Big Sports Tech Deals Right Now! The Garmin Epix Gen2 is on sale right now for a staggering $549USD, roughly $300 off, and the Titanium edition just $50 more! And, it also got a big slate of new features this past week. Alongside that, there’s big discounts on the Apple Watch Series 9, Polar, Samsung Galaxy Watch6, and a pile of other Garmin watches including the Forerunner 255, 955, and Instinct 2 series. Full updated list here!
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!
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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.
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- Why haven’t you yet released a review for XYZ product you mentioned months ago?
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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.
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.
Hello there!
Hi Ray. I’d definitely treat your beloved to a lovely smokin’ hot pair of bib tights! Roarrrtr! 🙂
Tschaka…maybe?
Go visit some of South Africa’s beautiful wineries
As my son says, “Happy Valenstime Day!”
Dual interval session into the sunset up table mountain?!
All I want for Valentine’s day is an Amazfit Bip review.
Take good care of that girl Ray!
Flowers are always good
I think Ray should commit to a date certain for completing the pizza oven tasks (or any other task list since generated) AND agree to you spending the pizza oven money however you want. Call it a delay of game penalty.
Happy Valentine’s Day ??
Hi There! 🙂 Incoming PSA for Ray!! I may have read somewhere that your girl like’s here valentine gifts with a fluffy tail, fourlegged and ‘talking’ in the same language as Lucy 😉
Cool, can’t wait to give my bike some TLC 😉
Perhaps he can do all the required jobs to unlock the pizza oven achievement!
Ray, why not take the girl on a dinner cruise back in Amsterdam? The food was delightful, and the mood was romantic and fun and you get to see a different perspective of Amsterdam at night. We thoroughly recommend it!
Happy Valentines Day in AMS?
Happy Valentines Day!
wohoo I’m first 🙂
Wow – great idea.
Ray – how about cleaning her bike(s) and a surprise valentine’s day ride?
Isn‘t that valentine day just an invention of the flower and sweets industry anyway Ray?
Ray – offer to look after the little ones to meet your wife go for an open water swim for Valentine’s! Then get an inflatable boat and pull up alongside to offer words of encouragement!
Hi Ray and The Girl! Thanks for all your hard work! It’s great to see you both being active on the DCR website and newsletter. For the peer pressure part: being Dutch, I think Ray should take the Girl to a place where they sell ‘Haring’ (link to nl.wikipedia.org); a nice and healthy Valentine snack 😉
I hope I can win this CT prize to treat my own ‘The Girl’ (aka Lady Boss) with some nice gear
Girls love flowers, don’t skimp on the flowers!
Sneak a small present into her bag when she’s not looking. So fun to discover it later!
Put the tech away (gasp!) and do a ride just for fun! Bring the picnic supplies too.
DCR and clever training are the best
Maybe a candle light bike ride?
The classics always works, Dinner and a movie.
Thanks for everything you guys do. Keep up the good work!
Happy Valentine’s Day to Ray, the Girl, and family!
A whole day in a spa with treatments and afternoon tea, my idea of heaven!
Lovely giveaway, I think I will buy something nice for my girlfriends bike.
I think your valentine should watch the kiddos for a day and send you for a spa day
Hi! Thanks for being such a great resource! Now go do something nice for your wife (and not just for Valentine’s Day) 🙂
Ray, no sports related gifts for your girl on Valentines. Think Jewelry, Shoes and Fancy restaurants….
I think SPAM gets an unfair bad reputation, it’s pretty good!
Roses are red
Violets are blue
Gadgets are great
Especially it’s a review
Love that you guys celebrate with awesome giveaways. Happy Valentine’s Day.
I have no clue how to convince Ray to be romantic, but I’m getting a feeling that if he does something romantic it might turn out to be a candlelit SPAM dinner.
I mean it is Valentine’s day, but just remember – you always have to raise the bar next year, so don’t get crazy with your tributes!
SRAM has Red.
Shimano is Blue.
This is a poem.
And may your love be true.
He just needs to buy you whatever baking gadget you won’t get for yourself so you can recreate your Paris bakery at home in Amsterdam. When you get back from South Africa. 🙂
You’re in Cape Town; watch “Searching for Sugar Man” together. Netflix and chill, and all that.
Happy valentine’s day!
Happy Valentines to you both!
Tandem bike ride with wine in the cages sounds like a winner. Except here in South Dakota. Tandem fat bike not as sexy and the wine would freeze since were fighting to break 0 degrees F.
Romantic dinner at a restaurant with a beautiful view. No Kids lol
Roses are red…..
Enjoy Cap town
Ray should take you for a weekend to one of the “wadden” isles, in the north of the Netherlands. The isle of Terschelling would be the best choice: good food, forrest, sea, nice places to bike and run (every year a marathon in november).
Love reading the newsletter every week and thank you for all the hard work both of you do.
LOVE the newsletter and look forward to reading it each week.
Thanks for setting this up, “The Girl!” Happy Valentine’s Day to you & yours!
Random Valentine’s idea: offer to carry husband’s sports tech for the day as a show of appreciation. Or the other way round – convince the husband to leave some tech at home to not appear like such a dork in public…
Chocolate is ALWAYS a good decision. Truffles? Lava cake? A bucket of ganache? Can’t go wrong.
Thank you for doing this!
Happy Valentines Day!!
I’d say a Vantage M for Valentine’s Day would be good, but chocolate might be a better choice!
Happy Vday.
Ray,
If you only had that pizza oven Ray, you could make a romantic pizza dinner at home for the Girl. On the other hand, it might make a great Valentines gift.
Happy Valentines Day!!
Valentine’s Day 2019: Promising my GF that I’ll spend more time on the bike rather than occupying the TV with YouTube cycling videos.
Hi.
I like a lot the giveaways. It’s great to find one in The Girl’s Newsletter.
Thanks.
Nice race!
What do you get when you add some rain to “the Girl”? of course, some peanuts!
It sounds like you’re really interested in those super high dollar new Etap shifters, so maybe he could score you a set! ?
Hey Ray,
Just wanted to say that this is an awesome website and that “The Girl” is well above your league, you are a very very lucky man Ray. 🙂 Keep up the good work the both of you.
You should register http://www.thebestwifeever.com and have an assortment of photos of you and your wife & daughters as a suprise!
Keep up the good work Ray ??
Nothing says I love you like the gift of cod tongues and scrunchions!
You can help MY husband do something romantic for ME with this prize 🙂
Seriously, I could use a boost. Have been a bit down on my training-self lately 🙁
Is a pizza oven a valid valentines present? 😉
A bicycle ride for two!
Hey Ray, if your wife doesn’t want another rock on her finger, how ’bout taking her back to da rock for ‘nother road trip eh?. I always liked your posts from da rock!
It is always a nice pause when reading your newsletter. As valentines idea, why don’t just have a relax day and meal for a change of pace !!
For us Valentine day will be « shoveling ». 40 cm of snow is forecast over the night and the day after. Combined with windgust, Valentine will be Hot chocolate and stay close to home!
Greeting from ??!
I’d love to win this! ??
And yes Ray should do something really special for “The Girl” on Valentine’s Day!
Thanks for doing this again!
I’m a big fan of simple, relaxing nights in. Cook a nice dinner, have a nice bottle of wine, turn down the lights, and light some candles.
So, do that!
Usually the thing that mom’s love the most is for the husband to watch the kids so that the wife can go out by herself. Ray should be able to handle that.
Thanks for the great read on the newsletter. Always fun to hear about your families adventures. Something my wife and I give each other each year is a vacation on our own…ok complete opposite of romantic maybe but does wonders for marriage in particular when you have young kids like we and you do. Our partners come back extremely refreshed. Vacations together are nice too but there is something about solitude that recharges all the batteries. Thanks for the opportunity to win, love Clever Training and bought a Kickr Core from them through the DC link of course. Take care.
Ray
Take good care of your lovely girl, avoid a romantic sharky swim in SA..instead look for a nice sunset, walk/wine…. even with the little ones is a winner…
Don’t do it Ray!!
hmm, romantic trainer session for two?
Hopefully he’ll get the message that he camembert to brie without you
You’re like pepperoni pizza. I love pepperoni.
Just take the girl out for a 10k run and spend time ONLY with her.
1. have him make a soufflé for you
2. write a short poem for you
3. ride a tandem bike together…but don’t pedal 🙂
Love the newsletter!
Dear Ray, As near as I can tell “the girl” deserves the world on a silver platter so suggesting a single Valentine’s Day treat from my perspective is impossible…but you know! Just do it. Mike
I was in South Africa in September for the Ironman 70.3 World Championship. If you get a chance to head east from Cape Town along the Garden Route, two stops that we enjoyed. One is the Tsitsikamma National Park and the Storm River Mouth. Another is Cango Caves (a bit inland north of Oudtshoorn). We also stayed one night in Mossel Bay, which was a very beautiful spot.
No ideas for Rey as I am not good with the Valentines gift thing. It is amazing I am not single. Thanks for the giveaway.
DC, I need a new helmet and shoes this year!
Nice, enjoy your day
Roses are red,
Violets are blue,
Ray loves The Girl,
More than his Suunto
Well well, if Ray really needs us to remind him that it would be great not to forget his loved one on Valentine’s day … what can we do for him ? He is doomed !
Given your recent incredible race efforts last weekend Ray should offer you a Valentine’s foot massage to aid recovery! x
Happy Valentine’s Day!
I love secrets. I also like $500 gift cards
Like Ray, I am a bit of a Valenine’s Day sceptic!
awww <3 this makes my cheesehead heart melt
It’s perhaps a classic but always appreciated thing among parents: get a babysitter and go out for dinner, or a movie, or a coffee, or whatever floats your boat.
Have Ray cook you a Pizza in his new Pizza Oven!!
Go for a run/ride together. Create a route that spells out “love” on Strava.
Hello!
Happy Valentine’s Day! I shall spend the day skiing with a friend. Make time for those who you care about and you can’t go wrong. ☺️
Great idea for a secret squirrel giveaway:) Continue the great work on the newsletter-always look forward to it dropping in to the inbox
So great to visit South Africa through yours (and Ray’s lens). Hope there’s some great SA wine involved in your V-day celebrations. (And even though you’re not in Durban, maybe some bunny chow!)
Hello
totally fabulously entertaining sweet groovy awesomely happily teem inspired by affection to relish all
This Valentine’s Day my husband and I are staying in and having a board game night and I’m making breakfast for dinner 🙂
Have a nice v-day.
Bake her pancakes, always does it
Go for a couples run and take a “love-ly” Valentine’s Day route, whereby you “draw” the pattern of a heart on your GPS!
Man Asks Wife If They’re “Doing Valentine’s Day” This Year…..Answer is always YES
Woot! Happy Vday folks!
How about making a romantic dinner by yourself at home for your one and only? 🙂
Ray, I’ve been married for over 35 years to a wonderful gal! Some chocolates and a family hike for the special day is simple, yet meaningful! Good Luck!
I think i would be a great winner. I can feel it
Hello!!!
Hope you guys are enjoying Cape Town. For the upcoming v-day, how about a hike up Lion’s Head? A bit less crowded than Table Mountain and easy enough that the kids might be able to join too. Hope you both have a great week.
A bike ride to a romantic picnic.
I would enroll the girl for the Ironman in Austria. We will cheer her and bring her to the finishline. As my club takes care on the swimcourse, we will ensure a nice start and a very warm welcome at the swim exit! My club would take care on both of you, show you some hot spots and insider tipps and many of our members could share some good „tech“ ideas with you and her. We have lots of female members too!! This would be the perfect valentine for her. I‘m sure ??
Thx Ray for always giving us the inside scoop
Need a new Garmin.
Just hello, I need to work on my valentines gift game as my partner didn’t even realise she been given one of her presents last year.
Yay! Super Secret Giveaway!
Sorry, not romantic at all 😉
Fingers crossed
Give the Girl some love!
Hallmark Holidays are the best! Roses for the wife. Beer for me!
Thanks for sharing the love!
Ray if your going to show 500 worth of love to a reader… valentine’s for the girl better be way more exciting for her 😉
Happy Valentines Day! I LOVE your website and reviews.
Happy Valentines Day. I can use this to buy the Fenix 5 Plus on CleverTraining if I win to upgrade my Vivoactive 3.
Oohhh, what a great giveaway – love the newsletter and especially the in-depth thoughts. More than once they made me giggle at may smartphone or computer!
Hey Ray, a great way to start Valentine’s day is by making a great breakfast. For lunch find a great restaurant at the beach and at night give the girl a well needed back massage!
All the best Niko
Hi Ray! Happy Valentine’s season
Make sure you treat each other like royaty on Valentine’s day. (Like every day I suspect.)
Home cooked meal for V-day always works a treat!
A nice run together on the beach should do it ?
Fingers crossed that I will finally win something! As far as a Valentine’s Day suggestion, my best advice is just for the two of you to take time to spend together (sans kids)and spend the day doing “whatever” while remembering why you are best friends and husband/wife.
Bribe with sweets and wine
Ray – have the radio station dedicate a song to your love with a personal message of your devotion to be declared on air!
Have a wonderful Valentine’s day everyone.
Hoping to upgrade my wife’s fitness watch!
Chocolate roses, candlelight dinner, and a coupon for a girls night out.
Happy v-day guys! Thanks for sharing so much love around the world xoxo
Abby
Thanks for writing the newsletters! I am always looking forward to them as the best infotainment of the week. Keep up the good work, but seriously no more race-running with strollers right 😉
Time to crank up out the love 🙂
Enjoy your Valentine’s Day!
Ray, The Girl says to suggest you do something romantic for your one and only but I think you should get off the bike and do something for her instead.
Ray, Get the girl something nice that isn’t fitness related.
Hello, do some reviews on gravel stuff
Happy valentines day!!! A new bike is always a great present!
Thank you so much!
Would be a good Valentine day … thanks !!
You guys rock!
happy valentines day from canada!
Do somthing fun, romantic, cheesy or anything as long as it’s something you really want to do together.
Choo-Choo-Choose Me!
Enjoy a sunset wander over Table Mountain!
Couples massages are the best!
Happy Valentine’s Day. I ❤️ reading your newsletter every week!
Show the ladies in our lives (Moms, Sisters, Cousins, Aunts, Grand Moms, Great-grand Moms, Wives) how blessed we all are to have them by our sides
Tons of love from France, the most romantic country!
Why did the Raisin go out with the Prune for Valentine’s Day? Because she couldn’t find a Date!
See what I did there? Ha! You’re in Africa do something different for V-Day. What’s more romantic than warthogs and snakes? Head north and get your safari on!
Great giveaway – would love this! 🙂
Roses are red
I can’t rhyme
Have a nice valentine’s day!
Thanks for putting this on!
I would definitely go for a dinner
Happy Valentines!
Thanks for all the useful info on your site. Maybe you can get an IQ2 for your birthday!
Take a 14 3×5 cards and write down what you love about the other person and hide them around the house where they will more than likely be found.
Happy Valentine’s Day! As newish parents we are trying desperately to go on a date around the big day, maybe that would be something nice to do!
Always enjoy reading the newsletter and about all your adventures. Think of something good for Valentine’s Day, I’m taking my wife out for a nice steak dinner!
I’m thinking a relaxing day/date at one of the famous wellness spots there!
You only live once, treat her!
Buy her flowers!
I feel like a true romantic… Ray you could do the typical flowers and meal. But since Bobbi is from The Rock (And Newfoundland being my most desired spot to live in the world) and we know that Moose and Cod are the best food. I would think a Fishing expedition would be the ticket. I’m not sure you can find fried Cod (Actually I am quite sure you can’t) but I can’t think of a better way to say to someone. “I love you” than to take them fishing. My better half (also a newf) wants me to make it more romantic… but I don’t understand how a fishing rod and a fish could possibly be more romantic!
What an awesome prize. Thanks Bobbie 🙂 (and Ray)
He should schedule you a massage and take the peanuts out for treats
I wonder if Clever Training sells chocolate???
Congrats on the 8k finish! Obviously, Ray need to provide a quality massage!
Clean the house! My wife claims that’s the sexiest thing I can do!
Well done, DC. I‘m curious about the next reviews.
Life @ South Afrika is looking good
Amsterdam isn’t that bad neither link to youtu.be
– Have a great time down there!
Ray – cook your wife a wonderful dinner for Valentines Day!
Thank you for a great newsletter! Perhaps a more relaxing day out, simply spending quality time, conversation, (pizza).
A babysitter to go out for a run?
Flowers are always a winner
Great that you take the girl a day out to a spa, massage, diner and concert in the evening with on top a hotel to spend ‘us’ time. Just the two of you, babysitter is taken care ofcourse by you as well. You will be her hero again for several months as you should be! 🙂 Happy Valentine!
Whatever you end up doing for Valentine’s Day, at least you’ll be in warm and sunny South Africa and not the -40°C polar vortex ;).
Hey, love the newsletter! Thanks
hello 🙂
As much as I enjoy and learn from Ray’s content in his blog and videos, I must say that I really look forward to your weekly newsletter. Here is why: A couple of years ago you stopped writing for many weeks. I thought that there was issue my subscription, my email, or my computer so I wrote to Dcrainmaker.com asking why I was not getting any more newsletters. Within a very short time you answered me personally to explain that other duties, travel and kids etc. made witing difficult. You apologized for the hiatus and promised to be more diligent. I was blown away! I have no idea how many hundreds? thousands? subscribers you have, but to take the time to write me a personal note was in fact special to me. So I am a big fan and wish you a lot of love on Valentine’s day
warmest regards,
Charlie Falk
Roses and a gift card for housekeeping 🙂
Thank you for the interesting and funny newsletter!
Thanks for all you do because reliable reviews are so hard to come by.
What can be more romantic than Ray breaking out the candles, a good bottle of wine, setting the mood with soft music, and a hot freshly baked pizza from his new oven.
Hey, at least the guy is trying in his own special way – cut him some pizza loving slack
Wow! What a great idea. Thanks for the offer.
Would be great to be considered as some new gear might help me get in shape to make the better half happy.
Thanks for all the great content! Pick me for the giveaway please. Pretty please!