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 also pick-up tons of gear at REI via these links, which is a long-time supporter as well:With TPC (The Pro's Closet), you'll save $40 on purchases over $200 with coupon code DCRAIN40 for tech and non-tech purchases!
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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 indoor training. The good, the bad, and the ugly.
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Check out my weekly podcast - with DesFit, which is packed with both gadget and non-gadget goodness!
Get all your awesome DC Rainmaker gear here!
FAQ’s
I have built an extensive list of my most frequently asked questions. Below are the most popular.
- Do you have a privacy policy posted?
- 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?
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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 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!
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 2023 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.
Search results for: '%22Polar Bear Plunge%22'
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
Polar Grit X2 Pro Hands-On: Here’s Everything New!
Polar has just announced the latest version of their flagship watch: the Polar Grit X2 Pro. While the Polar Grit X series contains the same features as the Polar Vantage V series, it’s designed in a more rugged case … Read More Here
Sports Tech Week in Review: March 17th, 2024
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
Apple Fitness+ Studios Behind the Scenes: From Start to Finish
When it comes to sports tech or high-tech, filming a relaxing yoga class isn’t likely what first comes to mind. Yet, when Apple does it – they’ve got more than a dozen robotic cameras gliding autonomously around the floor and … Read More Here
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
5 Random Things I Did This Weekend
After my quick trip to Mexico City a few days prior, I was back home for a jam-packed weekend. Lots going on! 1) A Long Run Around The Loop I headed out later Saturday afternoon for my long run. I’ve … Read More Here
An Apeldoorn (Netherlands) Runaround
Once again this week I had to actually look at a map to figure out where on earth I was being sent for work. The last time was when I went to Xi’an, China. Sometimes I’ve heard of the city … Read More Here
Garmin Forerunner 165 In-Depth Review: Best Budget Running GPS?
Garmin’s newly announced Forerunner 165 marks two notable occasions. First and most importantly, a revamp of Garmin’s budget running offerings. And second, likely the end of MIP-based displays for Garmin’s Forerunner series. The new AMOLED-based Forerunner 165 is now … Read More Here
In The Queue: Favero bePRO Power Meter
Update: Full Review Is Now Available Here! The bePRO is the latest sub-€500 entrant to the power meter game. For a dual left/right system (as seen here), it’ll be €750. It transmits ANT+, so it’ll connect to most head units. … Read More Here
Yogi, more Yogi, and Boo-boo
It’s been quite busy over the last week, with being just on the edge of full taper for Ironman, you think you have more spare time to do other random things than you really do. I think mentally I’m expecting … Read More Here
Week in Review – June 10th, 2018
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
Week in Review–May 14th, 2017
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
100+ Holiday 2023 Sports Tech Deals!
Here’s your complete list of sports tech deals for the 2023 holiday season~! The biggest deals from the list below include: Garmin Epix for $449: Seriously, this is insane. Mainly because it’s getting the same firmware (thus far) as the … Read More Here
COROS’s Nifty New Keychain Watch Charger: Way more detail than you needed
As longtime readers know, I’ve probably got a bit of a watch charging ‘thing’. One might call it an unhealthy obsession with creative ways to charge a watch, another might call it a fetish. However, what is clear is I’ve … Read More Here
Apple Watch Series SE: A Fitness First Impressions Untangled
Trying to detangle exactly how the Apple Watch SE stacks up against the Apple Watch Series 6 from a sports and fitness standpoint? This dives into all the details and nuances, from GPS accuracy to HR accuracy, features and more. Read More Here
Garmin Fenix & Epix Release Cycles: History Explained
With all the sales of various sports tech products for the holiday period, there’s the inevitable question of whether or not new releases are around the corner. After all, companies offloading older inventory to make way for newer inventory is … Read More Here
Just Got A New Sports Gadget? 34 Tips To Get You Started
So, you just got a new gadget under the tree (or, perhaps for some other Festivus in the last while). Congrats! Now, you’ve gotta figure out how to channel your inner sports geekdom to get the most out of that … Read More Here
Garmin Forerunner 165 vs Forerunner 265 Comparison Review: All 107+ Differences Detailed
While only one digit separates the two models, the reality is that there’s a pile of differences. Many big-ticket differences (like Training Readiness), but also lots of little and more nuanced differences. The last time I did this type of … 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
The Massive 2020 Sportswatch Year in Review with DesFit
Back by popular demand, DesFit has just published our sprawling 2020 Sportswatch Year in Review video, where we iterate through nearly 20 different watches from the beginning of the year to the end – discussing the highs and the lows. … Read More Here
COROS Pace 3 In-Depth Review: The Best Bang for The Buck?
As I’ve said for many years, COROS as a company is most deadly when it’s competing on price. And back three iterations ago, their first breakout product that really introduced the company to the world was the original COROS … Read More Here
The Because It’s Cold…and January…Giveaway
This morning I landed back home in Europe after being in DC for a couple days. In doing so, I increased my environmental temperature by approximately 50°F….to approximately 50°F. Just think, if I did that again it’d be like being … Read More Here
Yogi!
In many ways, my weekends are somewhat predictable. Run, Swim, Laze Around, Sleep, Bike, Run. Repeat. But, I try and mix things up as much as possible to keep the routine from becoming stagnant. Saturday: I met up with the … Read More Here
COROS Heart Rate Monitor (Optical Band) In-Depth Review
The COROS Heart Rate Monitor is a very simple product, which should make for a very simple review. After all, it doesn’t even have an on button. Instead, it has exactly one purpose in life: Transmitting your current heart rate … Read More Here