Heads up! There’s some pretty substantial sales that just started. For watches, the Garmin Epix is down to $499, and the Fenix 7 to $449, with the Pro editions also $200 off! Meanwhile the top-end Edge 1040 cycling GPS is down to $499, and both the Edge 540 & Edge 840 are also on sale. As is Varia radar for $149. Some incredible deals, and ll the deals are 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:
With TPC (The Pro's Closet), you'll save $40 on purchases over $200 with coupon code DCRAIN40 for tech and non-tech purchases!
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.
4
My Photography Gear: The Cameras and Equipment 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! It’s a nice break from the day to day sports-tech talk, and I hope you get something out of it!
5
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.
Watching my wife complete her first IM in Lake Placid. It inspired me to take the plunge into triathlon and 4 years later I’ve learned to swim, completed 2 HIM’s and am training for my first full IM at Lake Placid next year!
Macca vs Raelert in 2010… quite a run battle near the end. Certainly got me excited / motivated for my first full IM at CDA in 2011… of course I looked nothing like those two at the end of my race. :)
My best memory of watching Kona was watching the 2005 championship with Jon Blais. I had just committed to doing my first half iron man and I would watch old Kona recordings for inspiration during my early morning bike trainer sessions. Watching him finish made me realize that anything is possible if you want it badly enough.
I remember watching Ironman Hawaii as a teenager and thinking that I wanted to do an Ironman someday. This year I accomplished that goal. I did IMTX and loved it.
Team Hoyt hands down.
2014 was my favorite and best viewing. Watched almost the entire race which was definitely a first.
The first one I ever watched was actually last year’s (2013). I was curious about getting into the sport of triathlon, and I’m by no means a super athlete. The longest I’ve ever run was a half marathon, but after watching Kona, I was so inspired by the “ordinary” people completing it. Of course, the pros are awe-inspiring to watch, but one particular man was racing for his daughter, who he tragically lost during the Sandy Hook incident. I got into running when my mom got sick from cancer, so I felt all the more compelled to keep enduring and racing after watching that man. Let’s just say it pushed me into completing my first (sprint) triathlon this past August! I’m motivated for more!
Reckon the first time I ever saw Kona was on the Wide World of Sports with Ian Chappell, Mike Gibson and Darrell Eastlake on channel Nine. This was back in the 80’s. Good times.
Seeing paratriathlete Sarah Reinertsen finish Kona on the second try after she didn’t meet the time cut off the year before.
First time I saw was on TV about 4 years ago, made me think how amazing it was they could do that so I thought I would try to get fit to maybe one day do it too
Watched to see if my friends competed!
giddy up! watching with my ironman buddies, good times!
Watching Julie Moss crawling across the finish line and thinking I want to do that! This year I finished my first Ironman 3 weeks after breaking my arm.
When I just started to ride my first bike three years ago, friend of mine shown me his bike Kona Hardtail and told me that Kona is one of the best brands. It looked nice and I wanted to have similar. Since then I have good impression from Kona but have to ride other brands :)
When I watched my dad cross the finish line for the first time!
I have never watched it but my husband would really like a 920 for Christmas, free would be even better.
Definitely the Julie Moss finish.
Watching Blazeman finish.
Watching it on Wide World of Sports when I was a kid and wondering who these crazy people were.
Watching Mirinda Carfrae storm home on the run this year!
Yesterday I was watched by streaming since there is no local channel show it in my country.
So impressed by the race when Sebastian Kienle cross the finish line in 8 hours, that was so awesome. I wish I can do ironman too someday and this race is really inspired me.
Amazed at watching all the inspirational stories of real everyday people that compete! Some day I hope to do an Ironman!
My first vision of these athletes was on YouTube. Someone said to google the name and there they were.
Watching them push themselves beyond what a human really should be capable of put my own weight struggles into perspective. I’d been 115kg for years and never had the will power to do anything about it.
Since then i’ve changed my work to something more physical, dropped 41kg (90 pounds) and registered for my first triathlon in December 2014.
All you really need is a little perspective!
I watched Kona 2008 on YouTube with my husband. Christie Wellington got a flat tire and lost 10 minutes. For anybody else I’m sure that would end any chance they had of winning. But her? Nope, she still won it all. It was an absolutely incredible display of athleticism.
Watching the bike sections and saying to myself “I want to do that”
Grinding out z4 intervals during 3 hr rides on the trainer!
watching the determination of people; so inspiring.
Read Chrissie Wellington’s book. Admired her respect and enthusiasm for Kona.
I would have to say my first memory of watching Kona was from YouTube of the infamous “crawl” across the finish line re: Sian Welch & Wendy Ingraham – The Crawl – 1997!
link to youtu.be
I watched this video last year in preparation for my half-IM as inspiration for my 50th birthday on 8/24/2014 at MiTitanium in Grand Rapids, MI.
I remember being amazed with the biking section where they are going thru the lava fields 2001 and just thinking how hot that must be. Had to do at my friends house as he had cable.
Add one more for Julie Moss!
Watching the Julie Moss crawlfest, such perseverance!
The determination of the age-groupers and those back-of-the-packers to run through the night to finish before the final cutoff.
Apolo Ohno Completes Ironman Kona
Norman Stadler melt down during the bike leg in 2005.
Andy Potts on youtube, just published Oct. 12, 2014 :)
Chrissie Wellington’s second Ford Ironman World Championship (2008). She struggled with a flat tire but recovered and won with nearly 15 minutes in front of Yvonne Van Vlerken.
Watching the athletes run in the humid and hot conditions, and thinking they are crazy (but AWESOME!)
Julie Moss on YouTube!
Julie Moss on youtube.
Watching it when I was a young lad, thinking it would not be that hard to run that far….heck I thought I run all day. As I got older I realized how talented and difficult these athletes are.
Welch and Ingraham crawling across together for 4th and 5th in 1995.
Watching Paula Newby-Fraser taking numerous titles – go Zimbabwe!
Paula Newby-Fraser
Ironman Hawaii 2010. Macca vs. Raelert!!!
Alex Zanardi is an Ironman!!!
suffering on the trainer as I watch the coverage. Closest thing to being there
Watching my training partner break 10 hours in his first Kona (and only 2nd ironman). This has kept me motivated to try get there myself one day!
I know it from the internet, with all the great stories!
Kona, Kona… doesn’t really ring a bell… hope that “no memory” counts as well.
Many of my colleagues were already competing in triathlons back in 2008. When I almost accidentally zapped into the Kona broadcast, I got hooked immediately and did my first sprint distance in 2009.
Watching a Family member cross the finish line in 2013 in Kona, 30 Kilograms Lighter then when he qualified in Cairns the same year. Inspirational. Changed my life.
Wow… To see Alex Zanardi finish kona it’s magical… And the fenix 2 is wonderful…
To see Julie Moss crawl over the finish line was breathtaking ..
I saw it last year – a colleague attended :-)
I saw it last year – a colleague attended
Julie Moss… Incredible!
Watching Chrissie Wellington winning it for the first time…
Watching YouTube clips and thinking these guys are crazy!
watching Thomas Hellriegel win in 1997
The crawl of course..
Watching australian women’s winner Mirinda Carfrae.
I was in Hawaii on my honeymoon in 2003; we had no idea that Iron Man was being held that week. While walking on the beach one morning I said to my wife that everyone here seems really fit. It wasn’t until a few days later that I discovered why.
anything on youtube with search “kona crawl” :-P
Hopefully one day it will became olso my personal memory…
Waching the runners doing a great race altough they are already tired.
Watching last year race online when Mirinda Carfrae overtook the front runners to claim the woman championship.
Watched my friend to cross the finish line in 2009, what a great race!
Watching Craig Alexander win in 2011, then seeing him (+ all the others!) in T2 at Ironman Melbourne in 2014. They make it look effortless.
In my opinion watching Alessandro Zanardi crossing the finish lane was a wonderful moment!
Never seen such a determined guy, I had the honour to meet him this year in an italian granfondo.
I remember watching 2012 kona live on the internet, I was so inspired that I watched about 7 kona races the next weekend on youtuve.
Watching Normann Stadler bike away from the field in the year that he rode the yellow Hawaii inspired Kuota
Watched Kona Highlights 2014 few hours ago :)
Youtubing and the aftermath: drooling.
Julie Moss crawling, incredible!
Working on the dream to visit Kona in person..
Watching Mr. Hell on Wheels winning the Ironman in 1997!
The crawl!
Watching the age groupers and being inspired
Watching Norman Stadler ride away in the early 2000’s.
Watching the older guys kicking the youngsters there ass :D
Crowie telling his wife that he “couldn’t stop because of you guys” after setting the course record in 2011. Shows what drives these incredible athletes when they have nothing left.
Watching the highlights, thank god for YouTube…
Seeing Dick & Rick Hoyt for the first time on youtube racing on the big island. awsome.
Cannot say one single moment. Its all fantastic – wonderful place and fantastic sports performance!
Hoping to watch it one day in person…
Several folks said it before but most vivid memory has to be Julie Moss crawling. When I saw this for the first time I thought: Why would people do this to themselves? Now I’m one of them…
Watching Chrissie Wellington get her last win.
Kienle was incredible yesterday, and GG to the french guys ^^
Seeing the 2011 post-race press conference of craig alexander about 6 month ago.
1982 Julie Moss collapsing and crawling…seen a few more of those at the Comrades Marathon in Durban, South Africa though!
Chrissie Wellington!!
Last weekend seeing Sebastian Kienle win the Ironman on Hawaii.
The guys trying to make the finish line before midnight – determination & exhaustion.
One day I will take part at Kona Ironman
Watching J. Moss crawl to the finish line. wow
Some years ago on tv, I didn’t realised what I was watching, But I remember being impressed.
The first Macca win in Kona!
Watching Kona competitors battling the heat, then heading out for a run myself in the cold and pouring rain…
To be honest, first time I heard about IRONMAN after my first marathon year ago, when my friend joked that now I have to prepare to swim, then to cycle and only then to run… But a real understanding of it came to me after I saw “The Finishers” by Nils Tavernier. Definitely recommend this movie to everybody.
Sitting up all night long just to watch our team guys :) Even if its in the other side of the world does not keep me away ;)