Heads up! The big Garmin spring sale has started, with $200 off the Fenix 8, $100 off the Edge 1050, Forerunner 965, Forerunner 265, and countless other Garmin products. 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.
I went out for a run in the sunshine
Interval in the Flemish “polders”
Sat on the trainer upstairs using TrainerRoad. Watched some YouTube and got in a nice hour
I’m riding my spin bike at home instead of going to classes. Would be nice to upgrade it to an actual smart trainer.
As we’re still free to go outside: did a run around the meadows behind my house. Great weather for it too.
In my room yesterday, while undergoing mandatory 14 day isolation.
5km trail run with the wife in the woods behind the house. Sun was out and spring in the air
Walk with wife by the shores of Derwentwater lake, run tomorrow.
6 km easy run
4 hour ride sticking to very rural roads while having enough snacks & tools to get home no matter what
I’ve been on my turbo recently but with a non zwift compatible version it’s pretty tough!
Last workout was a solo set of 400m repeats. Thanks Ray
It was my 1st group ride on Zwift! Writing on mobile while trying to maintain load is not that easy.
Pulling my friend up Alpe du Zwift with rubber-banding on. Desperately need the exercise. Working at home, continuing on my normal cardiovascular MRI research so we can get back to treating and diagnosing those problems after coronavirus.
Cheers all’
5k run on an empty 1k street
On Zwift now
Turbo turbo turbo – I now live in Watopia leaving primarily to eat, sleep and do my job!
Zwift and yoga.. everyday.. home alone.. :(
Weight training
Starting Traineroad tomorrow.
Goodard on Trainerroad
Thankfully running is still possible while socially distancing.
30 laps of the garden with the family –> 2k run
Rope skipping is the new running at the moment. Aka hoping on my neighbors head ?
Road to Sky on Zwift! Can’t remember how it is to pedal outside anymore, keep safe!
I’m tired of yoga and pilates youtube workouts because I didn’t buy a smart trainer before covid-19 madness and now they are sold out!
I did a midnight run last night, I spotted a fox in the fields but managed to keep enough social distance.
Doing the TrainerRoad workouts while simultaneously Zwift to grind those levels!
Can’t do my main love of swimming, so went back on TrainerRoad and forgot how grim it gets
Zwifting as much as I can.
I’ve been zwifting for a week now.
Thanks!
Mountainbike tour on the countryside today at 5 am. Only deer and rabbits ;)
a nearly one hour Xert Smart session on the ole Computrainer…
I went for a run in a remote part of the forest (aka the steepest trail).
Early morning run before everyone is awake.
Some planks at home… yeah I know, definitely sad!
Zwift Tour of Watopia Stage 5 – enjoying social riding indoors!
Was orienteering alone. Almost in forest.
A Zone 0.05 ride with my 2 little girls… Basically pootling along a flat track at 6mph! But at least it was an hour outside in the sunshine :-)
Very lucky in the UK to still be allowed outside for exercise once a day, so yesterday’s workout was a very careful road ride, making sure to keep over 2m from anyone else.
Wife and I got a short run in last night, crazy to me the difference in pace pushing a baby stroller and not pushing a baby stroller.
I did a Trainerroad workout. Just like the day before that… and the day before that…
Went for 5k run with two of my sons (they were riding their bikes)
I did a run round olympic park in London – did my part to keep an appropriate distance from people!
Riding solo and pushups at home
First indoor ride sinds long time done yesterday, lack of vans unfortunately.. Thanks Ray!
Got a decent run around the fields by the house in last night. Muddy though!
A run through the local forest. At night. With stupid little LED lights attached to my shoes.
Did a Follow-the-cadence workout with my KICKR Core on BKool. It was fun!
Treadmill intervals in the basement.
I managed a little strength workout, but reaaaaally could use a trainer.
Run, 240 times my 21m garage. Around 5K.
Got bored after that.
A MTB ride that took me almost half the time it normally does because I was so eager for it :D
A nice run over lunch!
BigRingVR free ride to Norway!
TrainerRoad Ericsson Workout! Yeah!
I managed to get out on the bike for a whopping 2km to do a post box drop. WFH, telecons, juggling a wife and kids (9 yrs and 6 months) and planting veg for the apocalypse doesn’t leave a lot of time for getting some saddle time in…
I actually did my first ride on my Elite Suito. After having a crash a few months ago, with all the social distancing, having a smart trainer actually is very beneficial.
It’d have to be a smart trainer for me
Dancing to Gerry Cinnamon in my front room
I did a full body workout from Patri Jordan on YouTube!
I did a 1 hour erg mode spin on Zwift (21,200+ concurrent users) as I continue to recover from various injuries.
Did a ‘virtual’ running session with my running club sunday. Everyone ran the same course. Started at the same time, but at different locations on the course. When ever we meet someone we passed with atleast two meters in between. Did 15km in full sun, and with a huge smile on my face.
Went for a 20km run in the mountains. Social distancing in its pure form
Running on a small garden, chased by a puppy, followed by some squats and pushups.
No matter what, stay safe and stay healthy!
Running round the block
Set of 7 1 min Vo2 Max Intervals… by 2
Just a short rowing session on the good old Concept2.
15km running in lovely spring weather.
Ftp workout on zwift!
Jump rope on my deck and solo jazz dancing
Actually outside (Netherlands wohoo) but on roads that are empty without Corona, with Corona I met one person that was walking her dog and made sure to pass her well over the 1.5 meters while holding my breath ;-) Nice 36~ km ride in wonderful spring weather.
Some core stability exercise – at least social distancing let’s me catch up with all I didn’t do during winter ;)
5am 5k outdoor run. UK still not on full lockdown yet. Although skipping ropes and various painful
contraptions are around my house
Tacx in perfect isolation :)
I ran the last 13 miles of a friends 50k (from 6’ away) while he did his virtual race for pistol.
Just did my spindown on my new Kickr. Just in case there will be a total lockdown over here in NL.
Walking
A bit of yoga, a bit of bike on rollers, a bit of freeletics :). preparing for a world Guiness records. staying indoors give plenty of ideas. Not to go mad a schedule is needed and this helps put in place time to prepare.
cheers!
Short run with face mask
My girlfriend and I got some 1km repeats in this morning in the dark… Didn’t see another human…
“All we are is dust in the wind,” dude.
I need a bike trainer for my husband! :-)
My last workout was an easy 1 hour run on the mostly quiet streets of Tallahassee, Florida.
Kickr workout, but now is ever the time to expand the indoor training room
This will be a purchase of the Fenix 9 just in time for my next long run outdoors.
Tacx in basement
I’ve done a run in my area this morning, meeting nobody, while connected via phone to my run buddy who was running at the same time in her area…
I ran 4 miles on the trails last night with my daughter – awesome to be out, but my hip is still niggling despite not running for 2 weeks! #lockdown2020
Core stability
WU, 15*1min@110ftp-1min easy, CD
All in the tacx :-) alone in the shed.
SST on Zwift
Run – at night and on a boring route no one else would want to do
In the basement following a virtual class from an instructor I usually get to see live!
21-15-9 jumprope (x100) + airsquats :)
Rode the NYC loop in the comfort of my garage thanks to Zwift and Wahoo!
Did an 5 h long bike 130 km on Zwift and actually do all my training indoor. Stay inside keep safe
A humanitarian cycle trip to my folks to drop off a new tablet.
Treadmill run at home
I got a 2/3rds of the “Fletcher” workout on done on TrainerRoad after work yesterday. The only person around was my dog. I guess that counts as Social Distancing? I hope so, because he doesn’t normally allow me to farther away than about 10 feet…
Cervelo Jungle Rush event on Zwift… hard work!