Heads up! The big Garmin spring sale has started, with $200 off the Fenix 8, $100 off the Edge 1050, Forerunner 965, Forerunner 265, and countless other Garmin products. Full list & thoughts 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:
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/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!
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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 2024 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.
Long ride sunday
Muddy crossbike training
Nice (short) ride with the wife to break in our new-to-us tandem, then some solid time with the TT or CX bike.
A short easy run on Saturday and a long run on Sunday!
Wood working and cycling!
Hiking and biking
I will be wishing I had a GoPro Hero5 to capture this 60 mile ride I’m doing with my friends.
Climbing an ice cascade in the Swiss Alps.
Hiking on Saturday and easy cycling on Sunday.
Ride
5k zombie race Saturday morning, then off to work.
Hopefully the resumption of ultra marathon training, having missed the past two weeks through illness!
Long run on Saturday in preparation for an upcoming marathon (CIM), and spectating at Austin 70.3 on Sunday.
Brazilian Ju Jitsu with my 5 yr old
Hiking
Gentle run Saturday and recover on Sun. after knee injury :)
core stability and long run!
Saturday: 4 hours on the road followed by a zwift race in the evening! Sunday: Good time out on the MTB with mates ?
I’ll enjoy the sun for a (last?) long bike ride.
Punch my legs for a few hours on Saturday and Sunday to emulate the pain that’ll be in store for me for next weeks bike brick. :)
Winter landed with a wet snowy plop here in Canada’s capital so taking it indoors with 2 back to back Spin classes on Saturday morning
23 days and a wake up til Ironman Arizona
Sat – Swim-4000M
Bike 5 Hrs
Sun – Run 18 miles
This weekend I’m going to make a run of 15km and also get some geocaches ;-)
Steady run after recovering from injury!
Fall bike rides through the leaves!
Saturday long run and Sunday recovery.
Some transition practicing for an upcoming triathlon race next December.
If the weather agrees I’ll spend Saturday morning in the woods on on my MTB, and Sunday I hope to approximately 80 slow k’s on the road with a couple of friends. All of this will happen in the Taunus mountains north of Frankfurt am Main, Germany, where I’m living/working for the time being.
Setting up the new bike trainers :)
This weekend my new husband and I are going to go hike to the active volcano and spot out some sweet rental bikes on the big island. It may be off season but our love for bikes and adventure doesn’t stop on honeymoon!
10K (Firemen’s race) in Barcelona. It will be hard after not training…
Easy 5k today (done) and 9K fast on the cards for Saturday.
On Sunday, rest.
Dealing with an infection, so rest i guess
Hill repeats on the bike. Then repeats into the Halloween candy dish!
Taking some club members for a 100 mile ride Saturday, And Sunday taking my daughter on her first run over 11km, with grandmas Sunday roast as a finishers treat :-)
And no, I’m not sure why i riding in miles but running in KM’s..
Sat: 6x1km @ 4:15-4:30min and stabi workout, Sun: 90min easy run at 80%HF, with new shoes……
Race of Zwift.
Long ride on Zwift.
Running fitness test tomorrow, open water wetsuit practice swim on Sunday in preparation for next weekends triathlon – eeek!
my answer truly is cool ;)
Nothing special, the usual ride
Learning a new skill for my profession – attending a Neurokinetic therapy course, so just brain training this weekend :-)
Just a wee run.
10k race in the area
mountain biking
Nothing! Drinking, eating. I’m in a 2 week rest period after a marathon and before ironman training starts.
long run outside on the trails. just got new shoes i want to try out, so maybe 2 long(er) runs :)
Some light running for both days.
Tapering for the D&L Half Marathon next weekend
riding my bike and surfing!
A day of sailing and a half-marathon (new PR!)
Rain ride.
An easy spin on the trainer this evening. Tomorrow morning I have a Halloween 5k race, then will be doing a cycling FTP test (Spinervals Competition 27.0 – Threshold Test & Suffer Fest) in the afternoon. Sunday will be a 13.1 mile run followed by a 30-40 mile ride on the trainer.
That GoPro would look great on my BIKE!
Recovering from my first full ironman… Maybe a little trail riding.
It’s gonna be a run and Martial Arts for me! :-) Thanks again for this giveaway!
Easy run – Long run – Zombies!!!
Riding Long.
Nice trail run while they are still dry!
Painting. Maybe a run to work out the kinks.
Last long run before NYC marathon!
I wanted to have a good cycling day from Girona to Sant Feliu de Guixols but Avis has told me they cancel my reservation and I won’t be able to bring my bike there… so change of plans. Maybe running a bit, my usual 8K training circuit.
I plan to go for a family hike this Saturday. A bike ride too, if I’m lucky!
My son and I would both love a Hero5 Black. It would fulfill his dreams to become a YouTube superstar, just like you Ray!
Still keeping up with the triathlon training even though the season is over. I’ll get a swim in on Friday and a long run on Saturday. Sunday, ahhh, a day of rest!
Long run Saturday and then short communal run Sunday
Rest.
Well…. i am on my boat this week but on Monday i am on leave so a nice long all day ride as soon as i get back as daughter at scholl and wife at work. Tuesday i have a 5k run to do with Zombies Run virtual race. I have then earned my medal!
Ice my injured knee
Some mountain biking and test flight for the Philly Half…many miles will be run this weekend.
Sweetspot training and an easy sundayride
Have to rest :-( … some virus successfully attacked me…
I’m going to ride and run around Boulder!
It’s still October so nothing.
TrainerRoad and gym sessions!
What’s on the docket? 2.5 hours on Saturday staring at a wall riding a trainer and tweaking up bike position for next year after getting a new saddle. Fun stuff!
Each 5-mile race in Central Park on Sunday as I prepare for the NYC marathon next week.
I hope the trails aren’t muddy this week!
I’ll run 100 km this week… a first!
I am hooking up the trainer for some quality indoor riding!
Some Zwifting and maybe an irl ride
Cross goal #1 for 2016 off the list
A 100K MTB tour on Sunday between Scherpenheuvel (Belgium) and Hapert (The Netherlands) with my 3 MTB buddies !
A trip to Iasi! Then a walk in the city.
ACL rehab!! hitting the gym and then doing some work on the elliptical
Nothing special. Just a couple runs. still rebuilding.
Road and mountainbike.
Fixing the flat I got on my homeward bound commute yesterday and attempting to re-true the slightly wonky section on that wheel as I do it. Maybe some stationary training before the week starts up again and the longer rides begin.
60km bike. Cant wait
buncha long runs!
Teaching my 2 and 4 year old boys how to Ice Skate
Cyclocross! Or no, wait, NOTHING…MY STUPID BACK WENT OUT! Sure could use that GoPro to film my buddies doing the CX race I can no longer do. Dang!
Bike, swim, eat, sleep, repeat.
Recovery weekend ;)
A tempo and long run this weekend with a couple bike rides after each run. Trying to get into marathon shape while still maintaining bike fitness.
Saturday running, Sunday “mtbing”
Less than 4 weeks until Philadelphia Marathon and following the Hanson Marathon Method I have 8 easy on Saturday and 16 long on Sunday (though the lake I run at is 6 miles around so I’ll be doing 18). Would love, love, love a Hero 5. Win or not thanks Ray for the opportunity to play and you’re awesome blog and reviews!!!
Bike, run and take kids to dance class.
A long ride in a rain storm.
Niagara International Marathon Sunday morning – 10am.
Going Zwifting of course!
A nice long run on the trails, and we’ll see what Sunday has in store.. Group run?