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…
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!
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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?
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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.
Good luck to The Girl.
Hey Ray, Can you share what all your Heart Rate training zones are? Just interested in what your Z2 is compared to mine. I run very slow at Z2 considering it tops out at 149
Thanks heaps!
Mine tops out at 161, and I think the bottom is 153 (I never train Z1, and thus, I don’t offhand remember my exact bottom). In general, my coach likes me in the 157-159ish range for Z2 runs (mid-zone).
I always enjoy the peaks into your training and James asked exactly what I was thinking. Maybe we’ll get to see more about your continuing athletic development in the future. Enjoy your time in Boston!
and as always, thanks for the great reviews and info. Good luck to The Girl!
Good Luck, have a great race!
Good luck to The Girl at Boston!
I see you are at the W. I stayed there last year. Great location for the race. I thought the staff did a great job. Up and ready for the runners in the morning and complimentary smoothies after the race. My favorite of the Marathon hotels.
I regret not being able to run this year. Good luck to The Girl and have fun!
Indeed, I’m very impressed with how ‘marathon-friendly’ the staff are. From a little guide they gave out, to tons of sports drinks and water bottles around, to a shower system of sorts setup for this afternoon for folks who aren’t staying the night here tonight (us).
And, as you noted, can’t be a better location from the standpoint of early morning logistics (we walked one block).
Sorry to hear that you missed out on Katz’s. I hope the race goes well.
Best of luck to you guys! :D
Didn’t watch the 5K before the expo Saturday?
Not many days you can watch:
a) 8900 people run a single 5k race
b) the 2012 5000m silver medalist win the second year in a row
c) a photo finish at 13:26
d) a race where 20:00 will get you beat by 400 people
The Garmin people gave me the straps when I bought a 220, so they should fit!
No, unfortunately missed it. We were exhausted from all the travelling, so tried to sleep as much as possible. Next time!
Thanks for the tip about taking a short ride after a long run! Plus, thanks for the helpful Garmin Forerunner reviews you’ve done! I’ve been reading up on those lately. Have fun in Boston!
Good luck to The Girl!
“In bocca al lupo” to The Girl!
Ciao
Gotta love the runs along the Charles. Glad you found the Fresh Pond detour. Definitely a favorite spot though there are nicer ways to get there from the Charles if you know your way around.
Can I ask what method you used to calculate your max HR and get your HR zones?
NIce pic of the 620 and V800. Is the contrast on the V800 screen really as wide as it looks? Impressive if so.
Quick question: looks like the V800 band was pretty loose. Does it behave like the 610 did on smaller wrists, leaving fairly big gaps?
Hope The Girl does well.
It’s definitely a sharper contrasting screen. But, it’s sorta like (to me) the iPad regular vs iPad Retina. Ultimately, for 95% of scenarios, it doesn’t really matter.
In this case, I just laid the band on my arm for the photo (it was on my other arm during the run).
Oh, I see V800 in your hand! Looking forward for the review when Polar releases it! :)
I’m thinking of changing the camp from Garmin to Polar, as Garmin didn’t upgrade 910XT with those 620 features.
Good luck to the girl!
Any goal in mind? Sub 3.30?
I am honestly damned impressed by the 3:55 finish for the girl. I would struggle to get sub five on a dead flat course, with no wind and an air temp of 40. You can definitely see her heart in the splits as she finished strong.
Regarding the Boston themed FR620 straps, were they free? I wonder if Garmin will sell them eventually?
I know they threw them in free if you bought a 220 or a 620 at the booth.
They were free, simply had to ask (they weren’t on display otherwise). Garmin has Tweeted it out at one point, though, they had given me a heads up about it the day before.
I assume eBay or some other secondary market route will be the only way to get our hands on those straps? I would love one to put on my FR620 as a reminder that a BQ is my ultimate goal.
Correct. I’m not aware of any plan to make them available otherwise.
any chance you might be willing to sell yours? (I noticed some people selling them on ebay for quite a bit) Wish I had a blue strap for my 620! :(
Great post, Ray! Curious — what do you use to carry hydration for long runs? I don’t remember it being mentioned on your “Gear I Use” page. Does The Girl use the same one? I’m training for my first marathon now and have been running while holding a water bottle, but am running out of places to refill it … thanks!
CamelBak, I’m currently using the Marathoner. I can’t remember offhand The Girl’s model, but it’s listed on her Gear I Use page too.
Hey Ray – were you by any chance in Wellesley today, around the 1/2 mark? Saw someone I thought looked very much like you across the street. Hope the race went great!
Yup indeed!
Very cool. My wife says I’m a dork for having fitness tech blogger for a celebrity citing, but I’ll take it. I snapped a photo of you spectating. Shoot me an email and I can pass it along. Glad you enjoyed the day!
Technogym, powered by Netpulse :)
Wow! I really like the look of the Garmin wristband replacement The Girl snagged at the expo. It would be nice if Garmin would consider offering commemorative wristbands to the rest of the running public. I’d pay for one, especially if they offered to donate a portion of the proceeds to a charity in support of the survivors and first responders.
Beef and pork? That’s a lot of murdered animal flesh!
Yeah, it’s disappointing that chicken wasn’t offered. I like to be diverse.
I feel like such a jackass for just now getting to this post, but that should tell you where my head is at planning my wedding! The expo looked like a friggin blast! You think you could’ve snagged me one of those celebrity cruise chairs though? Help a sistah out!
DC, when will the Pioneer’s PM get out?
Hey Ray! You’re using both, the FR620 and the polar v800. In youre experience, wich is the best?
Another question…:)
Where did you get the v800?
They’re different units. Since the V800 isn’t quite out yet (currently mid-May), it’s probably best to wait until things get all finalized. In the meantime, check out this post and the subsequent comments: link to dcrainmaker.com
Hi Ray,
Looks like you had a blast spectating, well done to the girl as well.
I’ve recently found your blog & spent the last couple of weeks catching up to now. I saw from when you started blogging that you had already run a marathon & 6 ish min/mile was typical pace. How long did it take you to get to that pace & how long were you running before you decided to add in the swimming & cycling?
Keep up the good work.
Ta,
Paul.
DC – you feel like selling your blue garmin 620 boston marathon edition watch strap ? – I’m willing to over pay SUBSTANTIALLY/ majorly / hugely – lol (assuming it is in nice / newish condition)
It’s really hers, not mine. So I think it’s something she wants to keep as a keepsake. Sorry!
no problem- totally understand !
if she ever upgrades to a newer (better) watch and no longer uses hers…feel free to change your (her mind) at that point and let me know
– either way- keep up the great site/ blog !
If she ever decides to change her mind (starts wearing an updated/ better watch etc and is no longer using the blue boston marathon strap ) I would be willing to pay 100.00 for the strap. (assuming it’s still in great condition)
I didn’t know they were giving them away at the marathon :(
Nick