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.
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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 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.
KICKR Core to get started with Zwift.
If they sold them, I’d buy $500 worth of DC Rainmaker ugly Christmas t-shirts or maybe a SUP, but it’d be a tough decision.
A pair of power meter pedals, please..!!
Garmin 945 to upgrade my 910xt.
I would get the new Wahoo Element Roam, so I could then give my still great original Element to my wife.
One of the new Wahoo indoor bikes!
Looks like my M430 needs replacing by Vantage M
Either Go Big (Fenix 6X) or go Simple (Instinct plus other goodies).
Would love to put it toward a Saris H3!
I would go with a smart trainer + some motivation :)
Happy New Year to the Maker family!Keep up the great work.
Fenix 6 Solar for this Chunky boy!
A Gopro Max for kayak races would be awesome!
I’d probably get a Fenix 6 Watch
Forerunner 945
I want a Fenix 6
A new Garmin Fenix would be very nice, to replace my aging FR230. Fingers crossed…
Just some new running shoes.
A Garmin fenix cuz I want all the bells and whistles! ( or maybe as autocorrect puts it “ a new bar in Felix”)
I would like to get a Hyperice Hypervolt Plus to recover from marathons
I want wahoo KICKR BIKE
Wooot! I’d run for years but began cycling only last year and, well, I’m certainly hooked now. So I’ll choose a biking related product, bike computer or trainer?
Thanks again for this amazing year of posts, Ray; you rock.
New wahoo roam for me
Fenix watch. My Apple Watch isn’t cutting it for the heart rate training that I have to do after discovering some heart issues a few months back.
$500 is good for 35 CatEye wearable mini rear light to turn the bike into a Christmas Tree.
Garmin Edge 530. Been using my watch, but really hankering for a solid head unit.
Go pro nipple clamps – maybe wahoo desk
I would get a gopro to learn more from my races
I would take a Garmin 945. I don’t really need it because my 935 is excellent, but I still want it.
I would like new 945.
A GoPro Max to kick-start & film the ski touring trips!
I don’t need anything. But the fenix 6 is the first update that might warrant replacing my fenix 3. So that’s probably the direction that I’ll go.
I would love to change my dumb trainer to a smart one.
A Kickr CORE maybe?
Thanks Ray
Kickr climb would be sublime!
Oooohhh…. so many things to choose from. I’d go for a combination of things:
– a pair of Black Diamond Momentum climbing shoes, because shoes are the only climbing gear I can’t easily borror
– a Garmin Instinct, because it seems like a good back-up for my Fenix 5 should anything happen to it
– maybe a Big Agnes sleeping bag, as I need a new bag for my next bicycle adventure.
Not that the RNG will ever favor me, but it certainly won’t if I don’t enter at all, eh? ;)
Go pro?
A power meter for me! Something that will work on a mountain bike. Now that there FINALLY seems to be some options! THANKS!
I’d get a new fenix 6 pro as the altimeter in my 3HR seems to be broken :(.
smart trainer
A New Fenix … Mine is getting tired…
Fenix 6. Time to upgrade from the Fenix 3HR
I would get a Forerunner 945. Thanks!
Nice. A GoPro would be great.
Gotta go with what seems to be the highest rated item from the past year: the Fisher-Price Smart Cycle, natch.
A new smart trainer
I want a new Wahoo Trainer
I’d want a Garmin Varia so I can ride outside a little more safely
new Fenix 6
I’d probably put the $500 toward a Fenix watch, just because they are cool
FR945 cause my watch needs an upgrade.
I”d love to use it towards a new trainer!
I think I would take the money for upgrading my pain cave with more Wahoo hardware.
Thinking of the KICKR headwind as well as the climb.
That sounds like a dream and plan at once. ?
I’m thinking a Wahoo Elemnt Bolt, and a running watch of some sort would be the way I’d go.
Are we limited to one item? With 500$ I would get a Garmin Edge 530 (299$) and a Garmin Varia RTL510 (193$) so not only would I not get lost anymore but my rides would be much safer with the radar.
I’d probably get a FR945 :-)
I would get the Saris H2 – my son has been dying to get on Zwift but I don’t have another trainer for him right now.
I think it may be time for a GoPro
11-speed groupset to stop changing cassettes on the Smart trainer between bikes!
Garmin Forerunner 945
Mama wants a new running watch. Mine has started to freeze up after runs.
I’d like to get a FR945,m. I’m mostly a runner (with some “hiking” – ruck marching in the Army) but the amount of data on this watch is really intriguing! Thanks for the opportunity!
Felix 6 to track my runnings
I really would like to have a new Garmin watch like the Forerunner 945. Mine is already pretty old…
I think larger flat screen TV to go with the Tacx Flux S that was under the tree this year.
I would get the Favero Assioma pedals so that I can monitor my power.
My V800 decided to depart us not so longa ago…… I had my fingers crossed that I’d get another tri watch but kawaii socks came up instead. Please help me Ray, you’re my only help.
A Garmin Forerunner 945 to replace my hold Polar V800, thank you.
A new 1030 edge to go with our new Etap group on our tandem.
H3 saris, to replace my 18 year old Kurt kinetic whose drum is nearly worn through!
A Garmin watch, been using my phone for running up till now, time for something better.
I think either a GoPro or Kickr
I’d get a trainer for my bike!
I would like to have assioma power pedals to get more insights in my training.
This would go a long way toward Favero pedals!
I would probably get my wife a new watch.
Looking to get a new watch or a trainer.
I’d be going for that kickr trainer. The cold has settled in here and I just can’t get myself back on the bike.
I’d upgrade my forerunner 735xt to a 945.
Would look at upgrading my Fenix 3. The old faithful is looking pretty battered now and is desperately in need of a new battery!
I’d go for a Neo 2T as my Flux has just given up on life lol
kickr bike
I would want the Garmin Varia .
New Garmin 1030
Fenix 6…or maybe Polar Vantage V?
I want to upgrade for a Kickr Core
A bike travel bag because I am planning to do some international camps/races in the next couple years
That Forerunner 945 is too darn cool to not get as an upgrade!
Need a new triathlon watch!
A pair of power meter pedals are on my list. Not sure which one yet.
Would love to upgrade to a Garmin 945!
GoPro HERO8 Black Action Camera to film my son in the sea :)
I want a Fenix 6 pro
Thank you
I would like a GoPro, please! Or a Garmin edge. Tough choice, but I’m sure I can figure it out!
My Favero BePro needs an upgrade! What better than an Assioma pair?
I’d get a GoPro camera for recording all the close-passes by jerk drivers.
I’d love to win the gift certificate so I can buy a new Garmin GPS watch–probably the 245 music or 646 music. Need longer battery life and music for my long runs.
A Garminb forerunner 945 would be great!
Happy Holidays!!! I’d get a new Garmin running watch with music! I can use a new running partner and motivator get me through these cold and dark months!
being a Spartan owner, Suunto has let me down recently. I would surely move my “upgrade” schedule forward for a garmin or polar. IF i would win :)
Wahoo KICKR Climb would be great! … But also eyeing the Favero Assioma pedals for a while now
Favero Assioma power meter because I want to add a power meter to my bike training next season.