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…
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.
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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!
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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.
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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 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.
Always great to see some pics from NFLD. Is that running trail outside St John’s or around the bay where The Girl’s family lives? It looks to be very well maintained (minus the water and mud on the single track bit of course).
It’s at Voisey’s Brook: link to goo.gl
They’ve created a boatload of trails that opened about 2-3 years ago. Really nice for running around. You can do about 3-5KM per loop without repeating with a bit of creativity. That single-track bit isn’t technically part of the network, but a spur off to another road I can sometimes use in summer.
I always love your posts! Since you are running trails – have you done any posts comparing accuracy of various watches on forested runs? I’m kind of stuck in Garmin world so would love to know if Fenix 5s has exact accuracy as Fenix 5 and 5x… seems like sensor on 5s is smaller since the whole watch is smaller. or am I actually better off just using my super old but perfectly functional 620 with a footpod for better accuracy??
Also… totally unrelated but meant to ask, can The Girl please do a few more baby/ running mama – gear posts?
I’ve done some here and there as it happens to fit into whatever review timeline I’m working on. But I don’t have access to super-dense forests most of the time (in Paris) – like you might find in mountain areas. Still, sometimes it just happens to work out. With Newfoundland, the trees are mostly pretty short due to the harsh weather, so not too difficult for GPS.
And check on The Girl! She does talk a fair bit about it within the DCR Newsletter too!
Keith’s Light!
Funny, I also had the same vintage Fuji roubaix as my first road bike. It’s also sitting in my parents’ garage…
No mention of the iceberg?
Does Lucy travel in the cabin?
Any problems going to different countries?
I figured I’d save the iceberg for later. Plus, happened a bit later on Monday.
Yup, Lucy travels in the cabin in a bag below the seat. Zero issues. We do declare her on customs and stuff coming into various countries, and as long as we don’t try and bring her to Australia – we’re all good!
Pointing up saddle ?
Yeah, the saddle is a bit of a mess. I was noticing it myself on my ride yesterday and today. Gotta change it!
Ha! You can’t swing a dead cat without hitting 4 or 5 Tim Horton’s in TO.
I sure miss Timmys. No real equivalent here in So Cal.
Also, Alexander Keith’s “India Pale Ale” is an IPA in name only. Tastes nothing like a real IPA. I hope you got to sample some *proper* IPAs in San Diego.
In my experience, I’d leave a set of pedals, and maybe an old pair of shoes. I’ve gotten home too many times only to discover that I forget either the pedals or shoes. And it’s a long way to the nearest bike shop :-(
Yeah, I have both pedals/helmet/shoes here. But I like taking in the P1 and my shoes if possible. I had plenty of room this time in my suitcase. So tossed them in.
That flight via Toronto is really demoralizing, we always try to go through LHR since we’ve had kids… Have you tried running on the East Coast Trail at all? Cobbler Path (trailhead here: link to goo.gl) is beautiful and no snow left, or Picco’s Ridge (up from Portugal Cove here: link to goo.gl) – that one is harder, more technical, steep (200m climb), but amazing views of Conception Bay and Bell Island, about 2km in. Anyway enjoy the time in NL!
Yeah, the LHR option is so much better. A million times better (which is a rare thing to say about LHR).
Unfortunately, we can’t take Lucy (the dog) via that route due to stupid LHR/British Airways rules.
Thanks for the routes – I might give them a whirl over the next week!
I just sent you a note about going via LHR as well…surely some air carrier can accommodate you from CDG or ORY to LHR besides BA, and if not what about the Eurostar. If booked in advance I’m guessing it can’t be much worse? I did it once from Brussels with 3 kids under 6 and rode the underground from I think it was St. Pancras to LHR on the tube and survived to joke about it now!
Anyway thanks for sharing your weekend with us.
There are also seasonal direct flights (May to October) between London Gatwick and Dublin to St John’s.
Yes, thanks for those extra trail suggestions!
Yeah, the new Westjet option is great eastbound, as you can make a really nice connection to Paris in good time. Westbound though the flight unfortunately leaves too early in the morning, so you have to stay the night in Dublin. Shame it wasn’t just 30-45 minutes later. I suspect next summer we’ll see them realize that.
Gatwick is interesting. Up until a few months back there were zero Gatwick-Paris flights. Do you had to do the Heathrow/Gatwick shuffle (always sucks). But Vueling added a boatload of flights over the summer/fall. Vueling is owned by Iberia, who is in turn owned by British Airways. So you can make connections in a logical manner.
Yeah, I think Eurostar has basically killed off the market flying London-Paris for city centre to city centre travel but there is still a market for flight connections.
I hope Vueling don’t use the BA IT systems otherwise you would be vulnerable to “power surges” in their data centres ;) .
Indeed, city center to city center – definitely Eurostar.
However, I have found that if I have meetings outside of London, generally LHR works better. Just easier than dealing with getting back out of the city.
When do you think you would be able to post full M430 review? Not buying one before I read it :)
Probably next week. I think I’ve got all the data I need at this point. Just a matter of sitting down and knocking out the text and associated photos.
So are the in-laws accustomed to their internet connection being swamped with 4K video uploads when you’re in town??? :-)
I don’t think Newfoundland interwebs were designed for 4K. I set most uploads to do their thing while I’m asleep. :)
Looking forward to your M430 review :D
Can’t wait to hear more about the Dash. Any initial thoughts?
Overall I think they’re doing cool stuff. I think they’re probably after a more limited market right now with it. Basically, I think they keep with those that like an SRM PC8, except the Dash has more features and costs half as much.
On the flipside, the ease of use is more complex than a Garmin/Wahoo unit. It takes more getting used to how it works and the customization pieces. Not hard, just not dumb-simple – if that makes sense.
I think if you like tinkering and are more techy – it’s a cool product to go along for the ride on now. But in some ways I think it’s kinda like the ELEMNT a year ago – it’s gonna need about 8-10 more months of people hammering on it (real people, lots of them) for it to find its finesse. Sorta like how Wahoo did between the ELEMNT and the BOLT. Now both products are awesome, but at launch the original ELEMNT sometimes rubbed early adopters the wrong way.
The Dash has been removed from the Clever Training site? ?
It’s a temporary thing, it’ll be back in June 6th. Apparently some miscommunications.
Still not there…
There now: link to clevertraining.com
Enjoy!
Ordered, thanks!
Are you still working on a New Balance RunIQ review?
No, not at this point. I killed the previous one somehow and have been too lazy to get another one (they’ve offered, just low on the totem pole).
Even if Android Wear 2.0 fixes all of the numerous software issues I saw with it (there were tons), it won’t fix one key thing: The optical HR sensor. It’s simply a crappy sensor they bought from Intel, who acquired it from the Basis units. So it’s great for 24×7…except the RunIQ doesn’t do 24×7, it only does workout HR. And that sensor is horrible for workout HR. :-/
(Something I found in the weeks I had it before I killed it)
Hi Ray, what do you think about new Favero powermeter Assioma? Seems very good device!
If it’s accurate, it’ll do very well. I’m optimistic they’ll get that right. I’m less optimistic they’ll get production volumes right. They really struggled with that for…well…ever. Which means it may be a long time until people start seeing units in any volumes out there.
Still, great specs for the money! They’re working to get me a review unit in shortly.
your daughter is very cute!
:) Thanks!
Great. Hope to see a comparison between warm and cold weather performance of the m430 optical heart rate sensor.
Have you tried Newfy Screech Rhum? It is my favorite, but my Candadian friends think I’m nuts!
I’ve been screeched in a long time ago, though I’m not typically one to drink it otherwise. :)
Hi Ray; do you plan to post a Versailles tri race report? Thanks!
Yup! Still plan to!
Dude,
That beer (Keith’s) is the finest ever made and if I were allowed any gluten in my life, I’d have a fridge full of it. Enjoy!
Keith’s India Pale Ale isn’t the worst beer I’ve ever had, but it’s definitely not an IPA. False advertising in my opinion.