekend before my Spring marathon in Belgrade, Serbia. Just easy 45′ and 40′ min running.
Some trainer time given the ‘extended’ winter we’re having in Canada!
Woke up early (mental athletics for me, since I hate mornings!) and went on a 5 mile run with some friends who are much faster than I am.
Recovering from another winter blast of snow. Hopefully this is the end of it.
Driest Saturday ride for a while, this time to Portland Bill.
I went surfing !
Saturday, parkrun plus extended warmup/down, Sunday long run
Climbing, running, yard work, and painting.
The weather is looking great this Wednesday so I took the day off. Planning on doing an IJsselmeer loop (about 250k) on the bike.
Shopped for crank based power meters based on your recommendations.
Went on a short recovery run after my first ever Marathon on the previous weekend. \o/
After a long winter in DC area, I did my first ride outside in 2018. 42 miles along MacArthur Blvd, Falls and River of North Potomac.
one hour spinning watching the end of AGR18
Because Triahtlon season is right around the corner!
long mtb ride to get back into it after a period focused on road tri
Running 1h50m on Saturday to kick off the day, ending it with 2.5 hours interval bike outdoors. Sunday club ride, after 2 hours my rear derailleur broke off and had to be picked up with the car…
But finished the remaining 3 hours on the mountainbike to come home to the finish of the Amstel Gold Race on TV!
I did one ride on sufferfest. Love the app
Run walk rehab post surgery
This saturday me and my bike :) got first real ride in forest aftet damn long winter. Just 17km, but i proud of myself.
115km in the bike followed by 2 hour run, zone 3 – marathon two weeks away!
12 mile run on an abnormally gorgeous day. I’m beginning to taper for my first marathon (Big Sur) in a few weeks.
I run 10km in Sygrou Grove. Fine weather and excellent trails 300m from my door inside Athens. What more could I want..? A new watch maybe…Thanks for the chance DC..!
Did a recovery spin Friday after dropping my car off at the shop for some work. Then Saturday did a nicely paced ride down to the big city park before we got rained on. It’s always fun to run into other riders out doing group rides on the weekends.
Had a sore back so a 1 hour long run and a 90 minute bike ride. Nothing arduous.
Sick :-(
i started running again this weekend , so i can run a match in juni . And went biking because i like the sun very much ;)
Short Static Workout… just the usual off-season training plan :)
A nice bike ride out by the airport, even had a tail wind!
I was indeed resting, but I managed at least to hit my stair goal on the Saturday even though I forgot all about it.. Phew! Streak remains with chances of a personal best in a week’s time…
A Badly timed natural break led to getting dropped.
Relaxing on the sofa after Paris Marathon beginning of April :-)
Raced the bike; road race and two crits. Some new gear would be nice!
A 5k on Saturday at my high school alma mater, and Sunday a 5 mile run, then a second run to determine a 5k course for a race in 2 weeks.
Organized my own solo birthday adventure run from the Summit of Kennesaw Mtn to the Summit of Stone Mtn, through Atlanta, GA (35-ish miles). Great weather and fun time trying not to have to dodge too many cars! Now time to create another crazy idea!
My wife and I rode our tandem to Nevada City, CA, had a killer dinner, spent the night and rode home the next day.
Sufferfest Yoga challenge, 2 hour trainer ride, running through pouring rain
50 mile ride with the Atlanta track club. Saw a peacock crossing the road, which was new.
some biking and some running
Took the bike out for the first time this year and two training runs.
Went on a cyclocross ride with my 12 yo son. Made about 50k of gravel, cobbles and some steep bergs. Could need any giveaway in order to support my sons athletic career. Cheers!
Got out for a road ride for only the 2nd time all year! And now it’s snowing again… :-(
Spring in Seattle adventure running! Prepping for the Tiger 12 Summits.
4mi bike ride pulling my 2 kids in a trailer
Did my first sub 1:30 half marathon
Spent all of Saturday stressing out over our triathlon club’s website when I should’ve been out enjoying the rare warm weather. Sunday I organised a club group ride which was abandoned due to a crash and spent some of the day at hospital looking after one of the riders.
Longest bike ride to date – 40 miles this weekend! Woot!
I went for a road ride into a terrible head wind. This made for an excellent work out!
Did my longest bike ride I’ve ever done, and into 25 mph winds. Thought of your recent ride in Holland, Ray.
ran 2 stories up and down like 100 times ;
Riding sweet singletrack with some buddies
Went for a 4h mtb ride. And only crashed once… ???
Taped up the leg, loaded up the double stroller with snacks, put in the kids and went for a 9 mile run.
Ran the Ragnar Trail relay in GA.
Did a small Round trip, 66km to Harderwijk and back.
I ran lake Sonoma 50
Completed a practice 70.3 triathlon in my build toward IM Boulder in June.
Run 7 miles while camping
Training swim with some awesome single sided drills.
Trail run and a hockey game.
At Saturday I had a bouldering team competition. Our team got 3rd place. I managed to climb three more routes than I expected, really surprised. :-D
A quick run on the treadmill between all the diy jobs.
This weekend I had a 30km run, within 6 weeks I’ll run my 3rd marathon.
I took a nice 1.2 mile walk on Saturday afternoon.
My wife and I went showshoeing in a blizzard on Saturday followed by Cross Country Skiing on Sunday!
12km easy running in the forest. afterwards a cycling tour with ny familiy. perfect
I will seat on the sofa and watch some soccer match
On the roller
Rode the (closed to cars for now) North Cascades Highway from Mazama up as far as I could go before I hit snow. It was perfect.
5 mile walk recovering from c1c2 broken neck
Had the first run with the toddler in a running stroller. Went fantastic!