Heads up – Massive Sports Tech Holiday Deals List is Live!!! The Garmin Fenix 8 is $250 off (even the Fenix 8 Pro is $100 off!), the Apple Watch Ultra 3 is on sale, the Garmin inReach Mini 2 is $249, the GoPro Hero 13 Black, DJI NEO, and a ton of other brands/deals, including Wahoo, Oura, Whoop, Polar, Samsung, Google, and more than 100 sports tech deals 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!
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 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.
Set up my new Kickr Snap!
getting ready for another wet ride here in northern california.
Last week of training before taper for aquathlon race.
Beer. Long Saturday ride. Beer. Long trainer ride Sunday. A little more beer.
I completed my long ride for the weekend today a 2hour zwift ride that took me all over and final map looked like I was very lost.
Tomorrow I have an hour long cycle followed by a short run
Sunday I have a 12 mile run scheduled.
I’m participating in an olympic triathlon this sunday, so about 40 km. that’s about it.
Ramping up my training with a 75-mile ride
Looks like i’ll be riding on Zwift Saturday then hitting up an AHL hockey game. Sunday i’m going to cheer on the GF for her 5k race. Stages would be cool :)
Skiing in Utah!
35 mile trip up GMR
Zwift, probably, because it’s gonna be cold here this weekend…
Hoping to get out both days for a couple hours
Two hour ride on the trainer
Based in the central highlands of Afghanistan, where the forecast ranges from -15 to 0 C for the weekend, I’m hoping to get out for a ride to Kermon and back – about 16 miles each way.
it is suppose to be a snowy weekend, I’m going to some winter hiking instead
Either Zwift or a ride outside if all goes well
Snowing here. Plan to take the “fat” dog for a run and to get coffee on the porteur. Hopefully work on my base on the trainer.
Outdoors ride MN Headed for 60 degrees sun
Hitting the trainer hard…and probably a trip or two the the gym
Working all weekend :( but long ride planned for first day off!!
A long slow trainer ride Sunday after my half marathon Saturday is what I have going on for cycling this weekend.
Full on rain so it’s still Tacx trainer time.
I am competing in Southern Cross tomorrow (55 mile race). Hoping not to embarrass Lance too badly. Seriously though, newer to the sport and looking for any help to make gains!
Two sessions on trainer road in my pain cave, while watching Strade Bianchi, or MLS soccer!
2 hours on the trainer or road at an Ironman pace, wife and child permitting.
Our epic journey starts with peanut butter pancake. The best fuel to get us though our long tough journey ahead. An eighty miles chill ride on smooth farm roads, a cuban sandwich with sweet potato chips, and a baby pool full of jello. Best weekend ride ever.
RIding on rollers.
Weekend plans are to enjoy some trainer time. But … if I win these, they can power my bike. These things power the bike, right?
last open water swim in the bay without a wetsuit as the water is getting cold again =(
30 miles on Sunday, weather permitting.
try out Zwift for the first time since it’s going to be raining (again) in San Francisco
Spending a weekend in the sun in CA.
Last ride in sweet spot base II on TrainerRoad this Saturday.
-20 C in Canada Eh, so indoor biking it is
Unfortunately it will be sub 20 degrees here, so my weekend cycling plans involve a trainer and a warm basement!
90min with trainerroad Saturday morning followed by 2hrs with friends outside in 30deg weather.
Getting a cycling threshold assessment at a local lab this weekend.
Really looking forward to the results.
My bikes are in a shipping container, so I guess I’m just being jelous of the great weather…
haven’t been able to ride recently – wish I could say I was in a hot tub at a ski resort as the reason!
Have ridden 136km this morning 900m of ascending, going for a 20+km run later
2 rides on Trainer Road 1hr30min and 2 hrs…..ouch!!!!… on my inside ride rollers.
Team group ride on Sunday
Mountain biking Saturday
3 days 24mi with 2 days shorter hill climbs. 1 longer ride on the weekend?
Riding fat bike Saturday morning with friends. temp 29 F
CompuTrainer for a few hours….
Just a easy 90 minute Trainer Road recovery ride.
Need to back off a little this weekend. Just planning an easy 90 min ride around Zwift-land.
If i can out of the house Sunday I’ll be riding 15k feet of gain with my cycling buddies.
Spd2 six pack double dams.
Indoor spinning session.
Might go for short ride if it warms up. Probably swim at the Y.
Indoor trainer still raining in Sydney & hasn’t stopped for two weeks
The plan for the weekend is for a bit of Zwift on Saturday and a 20-30 mile ride with my wife on Sunday and if I’m lucky a 30ish mile ride Monday.
A 2+ hour ride on zwift and hopefully some open water swimming
I’m one of the buddies Aharon^ referred to. We’re optimistic that we’ll be able to do 15 laps of a local climb called Zoo Hill for 15,000 ft of gain. Wish us luck!
Zero plans for cycling for now, but training for a half marathon, plus doing cross country skiing commentary on TV. That is a busy weekend
No ride likely but I will get a run in tomorrow.
Playing catch up on the hills and hopefully actually catching up on the decents then home to cook the wife a birthday dinner :)
Getting back on the trainer for the first time in a month
New volcano climb in Zwift.
Easy spin @ Z2
Fartlek Run
I’ve got a 45-ish mile ride (hopefully on my new bike) scheduled for tomorrow (followed by a 5k run to make it a brick) and then probably an 11ish mile run on Sunday. Got a duathlon next weekend to start the multisport season, better get ready!
An impromptu snowboarding trip tomorrow has me ditching the bike for the slopes. I haven’t been in a few years so I’m super syched, plus my wife is going too which is always the best way to snowboard.
Terrible weather, but I’m determined to get out and do some gravel riding – I need to catch up on some overdue bike maintenance as well – installing a new power meter would be icing on the cake :)
Working all weekend but riding to and from work to get some miles!
The 40mph winds and well below freezing temperatures forecast for tomorrow here on Long Island suggest that riding on the trainer will be the go. A big change from last weekends “summer in February” when it was definitely outdoor cycling weather and I ditched my long run for a day of riding. We’ll see if am brave enough to reverse it and leave the comfort of the trainer for an on foot battle against the wind tomorrow ….
Going up to Ojai, CA to climb the 33 up to Rose Valley – should be a perfect day!
I am riding on Sunday – if it rains I will do a virtual reality climb – Col de Vergio Porto, Corsica, and if it is nice I will go over to the North Shore here in Vancouver and do some climbing.
Too cold for my taste to ride. Any ride would be a Pokemon Go outing with my boys anyway. Running is on the menu for the weekend. Ragnar is on the schedule for spring.
4hr ride with 1200m ascent as a start tapering ahead of the Cape Epic
Trainer Saturday….
4hrs all levels on Saturday, 5hrs endurance / Tempo for Sunday
Road ride on Saturday
90 Minute ride on Saturday and relaxing on Sunday.
Saturday is a trail half marathon but Sunday I’ll be on the ole Computrainer doing a 2 hour Trainer Road workout to get ready for IM Puerto Rico 70.3.
My plan is a weekend of brick workouts in sunny Los Angeles! Saturday – ocean swim (Finally!!) to 2 hour run, Sunday – Bike to run (despite the rainy weather forecast!)
How did you know I need this? I’m riding solo on Saturday and again on Sunday, but with a group. Thanks, Ray!
I run and I don’t bike, but if I win, I may just have to buy a bike
Long trainer ride Sat, outdoors with the boys on Sun. All sans power meter :(
It’s back to normal winter weather here in Pennsylvania so it’s probably the gym again for me this weekend. Soon!
I just finished skiiing four days in a row but I live in Denver where any given winter day can be a road bike day! Will probably do that this weekend, it’s warm here.
On call and sketchy weather, so I’m stuck on the trainer this weekend. Sure would be sweet to have a new power meter for the nicer weather ahead.
Putting in some time with Trainer Road.
So I’m gonna do a 45 mile route Saturday arvo to the grocers. Then, Sunday I do it all over again, this time to the bakery to get onion rolls & baked goods for brekkie. Mind you, both of these placed ate within 4 miles of my home. At least it’s warm enough in New Jersey now that I don’t need rum in my water to keep it from freezing. I don’t quite like the taste of the rum water, but I do like it better that way than frozen,
A mix of mtbing and xc skiing.
hoping to get in 30 miles or so
If weather is good I’ll go out biking, otherwise I’ll bike in Wattopia.
Does Clever Training ship discretely? Cuz I’d have to hide this from my wife. Otherwise, she’ll steal it! ; )
In any case, just continuing with trainerroad and maybe a run.
I’ll be away and camping this weekend, but I did a zwift weekend before leaving this morning
A couple of easy rides on the trainer. And a couple of runs. Plus homemade cinnamon buns!
I have zero plans for cycling this weekend, because I’m running as well as travelling. I guess next weekend it is! And then today I thought I saw you in the Atlanta airport, so I randomly shouted “Ray” several times to a gentleman who could have been you, and was wearing a tyr triathlon backpack. Probably wasn’t you.
I am going to do hill repeats getting ready for some riding in Death Valley.
I plan to spend 3 hours exploring the zwift world on watopia ?
No cycling plans for me up, running only this weekend. Probably do some cross training on my bike next week
Zwifting for 3-4 hours. Weekly ride to the top of the mountain ))
Roads here are dry and mostly ice free; until the blizzard next week that is… Definitely time for a quick ride in between winter storms!
The winter has lingered here in Vancouver BC and the cold/flu season has followed me all the way. I’ll be lucky to get on Zwift if I feel better. My Kickr has been collecting a bit of dust these past few months. Now that you mentioned it, I should have planned the hot tub at Whistler!
Long trainer ride over the weekend. GFNY, here I come.
Missed our club TT championships this morning due to being called out to work last night and getting home at 4am. So, looking to do a couple of TT efforts this afternoon followed by a bunch recovery ride tomorrow. Now that my body clock is out of whack, hopefully I can stay awake for at least 50% of Strade Bianche…
Peaking for Ironman Florida 70.3. Have to do 60 miles in the morning.