I’m DC RAINMAKER…
I swim, bike and run. Then, I come here and write about my adventures. It’s as simple as that. Most of the time. If you’re new around these parts, here’s the long version of my story.
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You can use the above link for any Amazon country and it (should) automatically redirect to your local Amazon site.Want to compare the features of each product, down to the nitty-gritty? No problem, the product comparison data is constantly updated with new products and new features added to old products!
Wanna create comparison chart graphs just like I do for GPS, heart rate, power meters and more? No problem, here's the platform I use - you can too!
Think my written reviews are deep? You should check out my videos. I take things to a whole new level of interactive depth!
Smart Trainers Buyers Guide: Looking at a smart trainer this winter? I cover all the units to buy (and avoid) for the 2020-2021 indoor training season. The good, the bad, and the ugly.
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Check out my weekly podcast - with GPLAMA, which is packed with both gadget and non-gadget goodness!
Get all your awesome high quality DCR kit and gear here! Oh, and free US shipping too!
FAQ’s
I have built an extensive list of my most frequently asked questions. Below are the most popular.
- Why haven’t you yet released a review for XYZ product you mentioned months ago?
- Will you test our product before release?
- Are you willing to review or test beta products?
- Which trainer should I buy?
- Which GPS watch should I buy?
- I’m headed to Paris – what do you recommend for training or sightseeing?
- I’m headed to Washington DC – what do you recommend for training?
- I’m from out of the country and will be visiting the US, what’s the best triathlon shop in city XYZ?
- What kind of camera do you use?
- What are your least favorite countries/places?
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5 Easy Steps To The Site
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.
Read My Sports Gadget Recommendations.
Here’s my most recent gadget recommendations guide and trainers here – covering 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!
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.
My Photography Gear: The Cameras and Equipment 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! It’s a nice break from the day to day sports-tech talk, and I hope you get something out of it!
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 2019 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 2018 Gear Guide too.
Search results for: '"Polar Bear Plunge"'
Preparing for the Polar Bear Plunge
You know, with all this snow around the place this time of year, now would be an ideal time to remind you of the most critical events on my 2011 ‘Race’ Calendar. Well, actually, at the moment – about the … Read More Here
Friday Photo of the Day: Me featured in a brochure swimming with a floaty duck
Earlier this week a reader sent me over a note letting me know that my favorite friend – Mr. Duck – was featured alongside me in the Polar Bear Plunge brochures that are now found in countless stores around the … Read More Here
Polar Bear Plunge…sort of.
Both Rob and I had our respective workouts to finish in the morning before heading up to the Polar Bear Plunge. I had an hour run and an hour swim, and he had a 16-18 mile run. So by time … Read More Here
The 2011 Polar Bear Plunge…with a duck.
Sometimes it’s easy to get friends to join in my adventures. Yet other times, the crowd seems to disperse a bit. Take for example, the Polar Bear Plunge. I heard all assortment of reasons as to why a few in … Read More Here
Week in Review–February 5th, 2011
I’ve long since wondered what to do with all the random tidbits of things I collect each week – or the little thoughts that don’t quite make for a full post. But I finally came up with a solution: The … Read More Here
Going for a very cold plunge
There used to be a annual polar bear swim right here in the beautiful and cough clean Potomac river, but from what I can tell, that seemed to have vanished. Instead, while doing some research last week I stumbled upon … Read More Here
Week in Review–January 15th, 2011
Quick Note/Reminder: EveryManTri’s Annual Endurance Blog Awards poll ends Sunday night – and I’m fluctuating in and out of the Top 3. If you’ve got a couple seconds, you can wander on over here and vote. No registration or any … Read More Here
Week in Review–January 15th, 2012
The Week in Review is a collection of both all the goodness I’ve written during the past week around the internet, as well as a small pile of links I found interesting – generally endurance sports related. I’ve often wondered … Read More Here
The State of My State: 2010 Review Edition
Administrative Note #1: Thanks for the incredible response yesterday in the ‘What do you want in a sport watch?’ post. It’s coming up on nearly 100 comments. But not just quick comments – these are incredibly detailed and well thought … Read More Here
Pants on the ground
Earlier this week I had an early morning swim technique session. By ‘early morning’, I mean 6:30AM – or as soon as the pool opened to non-high school swimmers. Which for me…is dang early. As I’ve mentioned in the past, … Read More Here
What I wear: Cold weather running
Back a bit ago I got a question as to what my cold weather running gear looks like – after all, I do pretty much run outside no matter how cold it is. “Searched your blog but couldn’t see much … Read More Here
First Look: The Cycliq Duo Mount for Heavier Gear
A few weeks back Cycliq announced a new product on Kickstarter. You’ll remember Cycliq is the company behind the Fly6 and Fly12 combination bike safety camera/lights products. They combine front (Fly12) or back (Fly6) lights with a camera that’s always … Read More Here
DC Hot Chocolate 15K 2011 Race Report (Alternate Title: How not to organize a race)
(I’m going to start this like any other race report…but fear not, I’ll get to my ‘suggestions’ section later on. It’s probably better to just sit back, and let it all unfold – rather than going straight into rant mode.) … Read More Here