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 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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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 Ray, i’m training for my upcoming 1st full marathon this january but im having trouble with food intake. once i reach 25-28k mark i usually lose it, so i decided to take a few gummy bears with me (i’ve only drank water before) and tried to eat them on my 18k mark. my problem is i develop gas when i took those gummy bears. so my question is:
1. can you suggest any other energy food/gel/etc that might not affect my stomach
2. at what distance do i have to start taking them in to preserve my energy level
thank you for your time
Hello Ray
Funny you’ve come to those parts, I work just near where you live and often run on “les quais”, just where you stand on the picture for example is one of my favorite spots (from there to Tolbiac and back, there’s a six mile run, did it on monday).
If you’re ok for some idle chat sometime, I’d be happy to say “hi”. Could talk about running itineraries (I also wonder where you’re gonna ride your bike : as I used to ride a lot in the parisian area, though I had less time with kids lately, I could give you advice). Hope you enjoy Paris anyway
Hi OldSAP, I can suggest you some products that I take when doing a marathon.
Overstims Malto is to take the 3 days before the marathon to make a good stock of sugar.
Overstims gel Coup de fouet is a portion of sugar very concentrated, you can bring 3 or 4 of these little portions in your pocket and take them every 10 km.
Sorry for my poor english… :(
Cool! I’m running the Paris marathon as well…
I was planning on paying the Cupcakery a visit to refuel afterwards, but I guess it might not be open then ;-)
By the way, I think this might be redundant for you, but maybe it could help other aspiring Paris-joggers who are not regulars to the city yet … and who are also looking for easy-access toilets!
(I know they helped me a lot when I was living in Paris for a few months last year)
All over Paris there are free “Sanisettes”, in total about 400+ little grey/brown toilet houses where you can do your thing (both things, accessible equally to men and women). They are cleaned and sanitized automatically and they are, as you can see on this map (link to equipement.paris.fr), quite abundant inside the Péripherique.
There is even a smartphone app to find the nearest one!
link to play.google.com
Indeed, those ones are our favs. I knew about the one on the opposite side of where I was, but didn’t know about the other one closer to where I was. Great app though – saving that (and the map).
The Wahoo Fitness app looks different then my version? Is this a BETA version?
:)
The blinky light I use is …. link to amazon.com
It’s small, light, clips on to my gloves, road id, shorts, etc.
It blinks or remains steady.
Cheap too … you know, more money for ice cream
My running bud calls me Flash.
Hate to be one of those internet guys who just comments to correct, but I’m guessing that’s a SPIbelt, not a SPITbelt. Unless that’s a new thing/feature, in which case, where’s the review on that?!
Thanks Ray. Your adventures are refreshing.
From a fan that just left 4 yrs in Europe to come back to the US of A.
Eek, fixed! Funny, I wouldn’t have thought that either would have got the green light from spell-check. Go figure!
Oh, I forgot. You all should join us at the Marathon du Medoc. I ran it for the first time this year, and it is the most fun 26 miles on earth.
Doens’t that sound like a lot more fun than a regular marathon: http://www.traildeparis.com ? You even have to climb the Eiffeltower in the end of the 80k run!! Have fun :)
The only problem is that the 80K part violates Ray Running Rule #1: Never run more than 26.2 miles. :)
Just say you messed up the miles vs. kilometers conversion somehow ;)
I am excitet for your Alpha Mio review. Will you also try to use it while swimming?
I understand that the ANT+ HR straps do not work int he water due to the water density reducing the range to almost nothing. With the MIO you can put the 910XT/310XT right next to it and hence should be able to recrd HR in the water.
BTW, why do you do a 2hr long run on a weekday? Isn’t it common to do long runs on the weekend.. crazy europeans…
RE: Mio and ANT+ to another unit
Yeah, that might work. A bit awkward/wonky of course, but technically it’s worth trying – interesting idea.
As for a weekday (Monday), it’s primarily because The Girl has her CupCakery closed on Monday’s, so it’s realistically the only day she can do it easily. Otherwise she’s trying to jam it in either rather early before work, or potentially late after a long day standing.
That said, many coaches have moved to weekday long runs as it separates the long-ride and long run, which most see as beneficial. I’ve almost always had my long run on a Tuesday, with my long-ride on a Saturday. It’s easy to do a 2ish hour run on a weeknight, compared to doing a 4-7 hour ride on a weeknight.
The Christmas market is good fun. Do they still have the guy carving bits of wood with a chainsaw? Well done finding a free lavatory, I’ve never managed that.
I used to have the same Eiffel tower key chain! I got mine on my first visit in ’98
What are you doing on long runs for hydration? Do you have a bottle drop or are there fountains?
Normally I’d take something along (water). This time..uhhh..yeah.
Usually when I run shorter I’ll hold a water bottle, and if longer, a CamelBak.
I would have loved to see the Garmin trace of your 2h run. I always find Paris so small, that it would have been cool to see how many arrondissments you covered ;-) Last time I tried running in Paris I ended up doing the Paris Marathon, which definitely violated the Ray Running Rule #1. That’s OK, it was pretty awesome.
I use this little light:
link to hollandbikeshop.com
In holland you can get them in nearly any retailshop for around 2 or 3 euro’s. Red one on the cap, white one on the glove for the dark stretches of road.
Ray, thnx for sharing your impressions and review.
From a dutch fan.
I found the “same” lights in the dollar section at the Target in W-S, NC. Bought two sets, but haven’t had a need to try them yet.
Hi,
Getting my Alpha watch soon, how long is the battery life on yours ?
regards,
André
Mind-bogglingly long. I got 30 hours and 15 minutes on one test a couple months ago (nonstop, broadcasting HR).
I’ll run the Marthon de Paris too! Hope I could spot you… but I’ll be some km afterward in the slow motion sector :-)
Bateau Mouches – this is a french term for river boat, Fly Boats in literal terms.
Fin d’ecole!
hi ray I know you talking about your cheap mittens in your gear review for when it’s really cold. However what do you do when it rains and it’s really really cold like 40 degrees do you have waterproof mittens do you have a recommendation thank you so much
Hmm, not much unfortunately. I just go out and get wet. :)