Heads up! The big Garmin annual spring sale has started, with $200 off the Fenix 8 (first sale to date!), $100 off the Edge 1050, Forerunner 965 at $499, the Forerunner 265, the new Instinct 3, and countless other Garmin products including inReach Mini 2. Plus the Apple Watch Ultra 2 Black Titanium is on sale, and some Suunto & Wahoo product deals too. 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!
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.
Recovering from the flu, so just an easy spin or two.
No real training this weekend, but did lots of cleaning for my new wife.
short bike ride around town and suburbans with my visiting friend
finishing my master thesis so this weekend the only adventure is the adventure og huge amounts of coffee and writing jitters, maybe mixed with a short zwift session just to keep my sanity :D
biking in circles
I’m going to go for a nice long-ish run, granted my plantar fascitis issues don’t act a fool. Thanks for hosting the giveaway!
I would be doing some intervals in the park, but I’ll be at a wedding out of town so instead I’ll be celebrating and making up for my missed workouts next week.
Putting finishing touches to IM 70.3 Raleigh and easy swims. Carlos
Hiking the Grand Canyon!!!! Would love to have a great GPS Watch for handling further adventures like that!!!!
Weekend is over but tonight I’m going to take a slow ride to cure my aching back…
Well, not much of an adventure but I have Rossmann Run in Poland this saturday. 10km of hard work. This Garmin 935 is one sexy beast. Thank you for the contest.
Did some bike riding with my two little girls aged 3 and 6, not much of a workout but fun nonetheless. Have also been preparing for a sprint triathlon (my first ever) in june… must say I`m a bit anxious :D
lots of running and lots of cycling
Resting up… bulging disc in my back means not a lot of activity right now…
Heading out on a 12 mile run.
I’d love to win this! This weekend I’m moving, but I hope to squeeze in a workout if I can!
Went for 2 runs and hit the weight room! Weather is getting nice so it is time to get the bike back on the road.
Was lucky enough to get in a short 20 mi. ride after coaching daughter’s softball team all weekend.
I spent the weekend on a cruise ship, athletically drinking. Did get a pretty decent hike around Nassau in. Hope I win this!
Going on a 6 mile run with my husband, then dancing the night away at a wedding
This is a rest week. So i just spinned by two hours on Saturday.
My last long run in preparation for a half marathon next Friday.
Easy run and soccer with kids on Saturday, cheering and running around the race track and being good fan all Sunday (MTB WC in Nove Mesto). Love your giveaways!
Riding along the C&O Canal with the kids!
A simple belated Mother’s day hike in a backcountry area with the little one in tow.
Mountain biking!
I did a nice group bike ride
A brief round of gymnastic-esque activities followed by a hurried run through an airport, sitting at 600 mph and a bike home at the end of the day.
Last weekend was Air Show at Tinker Air Force Base and 55 miles of cycling around OKC. This weekend will be spent down in the DFW area. Considering a bike ride around White Rock Lake.
I’d do just an easy run!
Swim around the Santa Cruz Municipal Wharf, and a nice run and bike!
I’m going to attempt to ride the full Driftless Ten Thousand on Sunday!
Crit racing and a triathlon on sunday
Since my wife was out of town I took my kids and dog for an easy 5.5 mile run through our local park, followed of course with a trip to the bakery.
2017 CRW Spring Century – 104 miles
I went on a 11 km run to practice marathon’s pace.
Well, this past weekend was jsut a simple 7miler run, but this coming weekend (Memorial Day here in the states) is a triple header. Marathons on Sun, Mon, Tue! I’d LOVE a new 935 to reward myself for that ;)
Recovery weekend…so, cleaning out the garage, installing hanging bike racks, and getting the grill ready for the summer.
Headed up to Flagstaff to run on the AZT
My buddy got married! So I got my workout in by running groomsman errands.
Absolutely nothing!
Enjoying the fine Belgium weather this weekend and biking around town.
Continuing my running streak. Hopefully I’ll make it to the tri-sports shop to get help navigating tri training. Also, some tennis with my kiddos.
Going on a trail run with my wife!
Bautiful weather in Seattle for a change.. with it came some baseball, swimming, running and ending weekend with swift 13mile bike dash.
I spent the weekend with the kids before my trip to Comrades in South Africa.
A Saturday hike and a long bike ride in the hills on Sunday!
Indoor cycling to test my new trainer!!!
Crappy weather hampered my runs/biking activities, so I tilled the garden, cleaned out the shed and opened the pool..
Hope this counts
Enjoyed the great weather (finally!) and went for a nice run on a trail I haven’t run in years. Bring on the summer! :)
Love DC rainmaker! great reviews!
2×45 km MTB rides with some good mates. Preparing for 4 days of mountain biking in Harzen next weekend.
Cycling around the lake (and over the hills and through the woods).
A little trail run or a swim with the kids.
Just a little run to recover from the jetlag…
Ride, ride & ummm…. ride.
Cleaning the garage and a lot of walks with the dog, while waiting for my knee to get better ☺
Just ran 5.24 miles this morning for recovery. Felt great! Thanks for doing a giveaway!
I am leaving to head to South Africa with my husband to run the Comrades Ultra Marathon – Up run this year. It will be quite an adventure!
I had 2 swimming competitions
riding the sunny and warm French Riviera corniches around Eze, la Turbie and Nice. Lucky me ;-)
Cycling through the Arizona desert.
I went for my first real road ride of the year. ~39 miles and 3000 feet of climbing. A few PRs as well. :)
Running and biking on the Chicago Lakefront Trail (LFT)
Up to Pittsburgh and checking out some crossfit gyms!
My friends and I volunteered at the Auburn Triathlon this weekend, and I also helped out at my daughters’ swim meet.
It was a run (to much effort on Saturday) and a ride on Sunday.
I rode the Cheaha Challenge, and completed the Ultra course. 124+ miles, 12,000 feet of climbing in Alabama! Tough course, and I bonked pretty hard towards the end. But, I finished and my legs felt pretty good, so there’s that.
Had a nice 3 hour ride yesterday, checked out Cabrillo National Monument for the first time.
First Saturday of really warm temps here in Portland OR – perfect for a 31 mile TT ride to get ready for next months’ Tri season start!
Running up the foothills of Boulder.
Training run to try to improve my time in my fall races.
I ran a lot …
With the weather finally warming up, I am hitting the track from some 400m repeats with my running buddy, then doing the hard work of mowing the lawn and spreading 10 yards of mulch!
Running pushing son
Trail race and long run.
I just came back from a 2 week trip abroad, so I am looking forward to getting back to training and getting ready for my first half iron distance on June 4th!!
I’m planning on going kayaking this weekend!
Long, meandering ride exploring the Boston suburbs/exurbs to enjoy the great weather :-)
Hitting up the trainer to avoid the rain.
Let’s see, this weekend held running, hiking, lawn mowing, and watching my town’s unique multi-sport event (alpine ski, nordic ski, cycle, run, paddle, run) event!
Surfing the couch entire weekend! ;-)
Pushing the double-Bob.
Running the half in the Cleveland Marathon.
Start to running again after a year! Probably gonna die
4k open water swim @ Itapua lighthouse
A swim in the lake
70.3 No PR but still a decent day
20k Trail run!
Did some miles with RunDetroit.
I twisted my ankle this past weekend, so I will probably take it pretty easy this coming weekend. I may go for a bike ride if my ankle is feeling up to it.
Couple quick hikes with the family!
We had a family trail run, 3 kids soccer games, and one soccer game for me and some ikea adventure furniture building.
Did some cycling, weights, and running. Beautiful weather to be outside.
Two tandem rides with the COWS (Couples on Wheels…the Wisconsin tandem club).
Run in the sun! (hopefully)
Rode 118 km with my wife from Geysir to Thingvellir (Iceland) and back in wonderful weather.
I will be doing another training long run, preparing for Mt. Washington Road Race in 4 weeks!
Yard work and rest weekend prior to a big week of running & riding… Oregon coast trails here I come!
Going for a 16 km stroll in the parks of Munich plus a 40 km MTB tour!