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
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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.
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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!
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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.
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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!
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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.
Author Archives: Ray Maker
4iiii Precision 3+ Pro Power Meter In-Depth Review
4iiii has just released its latest power meter, the 4iiii Precision 3+ Pro dual-sided power meter. Admittedly, at this point, the naming scheme has gone off the rails (see the chart later), but from an underlying product standpoint, it’s firmly … Read More Here
Apple Vision Pro and Cycling: Indoors & Outdoors Tested!
For those curious about whether or not Apple’s Vision Pro works well in cycling, I dig into all the questions you may or may not have had. Both from an outdoor standpoint, but also an indoor riding perspective on … Read More Here
FIT File EP3: Apple Vision Pro, Zwift Layoffs, Wahoo KICKR CORE Zwift One, and Burritos
For those not subscribed to the FIT File (it’s free!) via your regular podcast app or on YouTube, here’s a quick post with the highlights from the most recent episode. In this episode, we talk about our first and … Read More Here
Zwift Lays off 100+, co-CEO Resigns, Zwift Hub Series Discontinued
Despite Zwift just announcing the new jointly-launched Wahoo KICKR CORE Zwift One trainer, this hasn’t been a strong week for Zwift as a company. In fact, it’s arguably been the worst week the company has had in its history, with … Read More Here
Wahoo KICKR CORE Zwift One: In-Depth Review
I know, the name is confusing. Look, I didn’t choose it, I just review it. A more explainable name would be the Wahoo KICKR CORE Cog, which is what this is: The Wahoo KICKR CORE, with the Zwift Cog … Read More Here
FIT File EP2: Wahoo KICKR RUN, COROS Updates, WearOS in 2024, and Garmin jabs at Apple?
For those not subscribed to the FIT File (it’s free!) via your regular podcast app or on YouTube, here’s a quick post with the highlights from the most recent episode. We talk about the new Wahoo KICKR Run treadmill … Read More Here
Strava’s Chipotle Burrito Challenge Ends With Insanity
I’ve been hard at work on a whole slate of new things popping up over the rather near term. Until then, we have burritos. A lot of them. That’s because 6 questionably lucky individuals have won themselves a year’s supply … Read More Here
COROS Firmware Update Adds Running Form Test & Wellness Metrics
COROS has announced a new firmware update that’s being rolled out in public beta, with a target of early February for production release. The watches being updated are: – COROS Vertex 1 & Vertex 2 – COROS APEX 2, APEX … Read More Here
25 Wahoo KICKR RUN Questions Answered
After yesterday’s announcement by Wahoo of the KICKR RUN, there were a boatload of questions I hadn’t covered in my first-run post/video (check that out here). Some of them were minor spec things (like deck height), while others were … Read More Here
The FIT File Podcast is Back!
Yup, you heard that right – the FIT File Podcast is back, and this time with video too! As always, we’ll be digesting the week’s sports tech news with a bit more debate, and geekery nuance than we might … Read More Here
Wahoo KICKR RUN Treadmill: First Run Thoughts!
As a general rule of thumb, I avoid running on treadmills as much as humanly possible. I save the dreadmill for only the most miserable of sideways almost-freezing rain windy of winter nights. Usually, I make a point of going … Read More Here
Apple to Sell Apple Watch Ultra 2 & Series 9 Tomorrow without Blood Oxygen Feature
On Wednesday, Apple lost its most recent appeal, which had sought to delay the import and sales ban of the Apple Watch Series 9 & Apple Watch Ultra 2 watches. Apple had won a different appeal back a few weeks … Read More Here
Samsung Announces Galaxy Ring: Everything You Need to Know
Samsung has just announced their Samsung Galaxy Ring, and with it, provided approximately zero details, except a pretty picture. But sometimes, a pretty picture speaks quite a bit. To set the stage, literally, they had just finished talking about a … Read More Here
Here’s Why Peak Zwift Is Always a Tuesday
It might seem ‘odd’ to declare a Peak Zwift concurrent user high watermark only two weeks into the year, but that’s actually the way it generally works. With the exception of COVID lockdown-induced Zwift moments, the company has virtually always … Read More Here
Running Track Measurements: A Brief Rabbit Hole
Last week I posted about the update to Garmin’s wearables that now includes a database of running tracks for their running track mode, in addition to the pre-existing ‘learned’ track mode where it learns the running track you have without … Read More Here
Week in Review – Jan 14th, 2024
The Week in Review is a collection of both all the goodness I’ve written during the past week around the internet, as well as a small pile of links I found interesting – generally endurance sports related. I’ve often wondered … Read More Here
Garmin’s 2024 Q1 Wearables Beta Update: Huge New Features!
This is the first time I’ve written one of these quarterly posts where I can actually put “Wearables” in the title, rather than specifically ‘Fenix’ or ‘Forerunner’ or ‘Epix’. That’s because Garmin is actually close enough now that all … Read More Here
Garmin Connect App Revamp: Complete Walk-Through
Earlier this week Garmin announced the beginnings of a revamp of the Garmin Connect Mobile app – something that many people have been eager for…for many many years. As part of this revamp, they’ve also opened it up to … Read More Here
Apple Watch Ultra 2 vs Garmin Epix Pro: The NYC Test Gauntlet
It’s that time again – for another New York City GPS accuracy test. Just like the annual Christmas Tree by cargo bike tradition, so is the NYC GPS accuracy test posts. Albeit, this time I’ve got an interesting double-date test. … Read More Here
Polar Announces Deep Platform Integration With New Sennheiser Earbuds
Polar has just announced a super interesting new product. Or rather, Sennheiser has just announced a new product and Polar is a key part of it. This is the first non-Polar product to fully integrate into the Polar ecosystem, including … Read More Here
Garmin Lily 2 In-Depth Review
Garmin has just announced the Lily 2 smartwatch, which continues to be aimed at being a minimalist fitness and health smartwatch that contains most of the behind-the-scenes wellness tracking features of the rest of Garmin’s watches, but without as … Read More Here
Garmin HRM-FIT In-Depth Review: Best Women’s Heart Rate Monitor?
Garmin’s newest heart rate strap is one designed specifically for women, which essentially takes the features of Garmin’s high-end HRM-PRO Plus, but molds it into a strap that snaps onto your existing sports bra. The design aims to increase … Read More Here
Week in Review – Jan 8th, 2024
The Week in Review is a collection of both all the goodness I’ve written during the past week around the internet, as well as a small pile of links I found interesting – generally endurance sports related. I’ve often wondered … Read More Here
How Strava Accidentally Got Their Annual Report Stats Wrong
Welcome to 2024, and the year’s first legit DC Rainmaker Sports Tech Rabbit Hole. Every year Strava publishes their year in review stats, both in individual athlete form (more recently), but many years of total global and regional user-compiled stats. … Read More Here
A Strava Race Is Getting Spicy for Free Burritos
While digging around through press releases for a different post, I stumbled upon an announcement for a new Chipotle and Strava promotion running the month of January. While this press release had a lot of hand-waving feel-good New Year’s resolution … Read More Here