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.
You'll support the site, and get ad-free DCR! Plus, you'll be more awesome. Click above for all the details. Oh, and you can sign-up for the newsletter here!
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.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.
-
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?
-
5 Easy Steps To The Site
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.
The bobsled ride looks fantastically awesome :) Were there any special instructions for not shifting the weight and leaning in the corners ?
Wine has to be cheap this side of the pond, it’s where us Europeans* get most of our calories…
*well, as of today the Europeans and us Brits, sorry Europe apparently we’re dummer than we look
Nice.
BTW on Guide to “Power Meters” (plural) for running.
I thought there was the only the Stryd. Have I missed anything or has the author future proofed his book! ???
Some things to consider re: stroller running. I’m years ahead of you so some of this won’t be relevant for a long time, but now that you have a stroller I will share things I learned through experience. Obviously, your mileage may vary.
As an infant, when sleep patterns are unpredictable, you can run with baby pretty much at any time without repercussions. As the child ages, interest in being in the stroller will vary based on kid’s temperament, level of experience being in the stroller, scenery, and other factors. What I have found, continuing to run my five and six year old in a double Bob, is that the best time for me and for them is around their established bedtime. They’re tired enough not to be fussy even when it’s still hot, I can throw blankets over them when it’s not, and they’re almost always asleep between mile one and two. To help the process I play lullabies over a Bluetooth speaker hanging on the handle until they’re asleep, and then switch to either baseball games or my own music. When I get home, I carry each one to bed and even if they wake up briefly, they’re asleep again within minutes. And in the meantime, I got my 30-90 minute run for the day. At this point, they try to insist on stroller runs for bedtime even on nights I planned not to run, so this system can be a double-edged sword.
As far as tech while running is concerned – I use a 920XT with quick release and have a mount on my Bob. This way I don’t have to twist my wrist to see my HR zone, pace, distance, time, or whatever metric I’m using for that run. A consequence of this is it will log the distances and heart rate no problem, but it doesn’t register any of your steps. Which is fine for me, because I wish Garmin gave the option of separating running steps from walking ones so run days didn’t throw off the averages. Also, I added a ‘Stroller Run’ profile on my watch (and in SportTracks) so that it’s easier to compare and analyze run metrics without the disparity of paces and HR efforts mucking up the stats (needless to say, as the kids get bigger my stroller runs get slower even as my non-stroller runs get faster from the increased leg strength).
I used to wear the Basis B1 and then Peak as my daily tracker, which I loved except for the rash the strap gives me, but running with a stroller tended to confuse it. Portions of the run during which I pushed the stroller two-handed, or with the hand on which I wore the Basis, tended to get logged as cycling time because it detected the elevated heart rate with a relatively static wrist position. Since I typically switch hands as I run, a 75 minute run might get logged on the Basis as an epic multi-sport brick workout alternating between a bunch of rides and runs. Not a big deal since I was recording with a Garmin for analysis purposes, but for anyone who relies on a device auto-detecting activities, it could be frustrating.
Best of luck to you. I hope your kid takes to riding the way my have. It proved critical to the sanity of the marriage when my partner and I lived together, and is even more essential now that we live apart and I have the kids on my own during the week.
Naturally YMMV. I did not use a Bob, but a much cheaper $100-150 jogger. I forget which company, but a big one that’s not nearly as nice as the BOB. My daughter didn’t fit after 2 years old, she was just too big (99th percentile giant).
Bike trailers didn’t last much longer, but that was also due to sunbathing rattlesnakes…
I never used the running stroller, but I did use a Burley bicycle trailer 30 years ago. Had twins and it worked great. One great feature was that it was completely enclosed with a screen. They had good visibility, fresh air, and their toys were captive. A friend had an open trailer and I had to ride behind him picking up the toys the kid would throw out. Fun times.
You are going to love stroller running! And yes, as the previous poster said, a Bluetooth speaker in definitely welcomed. My kids would fight in the double all the time until I put in the speaker with their favorite music.
Re: Gigantic Hotel Room
That is what fame gets you….
Thanks for sharing, the whole trip to Utah looks like a good times.
It looks like you were staying at the time share – The Canyons.
i would say $10 is the budget wine here in california. Plenty of good options there.
If you ever come to Houston, Jus Mac is what you are looking for regarding mac-n-cheese options.
Well that sounds just brilliant!
I want your life! ;-)
Stroller running was one of my favorite experiences as a dad.
My kids all enjoyed it, and I ran with all of them until they were around 5, most of the time in a double-wide non-Bob.
The Bob’s are a little more spacious and can fit the kids more comfortably as they get bigger. And the sunshade they have built in accommodates more variety of sun conditions.
Keeping the kids cool can be a challenge. I put ice packs between the back liner and the insertable stiffening cushion, at times.
Running advice: I found it easiest to run fully to the LH side (and at full arm extension, behind) of the stoller, controlling it with my right hand only, and really just resting my palm on the top bar, with a couple of fingers barely touching the brake lever, which I’d just for torque, when turning.
Adding a mountain bike style brake lever extension can help give more surface area to grip/accommodate more hand positions.
Enjoy this special time of your life!
Being in the middle of the US, it’s very hard to find a drinkable wine under $15, and I’m not of particularly discerning tastes. Supply/demand/shipping costs/liquor monopoly in my state.
Did you stay at the Canyons resort while you were in Utah?
Yup, I liked that little area.
“… The store only sells Mac computer stuff. As disappointing as someone cutting the cheese.”
really? oy vey. This is what happens when The Girl doesn’t get a chance to proof read your posts.
:)
Ditto to all the stroller comments. My son usually runs with me around his nap time.
Also alternating handgrip on the flats every mile or so, and 2 hands for climbs, bridges.
If your child is above the 90th percentile, they may have head room issues by the time they are three years old.
The Bob is good for racing too (at approved races) I almost broke 20 in the 5K with my son.
DC can you do some info about xert
Yup, working on it!
Thanks man
My friend and I are pretty hooked onto the ibike Newton, as u know its a very cheap option for a PM considering u can get a second hand one off eBay for $200.
He uses it with their app so he has GPS data for strava, I though stream it to my garmin unit etc…
You haven’t done a real review on the newton, we were wondering when ur going to do that.
Cheers
I don’t plan a review of the Newton.
While I have one, I just find it weird. It’s a poor bike computer, thought the underlying wind tech is the same as the PowerPod, so for not much more you can get the PowerPod and it’s a much smaller package and a bit cleaner on the bars.
That said, if you want to know about the accuracy of that tech, check out my PowerPod review: link to dcrainmaker.com
+1 on that. I’ve imported data into xert, but I haven’t figured out what it’s telling me.
Looks like you were in my neck of the woods! Your a weekend late of Ragnar. Looks like you had fun though. The mountain biking is top notch there. Good to see you back having fun in the US of A.
+1 for running with the Bob. I had twins in the ironman version and it was great – save when the kid or kids woke up and I was five miles from home…
Also I have a ton of experience in Park City w various rental companies both bike and ski. Pretty much my experience – though when I snapped my chain and field fixed it by banging the pin in against the chain stay (AL mountain bike way off road) I was pretty stoked they didn’t care or didn’t notice the difference. That’s not to say your bike shouldn’t have been in better condition.
And bravo for your ending wine rub it in…it can be difficult to find quality wind (outside of California) for less than $20. So I drink far less than I might. But less wine is good for my climbing.
Any chance a review of that Camile R100 will be out soon?
I’ve first gotta unbox it. :)
I Love my BOB stroller. It has served my kids well for years of naps. It was the only stroller we had for a long time before getting an umbrella stroller that we gave up on. We found that BOB sells an “Infant Car Seat Adapter” that you can bolt on that will let you lock in most infant car seats. With this, we used the bob as our every day stroller as we didn’t want to own two.
Plusses:
It folds up nicely and we never have trouble checking it at the end of the jetway / jet bridge when we fly.
It has just enough room in the foot-well for our 2nd kid to sit there when he’s tired of walking while our youngest sits in the main seat.
very solid construction
wheels go on and off very easily
faux-sheepskin seat cover is warm
rain cover works great
Great for easy to moderate trail runs as well
Minuses:
The valves are shorter than they should be and hard to use (on our 2010 model anyway)
Odd size replacement tubes.
front wheel lock / trim screw hard to keep adjusted.
I never bothered to put a handbrake on the stroller but I do wear the long wrist strap that loops around the brake bar by the back wheels when I jog.
I look forward to reading about your experience with it.
Bobsled is insane!
I wonder if the stabilizer of a Sony camera would give better images
Indeed it might of a bit. Though it was interesting, I actually chatted with the guys about cams, and they specifically noted the Sony camera mount didn’t survive a single run. One of 3-4 action cams that they’ve broken over the last few years. The forces are really pretty incredible, especially the vibrations.
the bob run filmed with the virb xe with telemetry data would have been very interesting.
Yeah, unfortunately I didn’t take one with me on the trip. :(
What I saw though from the FR735XT in terms of GPS was that it just didn’t update fast enough for the tracks curves. However, the VIRB XE’s accelerometer/g-forces would indeed definitely have been cool to see!
You can overlay telemetry on gopro video if you use the garmin VIRB edit. Instructions here
link to youtube.com
Yeah, I thought about doing it, but since the data I captured from the FR735XT was pretty useless on the bobsled track, it would have kinda been a ‘crap-in, crap-out’ type exercise. :(
Ray,
My comment was more for Marius who suggested a VIRB was necessary. I was pretty sure you knew. Don’t ask me why. Just a guess.
Love hearing about your sporting adventures on holiday!
Just something you might want to clarify – the bike shop providing the substandard road bike – was that the same as the one that invited you mountain biking (the Mountain Velo folk)?
No, different bike shop. Sorry, I thought I had noted that in the text, but maybe it wasn’t clear.
I rented bikes from White Pines Touring, which is where I usually rent bikes from.
We have a mountain buggy terrain as running stroller (also as normal stroller). I liked the big wheels for running, but the locked front wheel sometimes has a tiny offset to the right or left. I think depending on air pressure or the screw that holds the wheel locked. I dislike the constant steering to the right!
Big pros are, the stroller carries your water with long runs and is comfy for our sun.
Big disadvantage is the size in the back of the car.
I do recommend to run with fingerless bike gloves. I tend to switch hands from time to time and need both with steering a bigger turn due to the locked front wheel.
Question Ray: So I run with my fenix 3 with HRM-run and footpod. The fenix is on my left wrist, which is also my prefered wrist while buggy running. The steps counted during the run are displayed in the post run analysis, also L/R is usually around 50/50%. So the watch compensates for my left hand not making a normal running gestured/movement (there is no swing as usual). BUT, does the background steps-per-day compensate for that too and use the footpod or hrm-run data at that moment?
I see you have the revolution. At your running speed you really should get them Ironman for 2 reasons. First it’s much safer than the revolution because of the fixed wheel. The flexible wheel is nice for post-run strolling but if you hit a pothole at high speed thinking it’s nice to be able to turn easily you could flip the whole thing. So you have to lock it in place facing forward but than it’s no different than the Revolution and in fact worse which is reason 2. The fixed wheel can be minutely adjusted for straight tracking which at high speed is critical!! If you’re running sub-18 5k you need to be able to let it roll and not keep adjusting it’s direction every 20 feet. A bonus reason is that the Ironman is much lighter! Again, at high speed you want lighter. For fast running that you 2 might want to do, I cannot recommend the Ironman more. Ironman is for hardcore running, Revolution is nice but a compromise for post-run flexibility and for less hardcore running. And note that the Itonman is much easier to turn than the Revolution with a locked front wheel. I had a double Ironman BOB at fast speeds and tried Revolution in comparison and it was night and day. No question, you need Ironman for safety and speed.
I disagree completely. I initially used the Ironman (and a different fixed-wheel jogger) and found it useful only on long straight tracks – for urban and running running on roads and sidewalks, the maneuverability of the rotating front wheel completely outperforms fixed front wheels.
The only time I fix the front wheel now is climbing the stairs at the front of the house, to provide stability as the front wheel catches higher steps as I ascend.
Hmm, isn’t one of the main appeals of the Revolution Pro (the one I have) that you can lock the wheel if you want? Thus, it swings both ways in terms of how the two units work?
Yes, on the Revolution you can lock the front wheel. But running with the front wheel locked on the Revolution is not the same as running with the Ironman, on which the wheel cannot turn at all.
One of the biggest differences has to do with turning. With a rotating front wheel, turns are straightforward – the stroller goes where you push it, with the wheel rotating based on your physical guidance. With a fixed front wheel, turning often involves pushing down on the handlebar to raise the front wheel slightly as you change the vector of force applied to turn the stroller.
The Ironman, and other fixed-wheel strollers, the stroller is designed with a longer wheel-base and a center of gravity aligned to improve that style of turning. The Revolution is not designed that way. Its shorter wheel-base and more-even weight distribution make tipping it for turns less easy – it takes more downward force on the handlebar than the Ironman does, which is more challenging when you’re running at speed and not immediately on top of the handlebar. In other words, it is considerably easier to turn using the Ironman than the Revolution with its wheel fixed. But, as I wrote earlier, I have found that for urban running, and even on congested mixed-use paths, the maneuverability of a rotating front wheel is MUCH better than the fixed wheel. Even at the expense of the weight penalty of the hardware for the rotating wheel.
The other big difference between a naturally fixed front wheel like on the Ironman and a Revolution with its front wheel fixed is that the Revolution may not track as true a straight line. There’s a jawn for tweaking the left/right balance, which the Ironman doesn’t need since its version of straight is built-in and immutable. Still, since I don’t run in places where I can reasonably expect to be going straight for longer than a couple of blocks (and even then I’m dodging pedestrians, avoiding garbage cans awaiting collection, making sharp turns at corners to catch curb-cuts, et cetera), the rotating front wheel has been essential.
Honestly, the wine may be cheap but you’re paying much much more for other things and getting less. The cost of living there versus here (obviously depending on where in the US) is probably way more overall.
Generally speaking in Europe we pay more for things than in the states (at almost every level, except TV/Internet/Phone service and in France, hospital bills). Though not usually outsized. In most ways we find our cost of living equivalent to in Washington DC (to Paris).
However wine is really a huge oddity in my mind. In Europe wine is very heavily regulated in terms of every aspect of growing and cultivating – all of which increase costs. Also, workers are generally very well paid here compared to agricultural works in the states. Which is why it’s odd to me the huge difference in price between US and Europe wines. In reality, it should be the opposite.
Labour/regulations has little to do with the US/FR wine price difference. The market will bear what the market will bear, and few $25 US bottles would be able to fetch 20 € in FR, yet many 7 € FR bottles could be sold for $20 in US. Different consumers with divergent value expectations.
If you ever make it to Cleveland or Columbus, Ohio, look up Melt Bar and Grilled. They have a sandwich called the Mighty Macaroni / Creamy homemade macaroni & cheese battered and deep fried, layered with cheddar cheese sauce & your favorite Melted cheese. It’s insane. Just be ready to go run or bike for a day or two to burn the carbs.
link to meltbarandgrilled.com
OMG.
Now I just need an excuse to divert my flight there!
Next time you are in Houston, stop into Jus’ Mac. It is the gourmet mac-n-cheese mecca you seek.
Which GARMIN are you wearing the day you ride the bobsled?
It is the 735xt. Ray, how did you get a bobsled activity type on there? Clearly there is no built in option for that.
I found the option to give a custom name to a new activity. So it is possible. Part of the custom activity setup.
Hi Ray, curious what camera you used to take the night jumping/pool shot. Hovering over the photo, it appears that the photo is labeled as a DSC , which I think is a Sony format.
I think you used a Sony a6300 at Sea Otter earlier this year, did you buy one? I’m trying to decide on a new travel camera (e.g. Nikon D5500 vs. Sony a6300) myself.
For the night pool shot they were on the new Nikon D500 DX. :) All hand-held.
I did rent a Sony A6300 at Sea Otter, but never quite ended up purchasing one. Still tempted…
Cool, thanks Ray! The Nikon D500 is a really nice camera. Hope you are recovering from the Extravaganza. It was a lot of fun
Ray – You left out the best part of the pool,on August 20th they are opening it to the general public to go down as a slip and slide! link to utaholympiclegacy.org You, the girl and Peanut going back, er, I mean conducting high-impact wet-suit and action-cam testing?
Funny, they were actually doing that same event two days later after I was there, that weekend! Wished we could have done that!