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.
morning walk with my son
Running Bay2breakers with family in San Francisco.
I did a 9-mile run with 500 feet of climbing in preparation for an upcoming half marathon.
Long training ride followed by brick run on Saturday. Easier day in the saddle on Sunday.
Went out for a double on Saturday and helped out an Ironman friend to keep up the pace in his long run on Sunday.
I’ll be running around at my daughter’s graduation 2500 miles away. I can’t bring my bike for the trip. :(
I will be racing my bike in Bend Oregon for the Bend don’t Break road race.
Mountainbiking in Carbondale Colorado
Mountain biking with friends
Changed tyres to our car. Thats all.
my athletic adventure this sat will be swimming / running in San Francisco bay training for escape alcatraz triathlon .
No biking. Taking the bike apart. Painting the frame and putting it back together as DI2. So maybe a little running (while the paint dries).
Taking my daughter(23 months) for a hike!
Amar
300k ride!
Short ride on the trainer
Pretty much long run Sundays! Feels great!
Trail running
planning to go for first run after ankle injury
Long run with my teammates
Going for a long run and some core work.
I would like to run 10K in order to train for a half marathon next month.
1 run and a promised bike ride with my 4 1/2 yo :) on his new pedal bike!
I know how to use it for the purpose :-)
I very much enjoyed a nice bike ride in the southern roads of Gran Canaria ;)
Not much- just finished track season. We will see if I can get ready for summer!
Bike Ride on the camino de Santiago
100 mi ride to Island Beach State Park, then 100K Biergarden ride, and an hour spin.
Team Triathlon this weekend, 3x500m swim, 40k group ride w\ drafting and 10k run.
Just going for a walk
The wife and I plan on hiking a 12 mile loop in the Ouachitas
Most likely running three laps around Central Park-training for the San Francisco Marathon!
Just crosscountry running And having fun
Trailrunning!!
Strength Training followed by OWS on Saturday. Long bike ride on Sunday.
NYPD Memorial 5k
Running mountain to valley race in northern Israel
Duatlon on Saturday to return with everything to the trialon next year.
Well, actually just running and swimming.:)
No riding and running because of a hamstring pull.
14000 steps (Garmin 920xt) on Saturday and lots of yard work on Sunday.
competing at Tour of the Battenkill in beautiful upstate NY
Off to a long run!
Planning to race either saturday arvo or Sunday morning, which will be the first one after competing in Grafton 10 days ago. Hope the form is still there
A little swim. A little bike and a little run.
45km road bike
1500m swim
14km run
Went to Rome with mother in law, nephew and girlfriend and the chosen one
Walked around the sights in Rome doing 16km Friday, without any complaints from the 79 year old mother in law. Most complaints from the young ones :)
Cycling! Getting ready for a ride from Ottawa to Kingston and back!
Bike in Hollywood hills…on vacation so taking it easy!
I was working on my running form in the woods on Saturday and played a field hockey match on Sunday. Both in really great weather with lots of sunshine but not too hot.
Running a half marathon on Sunday
Lake Cane swim then 3 hr bike
Whitewater kayaking class.
Kicking this bug and cycling through town, over pali, through Waimanalo, past Makapu’u down heart break, and around Diamond Head!
I enjoyed a typical Saturday run and Sunday hike with my GSP
Riding my bike, and trying to do laundry. Not at the same time.
Enjoying some trail running and mountain biking!
Heading up to Austin to run Town Lake…afterwards head down to Shady Grove for some pecan-crusted catfish!
Getting more miles in on the bike before BRAG next month
I’m running a local 10K race this Sunday :)
Two triathlons. A sprint on Saturday and an Olympic distance race on Sunday…
Had to skip Saturday’s “Beat The Train” ride to volunteer for a golf outing (so not a golfer). Sunday was a rain-out before a family BBQ. So I’ll consider this a recovery weekend, but still filled with good times & most conversations ended up including cycling. But then again, don’t ALL conversations include cycling, or is it just me?
Running in Ibirapuera Park Sao Paulo Brazil
GB qualifier for Rotterdam ITU champs at Dorney… My early season has been too disrupted to be at the pointy end this time but fun racing along side Tri2O, Savage Tri and GB team mates!
checking out some back roads that I haven’t explored yet
60 mile bike ride to loose the legs after yesterday Century ride in VA
10 Mile trail run with hills
Going to Greece. A week of running, cycling and swimming in the sun. (And maybe some beers and nice food)
Recovery by doing nothing.
Resting!
Bike ride and a run.
Ran my first marathon this Sunday.
Going for a 3+h ride around the lake to test out my 2 month old bonk free diet. That is low on carb, high on fat :)
Does yard work count?
Gardening… don’t laugh it’s hard work.
Saturday is my long day for my running plan. I’ll be running 2hrs or so
Cooling down during a recovery week with a 50 mile ride and some race volunteering!
last long training ride for Dirty Kanza
Hey Ray!
Next weekend is memorial day weekend in the US, so I’ll be doing some beach runs. My calves are hurting already.
I’m gonna do something. Something sounds good
Belgian waffle ride
Buying my first road bike and taking that sucker for a spin!
Park run in Brisbane and then building a deck!
Swimming, biking, running, napping, yard working, and kid adventuring, hopefully.
Golf!
Off to Seattle for a little run / bike.
Currently on a cruise through Alaska so running in every port and working out in the gym on sea days.
Training for my first sprint tri.
Easy runs in between conference events and transcontinental flights
I went on a hike to the mountains! It was beauuutiful, couldn’t have asked for anything better. Shame I don’t live near the mountains, so trips like that are much too infrequent
Hopefully going for a swim to get back into triathlon training!
Parkrun on Saturday
150 Miles of gravel grinding!
A week ago I decided to change my habits an live more active (healthy) life. I tought that running would be a good start. Found your site. Pretty exited. A lot of usefull information. Deep diving into gear reviews and other usefull information. Thank you.
I run and swim…no time to bike…
Just an easy run, I have an race the next weekend after. Ok, maybe 3 easy runs, since it is a 3 day weekend!
Brooklyn Half and relaxing day at a vineyard
If the sun is shining will be out amongst the hills on the bike – if not then in the pool and watching our boy George Bennett kick ass in Cali…
Maybe a ride and a run but lots of rest!!
Busy week so lots of feet-up time, but can never say no to a run if the weather is agreeable!
Hiking around 12km in Mont Megantic Québec
Watched my older daughter’s first swim meet! That’s how it is these days but I did ride my trainer. :)
I rode around a campsite with my boys and their friends for hours. Traditional western Canadian start of summer camping season in all its glory!