I’m DC RAINMAKER…
I swim, bike and run. Then, I come here and write about my adventures. It’s as simple as that. Most of the time. If you’re new around these parts, here’s the long version of my story.
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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.Want to compare the features of each product, down to the nitty-gritty? No problem, the product comparison data is constantly updated with new products and new features added to old products!
Wanna create comparison chart graphs just like I do for GPS, heart rate, power meters and more? No problem, here's the platform I use - you can too!
Think my written reviews are deep? You should check out my videos. I take things to a whole new level of interactive depth!
Smart Trainers Buyers Guide: Looking at a smart trainer this winter? I cover all the units to buy (and avoid) for indoor training. The good, the bad, and the ugly.
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Check out my weekly podcast - with DesFit, which is packed with both gadget and non-gadget goodness!
Get all your awesome DC Rainmaker gear here!
FAQ’s
I have built an extensive list of my most frequently asked questions. Below are the most popular.
- Do you have a privacy policy posted?
- Why haven’t you yet released a review for XYZ product you mentioned months ago?
- Will you test our product before release?
- Are you willing to review or test beta products?
- Which trainer should I buy?
- Which GPS watch should I buy?
- I’m headed to Paris – what do you recommend for training or sightseeing?
- I’m headed to Washington DC – what do you recommend for training?
- I’m from out of the country and will be visiting the US, what’s the best triathlon shop in city XYZ?
- What kind of camera do you use?
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5 Easy Steps To The Site
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.
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!
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.
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!
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.
Tag Archives: Action Cams
Insta360 GO 2 Tiny Action Cam In-Depth Video Review
There’s a new winner in town for the smallest action camera. Or at least, the smallest action camera from a brand name you’ve probably heard of. While Insta360 has a more pronounced history in the 360° action cam market, over … Read More Here
GoPro Max Action Cam In-Depth Review
Everything you ever wanted to know about the GoPro Max after plenty of testing and comparison time to the GoPro Hero 8 Black. From stabilization to SuperWide and more. Read More Here
GoPro Hero 7 Black In-Depth Review
It’s that time of year again. Like clockwork it’s the annual drop from GoPro of new action cameras. This year they’ve launched three new cameras – the Hero 7 Black, Silver, and White. These three new cameras will replace all … Read More Here
5 Random Things I Did This Weekend
Here’s what went down over the weekend here at DCR HQ! Speaking of DCR HQ, don’t forget that we’re just under two weeks away till the Annual DCR Cave Open House! Be sure to register! 1) Delivery Friday! Friday turned … Read More Here
GoPro Hero6 Black In-Depth Review
Today GoPro announced their latest action cam – the GoPro Hero6 Black. While it may look the same from the outside, it’s packed with tons of huge changes on the inside. Some of those changes are headliner options like 4K … Read More Here
Garmin rolls out 5.7K stitching support to VIRB 360, new HyperFrame director mode
When the VIRB 360 was announced this past spring, it was one of the first single-device 360° action cameras to actually produce higher than 4K resolution video files that looked good. Previously, even 4K, 360° action cameras didn’t look all that spectacular, … Read More Here
5 Random Things I Did This Weekend
Another hot summer weekend in the city, but one that’s filled with sport and non-sport alike! Here’s what I was up to! 1) Indoors in the summer: I started off the weekend with a bit of a trainer ride. I’m … Read More Here
Roundup from CES Day 2: Pepcom Event
We wrapped up Day 2 at CES 2017 last night. Ray spent the morning meeting with several sports technology companies while I worked on a few other posts in anticipation of the show officially opening tomorrow. While during the evening … Read More Here
GoPro Hero5 Black In-Depth Review
It’s been two years since the last major GoPro Hero launch. No, I don’t count the Session last year. I’m talking about a multi-camera launch like GoPro has typically done each fall for the majority of its history. Back in … Read More Here
Everything you need to know: GoPro’s New Hero5 Cameras & Karma Drone
Update: Go see my full GoPro Hero5 Black In-Depth Review here! Today GoPro announced three new action cameras, a drone, and a rather interesting flotilla of accessories. These include a handheld gimbal, external microphone/remote combos, and even a nifty $19 … Read More Here
Garmin VIRB Ultra 30 In-Depth Review
Last week, Garmin announced and released their newest action cam – the VIRB Ultra 30. To summarize this 50-million word in-depth review in the most succinct manner possible: Someone at Garmin finally got it. They created what might possibly best … Read More Here
Garmin’s New VIRB Ultra 30: Eurobike Edition Mini-Review
Update: My In-Depth Review is up! Check it out by clicking here. Today, Garmin released their newest action, the VIRB Ultra 30. This 4K action cam is capable of rivaling the GoPro Hero4 series, as well as the rumored specs … Read More Here
GoPro’s New Cycling Handlebar & Seat Rail Mounts: In-Depth Review
Last month GoPro announced a handful of new mounts, three of which were focused on cycling. This would actually be the first time that GoPro has directly released a bike-specific mount (let alone three of them). In the past, they had … Read More Here
AirDog Action Sports Drone In-Depth Review
Like most Kickstarter projects, it’s been a much longer road than anticipated to get their product off the ground. But unlike most Kickstarter projects, AirDog literally needed to get off the ground and into the air to be successful. It … Read More Here
360Fly 360° Action Camera In-Depth Review
It’s the all-seeing action camera in-depth review. Or at least, the mostly seeing action camera in-depth review While I’ve talked about 360° action cameras a bit over the last year or so, it hasn’t been until now that they’re actually … Read More Here
Trying Out The New NUT-R Wheel Action Cam Mount
You know what I like about quick releases? They’re quick. No, not just for the purposes of attaching your wheel – but rather, for the purposes of this post. I mean seriously, how long a post could I possibly write … Read More Here
Garmin VIRB X & XE Action Cam In-Depth Review
Every once in a while in the DCR Review Realm I go ahead and pull out a slightly longer review cycle. This would be one of those times. In this case, I’ve used the Garmin VIRB X & XE action … Read More Here
The Feiyu Tech GoPro Action Cam Wearable Gimbal In-Depth Review
I know, approximately 97% of you are looking at the title right now and going “Who the fudge is Feiyu Tech?” And then about 65% of you are saying “What the heck is a gimbal?” (and is it related to a gumball?). Fear … Read More Here
Hands-on with Samsung’s new Gear 360° camera
Tonight was the annual Samsung event at MWC, where thousands of media folk descend on the Centre de Convencions Internacional de Barcelona, situated along the waterfront, to see the latest Samsung gadgetry announced. As is customary for my posts in the past from … Read More Here
TomTom Bandit Action Camera In-Depth Review
Today TomTom has announced they’re venturing into the action cam business, with the introduction of the TomTom Bandit. This Twinkie sized action cam contains 2.7K (30FPS) and 4K (15FPS) capabilities, as well as GPS functionality that you’d expect from a … Read More Here
Sports, Drones, and Follow-Me Aerial Action Imagery: A State of the Industry
There’s been a ton of interest as of late in using drones within sports. This interest comes from many different angles. First is the more traditional approach of simply using the unmanned aerial vehicle as a platform for videography and … Read More Here
Understanding Live Streaming Video Options for Action Cams: GoPro, Sony and HTC
The ability to stream in real time (live) video footage from action cams remains a bit of the holy grail of sports action. Today, 99.99% of what you see on TV is done via broadcast quality cameras and equipment, with … Read More Here
Giroptic edges closer to 360° action cam release, YouTube announces support for 360° footage (huge deal)
°° Giroptic was on-hand last night at the CES Unveiled event showing off their 360° action camera which had debuted on Kickstarter this past summer to very strong backer support. The action camera is somewhat a descendent of previous attempts … Read More Here
GoPro Hero4 Silver & Hero4 Black In-Depth Review
(Note: Review updated March 10th, 2015, inclusive of most recent firmware updates) Early last month GoPro completed their annual October ritual of releasing a suite of new units. Like past years, GoPro doesn’t tend to make massive upgrades in their … Read More Here
K-Edge shows off new combo Garmin/GoPro mount, new Pioneer mount, also new more aerodynamic Garmin mount
Today at Eurobike K-Edge had on hand a number of their just announced mounts, the most interesting being a new combo mount adapter that holds both your GoPro (or other action cam), as well as your Garmin bike computer. Beyond … Read More Here