Heads up!!! Here’s your massive holiday sports tech deals list! This includes the Garmin Epix for just $419, the Apple Watch Ultra 2 for just $699, the GoPro Hero 12 Black for $249, (or the brand new Hero 13 or $299!) and plenty more! Go check out the full list of 100+ deals 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.
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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.
That first device would be pretty cool for me to determine if there’s something that sets of my asthma. Blood oxygen is one way of determining how bad of an asthma attack someone is having.
Cool, the LeMond revolution! (i guess :))
Hey DC,
private pilots use oxygen measurements when they fly to determine if/when they need to take oxygen. Taking oxygen is necessary by law at higher than some specified altitudes (which depend on the time spent at these altitudes), but many pilots start taking oxygen at lower altitudes and/or measure oxygen concentration to ensure that the oxygen they are taking is getting into their lungs and blood.
Oh the finger pulse oximeter would be useful if you are doing intermittent hypoxic training (IHT) or altitude training. WADA almost wanted to ban hypoxic training cos they considered it similar to blood doping.
All the above are exactly right, but if you’re just popping the pulse ox on your finger first thing in the morning, somebody in your excellent health will have 100% saturation all the time. If you see anything less, all it means is it isn’t on your finger properly :)
I use the iPhone App from http://www.instantheartrate.com. Works great, uses your iPhone camera and LED flash to measure your pulse similar to a medical pulse oximeter.
the pulse ox is a great idea. the HR strap is a pain in the morning. A pulse ox reads the saturation of the hemoglobin on your red blood cells in your blood stream, with oxygen. Not really an important thing to monitor or worry about if you’re a healthy individual(read: no medical conditions).
I did a full night in my HRM. It was interesting to see my HR jump all over.
Curious about the last photo. Looks like a wind resistance wheel. hmmm.
About the photo – the wedding rings? :)
Random photo: Looks like a shaft driven fan for a blower to me.
This is my guess – A swim trainer:
link to vasatrainer.com
It’s some kind of water turbine.
Fudgeman…I’m soooooo glad that wasn’t my nickname in college :)
i love how fancy these are. i totally just take my hr using my pulse. i feel lame now! i do use the fancy ones at work though…
Got it. Tacx Speedbraker T1800. And loud, I’m guessing.
Looks like some sort of squirrel cage blower or air mover. Probably for creating resistance with air.
I think there is so much info and sites around the globe we never bother actually reading them …. we screen them a bit and read on the “what looks intresting on first sight parts”.
Well … I notice I do at least.
With one exception … your blog ray! Just noticed I’m so keen on it I’m actually reading every bit of a page for the first time in years.
Is that picture at the bottom the fly-wheel from an old-fashioned bike trainer?
Regarding your fiance finding the cold chest strap annoying: here’s your chance to show your chivalry; measure your heart rate first, using her strap. Then it will be nice and warm for her.
I don’t know whether you check comments this far back, but did you ever get round to comparing methods for measuring resting HR? I’d be interested if you did and I can’t find anything on the search.
I haven’t dug much further into it. I have been liking using the Basis watch though as an easy way to track resting heart rate. Though definitely a bit overkill too.
I have a pulse rate and oximeter similar to your fingertip unit. I got it at Wal-Mart for $35. It works fine for resting rates, but it won’t work with exercise heart rates. I tried it at the end of the pool, and it just wouldn’t work. Do you know if the Amazon one does? Or of a cheap fingertip unit that works with high heart rates?
No, for exercise most of those won’t work well (at all). Unfortunately, for that you’ll need to look at the higher end optical sensors (about $79), such as the Scosche one I recently reviewed.