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.
Will be joining for the morning ride, oh wait there isn’t any :(
You can ride to the run, like all good Dutch peoples. :)
I considered a ride as part of the program, but I didn’t want folks to bring bikes and then have horrendous weather and cancel. I suppose with all the trainers I have I probably could have done a giant indoor ride…
Yes, I’d love a ride as well. I know that’s quite a bit harder to organise though. Perhaps share some strava routes of good rides around the area – the ones with all the windmills for example!
Giles have you seen the area? If you can find a route without windmills and canals you win a million dollars ;)
Thanks for bringing this up Ray, looking forward to meet you and the family
Sad times … I was hoping with it being Amsterdam this year I could coordinate a work trip I always have to make around that time of the year. Alas, I have a trail race that weekend already booked in on the south coast of the UK. Maybe next year!
No doubt all of you who can make it will have a fab time. Bravo Ray for being so open with your readers!
What a shame… I’ll have 5 hours between my flights on the Sunday (2nd December)morning. I suppose you won’t be doing “after party morning run?” :)
Enjoy.
Hope registration went ok … phone keeps freezing when I push sign me up
Hi Raymond-
Yup – you’re good to go! Show you as all registered. Only 12 times, but I think it’ll do. ;)
Cheers.
Can you check my registration as well? Had the same issue on an iPad
Hi Erwin,
Yup, you’re good to go. Looks like it went through twice. I deleted one of the duplicates. Let me know if perhaps that was incorrect (if you’re bringing someone).
Cheers!
In that case I’m registered at least 15 times. Sorry bout that :-p
Nah, only twice in your case. ;)
Actually, I just sent all folks that had duplicate entries (where all fields matched) an e-mail to confirm before I clean up those duplicates.
For folks that had different names/e-mails/etc (such as registering for a partner/friend), no immediate email yet.
For future open houses I’d probably use a different registration engine, but honestly the numbers were only a fraction of what they are here – so it wasn’t a big issue.
Will be exciting to see if I made the cut ?. Thanks anyways
Yup, everyone who has signed up thus far has made the cut. And I think I’ve cleared out all duplicates now. My guess is we’ll close registrations to new entrants on Friday, and then people who register after that will have to go on the waiting list.
I expect to send out a confirmation email to everyone in the following days.
Mr Ray, what set-up have you got goin’ in the photo?
A KICKR 2018 + KICKR CLIMB + CycleOps Prototype rocker plate. Oh, and a bike.
And the headwind fan.. ;-)
I wanted to join for years. The year you move to amsterdam, I move to the US… (I guess it would have been more ironic to move to Paris this year…).
Oh well…
Would love to attend but its a bit far from Brisbane, Australia:-)
Signed up! I don’t run, so won’t be joining the morning run.
My office is 100m from vondelpark entrance. We could gather there. Coffee on me!
Hmm…tempting. Though, with the insane number of people registered at this point, you might want to re-think that offer. :)
it is a big space/ 200 m2 divided on 2 floors and the top floor is open area. So depending on the number of people offer still stands!
finally, some how around the corner :)
Wonderfull to meet you, and see how you test things and chat with other gearfreaks :D
I think I’m signed up. ? Pressing the “Sign me up” button does not give any indication that it processed the form.
Hi Mircea-
Yup, I’ve got you down twice. If you’re only looking for one, let me know and I can take care of it no problem.
Cheers!
I signed up! Form didn’t give a response though so hoping it went through alright!
Hi Peter-
Yup, you’re good to go!
Cheers.
Signed up, following your blogposts for years, finally a chance to see the famous cave (and you and ‘The Girl’
Can I also make a vlog of the Open House and/or the run?
Then I will take my videocamera with me!
Peter (https://projectleven.nl)
Hi Peter!
Definitely, no problem at all! Anything and everything that’s out or that we’re doing is fair game!
Cheers,
Ray
Hey Ray – you planning any comms to registered folk – reassurance we’ve made the cut would be great. Look forward to seeing you and your toys ;-)
Cheers
Yup!
Within the next couple days. Just want to clear out the duplicates first. But, everyone who has registered to this point is definitely in.
We’re just trying to figure out how many spots we have once we remove some duplicates. But, I don’t envision us being able to hold it open beyond the end of the week unless the sign-up rate dramatically slows down. Simply put we won’t have that much room for any more.
This is really for THE GIRL
Just finished reading the latest newsletter. My wife and I have accumulated oodles of miles, and I actually considered a weekend jaunt to Amsterdam, but, HEY, if I can’t even get a recipe in exchange, you’ll just have to party without us.
Seriously: two reasons for my comment: first, I agree about the nonsensical nature of trying to listen to your tunes from a speaker so small even the earpiece of an old black hard rubber Bell System phone (I’m talking depression-era, here) would produce more recognizable output. Your objections, of course, come from a totally different, scarier perspective. Safe to say, I doubt this product will captivate the market.
Second, I’m contemplating replacing the “Peloton” trainer — consumed (along with most of the rest of our current stuff and photographic memories) by the Sonoma County, CA firestorm just a day or two shy of a year ago, with a Wahoo Kickr Core and a subscription to an augmented-reality training publisher. I’ve read Ray’s reviews, and I’ve watched the floating platform on which he cycles (picture in the newsletter’s opening shot).
WHAT IS THAT? Is it a one-off? Does somebody sell it? Why? (How does it enhance the experience/diminish the boredom of sprinting in your kitchen? I tried rollers once long ago; that was NOT boring, but not a happy experience, either).
—
Jim
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My other car is an S-Works Roubaix SL5
now with auto transmission: Dura Ace Di2
and NOW with carbon wheels and hydraulic discs
Hi Ray,
Somehow I missed this post for the open house. Anyway, I would be really interested in joining on December 1st. Do you have an estimation for when the waiting list will be up? Then I’ll make sure I’m on time for that.
Please let me know.
Kind regards,
Bart
Hi Bart – I’ve just up the waiting list here: link to surveymonkey.com – It’s first come first serve, so people will be added to the main registration list in the order they signed up for the waiting list.
Cheers!
Hi Ray, I signed up (a month ago) but haven’t received a confirmation e-mail yet, so was wondering if my registration got through..
See you December 1st! Cheers.
Hey folks!
Just a quick update to let those on the waitlist know that I just cleared about half of you off the list as confirmed attendees! Woot!
Anyone who added themselves to the waitlist through October 28th is now confirmed. For those of you that were after that, hang tight – I’m hoping as we get closer I’ll be able to sneak ya on!
For those that did clear the waitlist, you should have received an e-mail about 60 seconds ago that you need to click on so that I know you’re still interested in going.
Cheers!
-Ray
Hey Folks!
Just to let some waitlist peeps know I just cleared another handful of folks, up to those added to the waitlist through November 5th, 2018. If you were in that group I just sent you an e-mail to confirm that you still want to come, and the link to get all signed up.
Cheers!
I wish I had seen this earlier, guessing I’m pretty far down the waitlist :'(
Seeing as I live in Amsterdam, I’ll keep my eyes peeled for any more cancellations!
I’ll be clearing a few more people this afternoon when I have a chance. I think there’s only a handful left that aren’t cleared yet to be honest.
I’ll be sending out a ‘One week to go’ e-mail on Friday or Saturday, and I expect a few more cancellations then as peoples plans have shifted. I’m hoping to be able to get everyone off the waiting list by the end of the weekend!
Awesome, Looking forward to (hopefully) seeing everyone on Saturday!
Waitlist Update time!
I’ve just cleared everyone from the waitlist!!! The waitlist above is still open for new people to come aboard, and I suspect I’ll be able to clear anyone new that comes aboard based on last minute cancellations. So if you’d like to come and are able, put your name on the list and I’ll probably clear you the same day.
If you’ve added yourself to a waitlist and for some reason didn’t get an e-mail to confirm your spot, drop a comment here and I’ll reply back and get you all settled up.
As for everyone else, we’ll likely be sending out the final details on Monday (addresses and such). We’re just finalizing the exact cafe/spot to meet at for the run (so people can store their bags). We think we’ve got that all confirmed, but are waiting till Monday to validate it 100%.
Hi I just registered on the waiting list. Hope I get a confirmation if there is space left! Best, Jeroen
Hi Jeroen-
Super sorry I missed this. When it came in it was less than 90 minutes to opening time and I was mostly running around like crazy trying to finish some final tasks. I didn’t have a chance to check e-mail/etc till well after midnight.
Sorry!
My wife and I are traveling to Amsterdam for a week (leaving Friday). Do you have any lists of sites to see and/or places to eat, etc.? I have been following your site for years. Thank you for all you do. We booked a running tour, so we are looking forward to that.