Heads up!!! Here’s your massive Cyber Monday sports tech deals list! This includes the Garmin Forerunner 965 for just $499, Garmin Epix for $429, the Apple Watch Ultra 2 for just $619, the GoPro Hero 12 Black for $299, (or Hero 13 bundle for $339!) and plenty more! Go check out the full list of 100+ deals here!
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?
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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.
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.
Hi,
Good to see the full test of the Timex Cycle Trainer computer is coming ! Until then, quick question : in your review of the Timex multisport watch you said the calibration screen fo power meters was missing, is it available on the Cycle Trainer 2.0 or again there is no calibration possible ?
Thanks in advance for your answer !
I used to Backpack in that park when I was stationed in Norfolk back in the 90’s. It is such a beautiful park, plus pretty good for bike rides.
Likely it would come as part of the detailed review… or perhaps a side-by-side review, but any early comments on the elevation data comparison from the 910 and the Switch UP? :)
ohhhh I can’t wait for the Cycle Trainer review. Been looking to get a replacement for my Timex GPS trainer as I’ve noticed after rides the milage on my piece and other’s never matches up, sometimes I’m 5 miles less than what their computer has! Hopefully it’ll be cheaper than the 500. Can’t wait for that review (can you tell I can’t wait, lol!)
You say “As is almost always the case in the woods, it’s very difficult to know who was correct” but it depends also on how distance is defined. Is the distance the centreline of the path, should it include weaving around obstacles etc. It only matters when measurements are close but if you don’t define what distance represents you can’t tell what is the most accurate.
Definition of distance matters because almost all GPS trackers adjust GPS distance with an algorithm and the algorithm includes assumptions of what distance represents. Make different assumptions and you report a different distance . As far as I can tell the underlying GPS sensor data is similar in most modern devices and the post processing is where most differences emerge.
hi. no trek belleville in my hometown nor in Madison, WI.
I am getting very frustrated with my edge 500 such a buggy firmware that every time I am out on a ride I feel like throwing it away, the feature I really need is the breadcrumb map style but it’s always buggy, would the timex have that?
I can totally sympathize with your pace issues in PWFP. As someone that runs there almost every day, I can attest to the “humbling” nature of those trails. I tell everyone that runs with me out there to add 1-2 minutes per mile to your road pace. Thankfully that type of running is truly about the journey rather than the stats!
Ray,
I’m trying to see if the Cycle Trainer offers (or will offer) real-time TSS, NP, IF, etc like the new Edge 500 update. If it will this is likely my determining factor in getting the cycle trainer.
Travis
That was my wedding! We just hiked from the Cabin Camp. So it was only a quarter mile. I was not suprised to see someone running, but I’m sure we were pretty suprising…The only issues we had were my dress catching some thorns (a groomsman saved me) and my sister complaining about the “long walk through the woods”.
I am a ranger at PWFP and I’m so glad to hear that you enjoy it!
-Ranger Cathy
My only gripe with the Switch Up is that it only came with a quick start guide and they don’t have the pdf version of the manual up on the Magellan site, yet. I’m sure that there are things that I haven’t figured out how to do with it, but I am loving the target pace function!