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.
Last sunday I cycling Hertford-Cambridge-Hertford… nice 110km with my friend and this sunday I do that again with my girlfriend :-).
10 mile run to start my taper for Sunday’s race.
Running an ultra this weekend!
Today in Prague Iafter long day job, I take my shoes and I Run near to the River but when I arrive to 8km out the city I never meet the bridge to return at my hotel and then…..16km long run done
I ran 60km over the 2 days of the weekend and I plan to run about 80km next weekend. A Garmin FR 935 watch could come handy to better estimate my peak performance :)
6.5 hours on the trainer. Rode the 4 Horsemen on zwift and doubled up on the Alp on the 1 Ride. I am not too bright
I did a 93km ride on Saturday over the highest point in the area, with a total elevation of 1,700 metres. The legs felt a little bit wooden, I might need a bit of a rest period sometime soon.
Hello mu weekend was packed with. 60 km bike on Zwift and a 22 km run to get back in form
Did a 2h long run after having borderline recovered from my cold. Also, bought new shoes but didn’t use them.
My Sunday ride was a ride of minor misfortunes:
First, the wind was somehow stalking me and making me ride against the wind all the time, so I decided to concentrate on high-power sprint intervals. Then, about 40min into the ride my computer reminded me that I had not charged it by powering off; no more measuring time and wattage for this ride. Finally about 5min before I reached the hilly and technical section it started pouring water, which was nice for the 10% climb, but not so much for the long decent of hairpin corners on iffy asphalt. Naturally the rain stopped after I had finished the hilly section so I could “enjoy” the gusts of wind on my way home.
Rode my new recumbent 2018 Catrike 700 indoors (winter still here) on Sportcrafter rollers.
Dennis
Finally some nice weather in the Northeast U.S. this weekend for my first ride on a newly purchase Trek Emonda!
I “ran” to catch the second leg of my airline journey at 5am in the morning on 4 hrs of sleep. Ugh
long run Saturday and a group ride on Sunday
I went on my first bike ride of the year with the boy and took the dog on a nice long walk!
I pedaled to the coffee shop in between packing boxes for my move to a new town!
A quick run on the treadmill!
I was mostly hiding from the rain. 28 mile ride on Friday though.
My 5.5 year old celebrated our mid-April blizzard with a new bike day so we rode around the neighborhood during a blizzard on fat-ish bikes.
Doing a 5k with the kids this weekend. Thanks, Ray!
Made good HIT training Sunday morning at the gym with a friend.
Skiing A-basin and Loveland, have to take advantage before the snow melts!
It was stormageddon, freezing rain, high bitter cold winds, snow, sleet, ice pellets. I got as far as 3 blocks before I gave up :( sorry….
Ran 7 miles for the first time since hurting my knee last year!
Shoveled, salted, and dealt with .3 in of ice in Grand Rapids, MI. Not many athletics going down here over the weekend.
I went for a 30 mile tandem ride with my wife, which she says she was hardly contributing to, so that’s like a 50 mile ride, right?
I got beat up in Boston Marathon
I’m on vacation in Mexico but I’m trying to swim as much as I can. I might go for a run tomorrow.
Cancelled the bike ride due to weather. Did a walk instead. Overall transition from skito bike season is low key
Last long run before the marathon. 16 miles of progression.
A 25 km training run!
I’m trying to get back into training mode, so I went for a slow 5k.
Brought my kids to an indoor playcentre and sort of chased them around. The Apple watch did mark that period as “Exercise”, so I guess it sort of counts. :D
I cheered my kid who was on a school MTB race, it actually involved a lot of running.
12 inches of snow, in April… Long run turned into sledding day!
Danced our hearts out at a wedding reception.
Eight mile run and cross fit with the family!
Training for a year of marathons, Triathlon’s and xc ski events.
Long-ish run and a short bike ride! PICK ME!
Ran an easy 8 miles as I increase my training for my next 70.3 triathlon.
Ran through the rivers of the Boston Marathon.
Hoping to get some nice weather to get out on the bike two days this weekend. For good Karma – a few weekends ago volunteered on the Medical staff for Ironman 70.3 Oceanside and watched and assisted a couple thousand people meet their goals. Always an adventure!
Gale force winds and ice / sleet, so the closest I got to athletic this weekend was buying my son a pair of running shoes.
I continued my base training over the weekend.
some days i venture out into the vast little world that we all live, and some days i stay in and explore the endless world of sims online, but this past weekend i went for a bike ride and logged it on my strava account.
Thwarted by the never arriving Buffalo spring, I spent 2.5 hours spinning in the man room… watching Sneaky Pete on Amazon Prime.
I did a triathlon training: 4000m swim, 1h30 spinning and a 5k run with my little boy on his bike by my side on saturday and 8k run on sunday
I went to hike and do my first swim in 2018.
Crazy weekend with kids stuff and terrible winter-like weather in April … ready for Spring!
FTP and VDOT tests last weekend.
I did a 100k ride on my new Tarmac Disc…woohoo
Tour de Coast 100k in Miami!
Running after a two year old on his balance bike
Hilly ride in the rain. Rare occasion I would rather be on the trainer, but my trainer just broke, so I could really use the 500$ giveaway. Either will get a new trainer or a ton of degreaser and lube to keep my bike running smooth in all the rain.
Because my 6000+ km running, 3 years old Vivoactive battery life is less than a day. A 645 for my birthday in 27 days.
Trail run up and down a 4000+ foot snow covered mountain with microspikes.
Thus is great! Would be so excited to win.
Early 67km morning ride along the beach road
Spent another weekend on zwift. Still feels like winter in upstate NY…
Stuck indoors due to the Midwest Blizzard, but found time to coach my daughter’s Fastpitch softball team. Ready to get some miles on the legs.
Ride to tram in Palm Springs, early season hill work!
Run on Saturday and bike on Sunday
I ran 6 km then rowed 10 km then went out to celebrate the New Year (Songkran).
I rode 70+ miles this weekend in some serious wind.
I was running in the rain, running in the rain, oh what fun it was running in the rain… ????
Last weekend’s workout was on the road bike doing the five faces of Mt Soledad, a relatively iconic ride in San Diego. Not necessarily the toughest in terms of distance or elevation, but packs a solid 3k of climbing in 30 miles.
Took the kids hiking in the mountains.
I swapped out my winter tires/wheels on my car for the summer ones (dang they are heavy), and ran some laps while my son had flag football practice.
My oldest’s 5th Birthday party, so spent my time chasing children around after all the prep work.
woke up at 4am, went out for an epic ride, then remembered it was my wife birthday. turned around, went back home and prepared a nice breakfast!
A 3 hour ride plus run Saturday and a 14 mile trail run on Sunday.
Trail marathon!
I ran 14km on the weekend as part of my training for my first half-marathon in May!
Quassy Rev3 course on my smart trainer and 12 mike run
Running in Peru, where I’m now on a trip
I bowled (10-pin) for the first time in a while. Does bowling count as an athletic adventure?
Gravel race! Dirt’s fun :)
I ran on Saturday and biked on Sunday
Did 30 minutes of light dumbbells followed by 8 miles on the treadmill. Too windy to run outdoors.
Did a 30min ride at home on a trainer. Nothing spectacular, but that is what we have for now.
I took a long nap on the couch. Recovering from Bronchitis.
Nice 80km ride around Botany Bay in Sydney, Australia on Saturday followed by a couple of laps of the Nürburgring on the Neo via FulGaz.
Hiked up Catbells in the UK Lake District
Freeletics session and bathroom remodelling..
Short long run (20km) with 4km in halfmarathon speed, followed by 3km easy shuffling around with the kids! Enjoying the lack of snow and gravel on the roads. Spring arrived late in Sweden this year!
Went to the Golden Bay in Malta and saw the first xterra triathlon of the european series. Continued along the coast and ended all the way north on the island. Great views!
I reached a new level in squats. While 140kg is not impressive, its a nice step on the road to recovery from a knee injury :) ..Road to Sky in Zwift tomorrow :D
I did a nice 70km TT Ride on my new Bike.
Found a waterfall near my house. Pretty rad.
Ireland National 10k in poor conditions
Helluva build week with 3k Swim to 5k brick run on Sat, and a 100k bike to 6k brick run on Sun. Totally burnt! (Skin and energy wise) but would have traded if for anything else, especially when done with crazy like minded training buddies!!
5 hour trail run in the Marin Headlands, California
I ran in the mountains then took my son for a hike
I biked the Flemish classic ‘Brabantse Pijl’, did a recovery swim and had an interval running training!
As my main bike is out of action I took my old bike for a local gentle off road ride.
Went moutain biking on Vancouver’s North Shore. It was epic.
A short run in the park and planting some bamboos in the terrace.
Mrs. Ples spectating as I’m chasing the 1% in road cycling at the Cradle of humankind.
I’m vacationing in France this week and just finished an 8 mile run to the hillside town of Peillon
Hard run on hilly roads in Greece