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
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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.
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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!
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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 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!
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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 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.
Author Archives: Ray Maker
Change is Coming: Moving to an Island!
Well, it’s time to make things ‘Facebook Official’, minus, actually updating my Facebook page. As some of you have started to figure out, we’ve begun the process of relocating to a new adventure and a new country. After 6 years … Read More Here
FIT File: Strava…You OK?
For those not subscribed to the FIT File (it’s free!) via your regular podcast app or on YouTube, here’s a quick post with the highlights from the most recent episode. In this episode, we chat about all things Strava … Read More Here
DJI Air 3S Lidar vs The Gauntlet: ActiveTrack Sports Follow-Me Testing
We’re finally seeing some technical progress from DJI in the ActiveTrack realm. Their just-released DJI Air 3S is their first consumer drone to include forward-facing LIDAR, which uses lasers to determine what’s in front of it. This allows it … Read More Here
Huge Sports Tech Amazon Deals List!
It’s that time of year again, for the first round of sales going into the holidays. While I still expect we’ll see bigger deals as we get closer to Black Friday, there are some solid deals in here. The … Read More Here
Favero Announces Potential Spindle Breakage Replacement Program
Favero has announced a program to replace a specific production timeframe/batch of affected Favero Assioma road power meter pedals, which could result in spindle breakage. In this scenario, spindle breakage means both the interior power meter spindle, but also including … Read More Here
Oura Announces Oura 4: Here’s what’s actually changed!
Oura has kinda quietly (in the middle of the night) announced their new Oura 4 ring, which the company says has substantially improved accuracy in certain areas compared to their previous Ring 3, as well as slightly improved battery life. … Read More Here
Garmin Lily 2 Active In-Depth Review: Now with GPS!
Less than 10 months after the existing Lily 2 came out, Garmin has pretty substantially upgraded the offering with the new Lily 2 Active. This watch, as the name might imply, is definitely targeting a more sporty customer, with … Read More Here
Saris Significantly Reduces Smart Trainer Prices, Says They Plan to Rebuild Company
It’s been almost precisely two years since Saris imploded under debt, and then was acquired under receivership by C+A Global. In the lead-up to that, and what followed, virtually all of the smart trainer-related engineering and design talent left the … Read More Here
GoPro Hero 13 Black vs iPhone 16 Pro: Ultimate Camera (Action) Test!
It’s that time of year again, for the iPhone vs GoPro test, focused on action. Or, video scenarios in all sorts of fun ways. As always, the reality of 2024 (or the last numbers of years), is the line … Read More Here
FIT File: Techtember Roundup! Apple Watch, Pixel Watch, GoPro, DJI, and More!
For those not subscribed to the FIT File (it’s free!) via your regular podcast app or on YouTube, here’s a quick post with the highlights from the most recent episode. In this episode, we chat about all the new Techtember … Read More Here
COROS September 2024 New Features: A Quick Recap
COROS has announced a smattering of new features for both their watches, as well as their Dura bike computer. In the case of the bike computer, this firmware update will mark the resumption of shipping, after the company halted shipping … Read More Here
Apple Watch Ultra 2 vs Apple Watch Series 10: Every Difference Detailed
Once again, I went down the rabbit hole. This time detailing all the differences between Apple’s two latest models – the Apple Watch Ultra 2 Black and Apple Watch Series 10. In total, I’ve gathered roughly 40 differences between … Read More Here
Apple Watch Series 10 In-Depth Review
The thing to understand about Apple Watch releases, is they aren’t targeting last year’s buyers. Nor even the year prior. Instead, they’re targeting previous Apple Watch owners 3-5 generations back. And true to that form, Apple each year just … Read More Here
Google Pixel Watch 3 In-Depth Review: The Best WearOS Sports Watch?
To many, the Pixel Watch 3 will be about a (finally) bigger size – now 45mm instead of the previous 41mm size. But to those into sports and fitness, it’s actually much more than just size: It’s the biggest … Read More Here
New DC Rainmaker Cycling & Running Gear Available!
The most astute of followers have noticed over the course of the year I’ve been trialing some new DC Rainmaker branded cycling and running gear. It’s been a number of years since the last cycling kit was available, and plenty … Read More Here
Wattbike Proton Smart Bike In-Depth Review
Wattbike has just announced what they’re billing as the beginnings of a refresh cycle for their entire indoor bike lineup, covering both ends of their indoor bike range – including both electronically controlled bikes, and wind resistance bikes. However, as … Read More Here
Apple Watch Series 10: Everything You Need To Know
Today Apple announced Apple Watch Series 10, with a substantial hardware change and upgrade. In fact, so big it’s now got a bigger screen than the Apple Watch Ultra 2 (which didn’t see a new hardware version this year, … Read More Here
GoPro Hero 13 Black: The Complete Beginners Guide
Here’s your complete GoPro Hero 13 Black Beginners Guide. In this I cover virtually everything you need to know about the GoPro Hero 13 Black, starting with what’s in the base box, up to how to select resolutions and … Read More Here
Zwift Ride Frame Now Available Standalone, New Zwift Cog 2.0 Available, and More
This past week Zwift announced a number of updates for their hardware. While I got slightly behind this week (more on why in the next few weeks, fear not, it’s all good!), I wanted to touch on this. If for … Read More Here
Wahoo Announces Big KICKR Price Changes
This will be a relatively quick post, as it’s really not all that complex. In conjunction with Zwift’s standalone Zwift Ride Frame announcement, Wahoo has also announced a reduction in pricing across the board. This includes all of their smart … Read More Here
DJI Neo vs The Gauntlet: ActiveTrack Sports Follow-Me Testing
It’s that time of year again, when I go out and see how many times I can crash a drone in a set period of time. And it’s quite likely I set a record this time, both cycling and … Read More Here
FIT File: Garmin Fenix 8 and Enduro 3: Let’s Chat
For those not subscribed to the FIT File (it’s free!) via your regular podcast app or on YouTube, here’s a quick post with the highlights from the most recent episode. In this episode, we chat about the the new … Read More Here
The Garmin Fenix 8 Complete Beginners Guide
Just a quick heads up that I’ve just published on YouTube a super-detailed hour-long complete user guide for the new Garmin Fenix 8 series (covering both AMOLED and Solar versions). And honestly, anyone with an Enduro 3 can basically … Read More Here
Garmin Enduro 3 In-Depth Review: The Cheaper/Better Fenix 8?
The Enduro 3 is here, and seemingly has one mission, and one mission only: Go big on battery. Nearly triple their competitors, upwards of 320 hours in a regular GPS configuration. At least in theory, anyway. But fear not, … Read More Here
Garmin Fenix 8 In-Depth Review: Worth the Upgrade?
The Fenix 8 is here, bringing with it not just new hardware features, but also the end of the Garmin Epix lineup. Or, at least the end of it for now. Fear not though, that ending is merely in … Read More Here