Heads up! The Garmin Enduro 3 is down to $829, some $70 off. That’s the lowest price to date on this new device. The Enduro 3 is notable though because it’s basically a Fenix 8 Solar minus the dive/voice features (and the Fenix 8 Solar/MIP starts at $1,099). Everything else is there, and it gets all Fenix 8 software features (and, insane battery life). Meanwhile, the Fenix 7 down to $429!
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 2024 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.
Just getting back to running after several months of downtime due to a viral infection was more than adventurous enough for me this weekend ;-)
Went dancing!
i did a 200 km brevet an saturday, was quite tough actually, this early in the year.
Took the family out on a long ride in the bike trailer 20ish miles.
Great Sunday afternoon run through the forest and by the sea…very close to perfect!
I could use this!
Did some interval training indoors on the old treadmill.
I ran a recovery style 8 miler. Ramping back up from my marathon and half marathon break.
Bike ride and run brick in Harriman State Park on Saturday
Early am Bear Mountain run followed by spin class on Sunday!
Ran through 50 mile an hour wind, sleet and six inches of snow. Springtime in Wisconsin…
Went for a high altitude long run with the tri team. Roommate brought his new drone and attempted to get cool footage until running into a power line while landing. Whoops
Finally enjoying the warm weather rolling on the bike in summer kit!
Flew from NJ to Florida. Ran a 16K race to earn donations for the largest chimp sanctuary. Ran through the sanctuary, had some chimps yell and cheer me on. They did NOT throw poo (or if they did they missed). ;-) Got over $1000 for the chimps. One of the more unusual runs I’ve done. link to savethechimps.org
Just lots of walking for me, until my knee heals fully
I ran my first Marathon. And now I’m really looking forward to do triathlons again… :)
Rode 100kms in the hills. Great way to start holidays ?
Group ride with LBS. Only a handful of rides since getting back on the road after a fractured pelvis. It was tough but hung in and earned the rocky road at the end :)
def a recovery weekend. End of the season (southern hemisphere) so just went for a run and hopped on the WT.
Did my first ride in a while…my Garmin broke after 5 mins, so how far or fast I went is destined to remain forever a mystery!
Sunrise raid to the lighthouse in mallorca
This weekend I did some virtual riding on Zwift! My calf muscle is injured and I can’t run ☹️ But I can ride my bike on Zwift! ????♂️
A short 15m recovery ride
Skied down the road with the 15 inches of snow we got.
Went to the Velodrome to do my workout: 10 minute warmup Zone 3 then 4k at a pace of 25-30mph followed by a 10 minute warm down at Zone 2.
Did the Alpe du Zwift (slowly) on Saturday!
Hopefully Spring will arrive in Chicago
Did a beautiful set of 20 Interval repeats on the nice Van Fleet Trail in sunny Florida!
trail run
Did the Montsouris parkrun with my youngest on Saturday morning – he paced three hilly laps amazingly well
I ran 10 miles Sunday morning.
Sunday was taking place the 3rd Crete marathon at Chania,Crete,Greece
Did a decent ride and got my first KOM in a long time. Knocked 1 min of the previous KOM
Nothing much, just a scenic bike tour with the in-laws.
Raced my bike….not well though :(
Just coming back from injury. Got out on the trails for the first time in months and it felt great!!
Just training, training, training :)
Ran the Rock the Parkway Half Marathon on KCMO.
I did 17k hilly trail run at playful moderate pace in prep for halfmarathon next weekend.
A little running in the springtime sun with my gf!
I did an not so epic tour of local forts. Not epic cuz the weather turned out meh and my bike computer went meh as well.
Got snow again in Michigan so inside it is. Did stage 4 & 5 Tour of Watopia and a Zwift race on Sunday. I made sure to offset any calories burned on the trainer with craft beers though to keep my kg/watts the same ?
I did a 35 mile ride after 4 days of recovery
We went slacklining in the park – and bikes there!
First race of our winter cyclo-cross season! :)
I cleaned my bike so that I can end the bike-less season :)
Took my family out for a day hike with another family.
I did some outdoor hiking in great weather.
125km spin – club spin plus!
Saturday was a 15km hangover recovery run. A wet Sunday kept me in doors for a 3 hour Zwift ride. The usual.
Masters swim meet
Long run in the woods on Saturday followed by an eleven-hour international red-eye flight, so no long ride on Sunday. I did squeeze in a walk in the evening and some wonderful Indonesian food.
Week 10 of 20 week injury rehab. 2×75 minute sessions on a frickin’ elliptical plus some pool time. Envisioned watching paint dry to get me through the elliptical sessions.
Just a . run and a ride following a 70.3 last week
Ran a 10k in the nasty Ice and Wind on the New Hampshire coast.
Ran Monument Ave 10k setting a PR even though it was hot as balls.
Cold and rainy weekend = indoor trainer
Long Run in the rain. ?
Orlando and key west running before flying home to the uk after the first Disney holiday for the kids
Park run time trial for me
Road trip and hike with family.
The first nice Saturday in a while – went for a bike ride and a post ride coffee. It was all great until I got stung by a bee. But it was worth it ;)
A lovely run along some muddy Wiltshire trails before supporting my daughter as her team became southern U15 rugby champions.
On Sunday my wife and I went out for relaxing MTB ride in Truckee, so muddy!
I climbed up and down scaffolding a bazillion times to get in/out of my house that is being remodeled and the stairs were nor accessible! I have pictures!!!!!
It was a recovery ride but first one this spring with short sleeves. Enjoyed it!
Walked my 2 week old son around the house all night!
12K run in preparation for next week 10 miles event!
Ran the 3.2 Run in Remembrance at Virgini Tech.
Tried to finish a 5k race under 20 minutes. I was not an happy person 21 minutes later. :p
I completed my first one hour ride on Zwift and shoveled A LOT of snow!
Teaching my partner how to shift and clip in his new bike!
Unfortunately on a plane and in conference rooms…so absolutely nothing
My weekend adventure consisted of hiking around the Willow Creek Boy Scout competition! Our boys did a great job, and took 1st place!
Test-ride of my newly re-attached crank to see if the left-side was going to fall off again for that comedy mid-journey conversion to right-side only pedalling.
10k run and lots of chasing after my 2 boys.
i blew off my 3hr ride to dig a big hole for a stone patio and fire pit. took me 7hrs to dig the hole and another 4 to get the gravel in it. I should have gone for a ride instead.
I dread FTP. Hence I didn’t do one but I did a ride and it recorded a new max 20min power which was sweet. A 10% improvement
I planned a long ride, but my wife went into labor early! She was a superstar and we welcomed our son.
A great shop ride before the rain.
We were burgled recently and they damaged the lounge room door. I replaced it on the weekend, I’ll put it down as a strength workout.
One of our few spring days this year I joined a few friends for a 50 mile training ride
19k run Saturday, 110k bike Sunday. Lay down.
First ultra in a week, not feeling prepared at all!
Bad day on the bike followed by a good day on the bike.
A short hike only. Teaching duties came first, I am marking.
Today my adventure was shoveling snow. ON APRIL 15TH
200km Drive, A fast 5km Race, 30km recovery ride, Drive home. Sunday 21km long run
Twenty(!) inches of snow here in MN this past weekend. My athletics were on the bike trainer and treadmill.
Impossible to win but here we go. I went shopping so that includes a lot of walking and a bit of wrestling. Quite athletic
I went swimming with a friend. It was my first real swim for about 8 months. 1300m later and my shoulders were killing me.
I completed a 1hr trainer ride followed by a run. Great weekend.
Hiked in Yosemite!
Made a small run on Saturday cause I have a pain in my left foot. The interesting thing is that today I got a pain in my other foot. OMG!!!
Ran 4 in downtown Seattle + weights x-train!
During a miserable freezing rain, what can you do?
A Retul bike fit, and Zwift to sink in the fit ?
Saturday went out and crushed a 60min threshold run. Ran at a surprisingly fast pace for a surprising duration of time. Spent Sunday doing a recovery run of the same duration. Much slower pace though.
I went for a 50 mile ride in prep for the wildflower triathlon, only to have my shifting battery die on me leaving me stranded with no working front derailleur. Thankfully it’s charged up and working again!
I need a new Garmin looking for a 50k to run in San Diego
Did the Rollfast 4×8 in Nashville, Indiana. Lotsa hills and lotsa rain!
Played soccer and did lots of 12oz curls.