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 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!
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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: Drones
HoverAir X1 Follow-Me Sports Drone: Tool, Toy, or Trash?
Over the last decade and a half, I’ve tested almost every autonomous follow-me drone made in the market. During that time period, we’ve seen many newcomers attempt to break into the market. Albeit, with less success these days, given … Read More Here
DJI Mavic 3 vs Skydio 2 Active Track Review (for Cycling)
This post is a quick heads up that over on YouTube I published a review of the DJI Mavic 3 and its newly released Active Track 5.0 functionality. Additionally, within this video, I include a review of the canal water … Read More Here
Skydio 2 vs Mavic 3: Obstacle Avoidance Testing Video
Just a quick note for those that don’t follow along on YouTube, that I’ve published the first of two videos looking at the Skydio 2 vs the Mavic 3. For those in the sports action tracking realm, the Skydio drones … Read More Here
DJI Air 2S In-Depth Review (with a Sports Tracking Focus)
DJI has announced its latest drone, the DJI Air 2S. This unit drops the long-lived ‘Mavic’ from its name, in DJI’s larger effort to simplify product naming. But, it’s gained significantly increased resolution, a bump from 4K up to 5.4K … Read More Here
Skydio 2 Drone 65KPH Wind & Waves Cycling Test
If you’re a regular subscriber of my YouTube Channel you know that one of my ‘specialties’ is high wind drone testing – basically pushing the drones to the limits of their capabilities in conditions that most people wouldn’t want to … Read More Here
DJI Mavic Mini In-Depth Review
This is DJI’s lightest drone yet – but have they cut too many features to make it one of their best drones? After more than a month of testing, I detail all the nuances. Read More Here
DJI Mavic 2 Zoom and Pro In-Depth Review
After three months of use, how does the DJI Mavic 2 Zoom and Pro really hold up? I dig into all the details – in particular from a sports tracking standpoint. Read More Here
Hands-on: Skydio’s R1 Sports Drone Gets Apple Watch Control
I don’t usually cover the slew of app announcements for the Apple Watch – but this one is definitely different, and, if you’re looking to get cool action video of yourself – then this is also unique. As of today, … Read More Here
GoPro exits drone business, but also drops price on GoPro Hero 6 Black
In a move that will surprise approximately nobody, GoPro officially announced they’re exiting the flying camera business. This was rumored over the weekend with the slashing of some 245 jobs, but solidified today in their earnings call. Of course, while … Read More Here
An awesome ride in the Swiss Alps
It’s been a while since I’ve written about a random ride in an epic spot. But in years past in the deserts of Jordan, or the coast of South Africa, or the Pyrenees, I’ve been lucky to sneak in some … Read More Here
Hands-on: Airdog’s new ADII sports-tracking drone
Last week Airdog announced their latest sports-tracking drone, the Airdog ADII. Years ago the company announced on Kickstarter their first drone, simply called Airdog, which was aimed 100% at the sports tracking market. It didn’t pretend to be a more … Read More Here
DJI Spark In-Depth Review
The DJI Spark is small, but is it as capable as DJI says? I did into every possible question you have, with tons of detail. Read More Here
5 Random Things I Did This Weekend in the Netherlands
It continues to be a busy summer, even more so with a bunch of products on the radar to get reviews knocked out as announcements occur coming into the start of the Tour de France next weekend (the weekend after … Read More Here
Hands-on: Staaker Action Sports Drone
While at ISPO a few days ago, I got the chance to take out the new Staaker drone for a spin. This drone is much like AirDog that I’ve reviewed previously, in that it focuses exclusively on sports action filming. … Read More Here
GoPro says Karma Drone isn’t dead yet
Today GoPro announced that their Karma drone, which was recalled last year will be getting the band back together again, and re-launching sometime this year. You’ll remember that GoPro shipped 2,500 Karma drones before issuing a recall about two weeks … Read More Here
DJI Mavic Pro In-Depth Review
While the widely held assumption this year was that the GoPro Karma drone would be the hottest drone to get one’s hands on, it’s quickly become clear over the last 75 days that wouldn’t quite pan out. A mere 7 … Read More Here
GoPro Karma In-Depth Review
(Update: Feb 1st, 2017: GoPro has resumed shipping of the Karma drone following it’s earlier recall. There is no difference between the pre and post-recall drones from a hardware or software features standpoint, except changes to the battery clip to … 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
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
My Sea Otter 2016 Trip Recap: The Festival, Riding, and More!
It’s time to wrap up my Sea Otter 2016 related posts. I spent last week in the States, first in NYC for some meetings, then off to San Francisco, before finally ending in Monterey (California) for the Sea Otter Classic. … Read More Here
A Weekend Skiing in Les Arcs
This past weekend I headed up skiing with my friend David. We wanted to squeak in one last weekend of skiing before the resorts closed, and we hoped we’d also get some beautiful spring skiing days. 1) Journey to Les … Read More Here
5 Random Things I Did This Weekend
After much traveling over the holiday period and into CES, it was finally back home for the weekend. Glad to be enjoying the city and not bouncing around. 1) A quick test ride This past week was mostly a ‘catch-up’ … Read More Here
5 Random Things I Did This Weekend
It was a whirlwind of a (short) weekend back home, with the majority of the weekend spread out across three different continents. Here’s what I was up to. 1) Flying back from Africa As it seems many weekends start, first … Read More Here
5 Random Things I Did This Weekend
With the three-day weekend wrapping up (even here in France), I figured I’d round out what I’ve been up to. 1) A brilliant outdoor pool swim Friday was a bit of an odd day for a Friday, somewhat more busy … 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