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.
Polar
The New Polar Vantage Series: Everything you ever wanted to know
The new Polar Vantage V and Vantage M include a slew of new features, from new training load metrics to recovery metrics. Plus the Vantage V gets running power too. Read More Here
Hands-on: Polar’s OH1 Standalone Optical HR Sensor
*** Update: I have written the full In-Depth Review on the Polar OH1 Plus, check out that link for the most up to date information on the OH1 & OH1Plus*** Over the past couple of years, Polar has been continuing to … Read More Here
Polar M430 In-Depth Review
Polar’s latest GPS watch steps up to plate with what might be the most accurate optical HR sensor in a mainstream GPS watch. I dive into the details. Read More Here
Polar A370 In-Depth Review
Just over a week ago Polar announced their latest wearable – the Polar A370. This new unit took the hardware of the Polar A360 that was released about 18 months ago and plopped in a few new features like continuous … Read More Here
First Look: Polar’s new M460 GPS Bike Computer
Today is shaping up to be a rather busy day for announcements! Polar joined the Wednesday new products club with its new M460 bike GPS. This bike computer builds on the M450 unit they announced almost two years ago. Both … Read More Here
Polar M600 Android Wear GPS Watch In-Depth Review
It’s been a touch bit over two months since Polar announced their first Android Wear device, the M600 GPS-enabled watch. This running/lifestyle/not-triathlon focused watch was not only unique in Polar’s stable for being Android Wear, but for also including features … Read More Here
Hands-on: Polar’s new M200 GPS watch with Optical HR
Today Polar announced its latest device – the M200, which is a budget focused running GPS watch, but one complete with optical heart rate, smartphone notifications, and even structured training options. All at $149/149EUR. Or, $189 if you want to … Read More Here
Hands-on: Polar’s new Android Wear based M600 GPS Sport Watch (with music!)
Today Polar announced their latest wearable, and in the process also signaled a shift in direction to a far more open platform than they’ve ever had in their 39 year history. The Polar M600 takes the best of their M400 … Read More Here
Polar Balance Scale In-Depth Review
Today Polar announced that they’ve joined the weight scale club and are now making their own Bluetooth Smart scale. This scale integrates straight into the Polar Flow ecosystem. You step on the scale, and it then syncs to your phone, … Read More Here
Polar A360 In-Depth Review
It’s been about a month since Polar announced their latest wearable – the A360. This would be their first entrant into the optical HR sensor world, a key milestone for a company that’s effectively built its entire reputation and company … Read More Here
A few quick thoughts on Polar’s new A360 with optical HR sensor
Heads up! I’ve now posted my full A360 In-Depth Review, which can be viewed here! Enjoy! Earlier today Polar announced their latest wearable, the A360. More notably – it marks the first Polar product to include an optical heart rate … Read More Here
The new Polar Loop 2 and also new $19 Misfit Flash Link Activity Tracker
I just wanted to very briefly cover two new products that have been announced in the last 24 hours. Neither one really warrants a standalone post – especially since neither company has samples available on-hand (or rather, in my hands). … Read More Here
Hands-on with Polar’s new M450 GPS cycling computer
Today Polar has announced their latest cycling focused product, the M450 GPS based bike computer. In doing so, they’ve also quite likely just upended Garmin with a unit that quite frankly kicks ass (at least based on my limited testing … Read More Here
Polar Announces A300 Activity Tracker Watch, also MyFitnessPal automatic sync support
The A300 Overview: This weekend ahead of CES here in Las Vegas, Polar has announced their latest activity tracking watch, the A300. This watch aims to take the M400 GPS watch, remove the GPS part, and then call it the … Read More Here
Polar M400 GPS & Activity Tracker Watch In-Depth Review
Today, Polar has announced their latest watch, the M400. This running focused GPS watch also contains day to day activity tracking (i.e. steps and sleep) along with smartphone connectivity. The unit priced at $179US/€159EUR, is very competitively placed in the … Read More Here
Polar V800 Multisport GPS Watch In-Depth Review
Everything you ever wanted to know about the Polar V800, from the device to the app & site behind it, plus how it compares to the competition. Read More Here
First look at Polar V650 GPS bike computer
Today Polar announced their first dedicated GPS bike computer – the V650. The unit combines integrated GPS with a full color touch screen, it also becomes the first bike-specific computer to be Bluetooth Smart sensor capable. This marks the second … Read More Here
Polar Loop In-Depth Review
The Polar Loop is the very first daily activity tracker on the market that not only counts steps, but also connects to a separate heart rate strap – providing you with heart-rate based calorie information for activities. This changes the … Read More Here
Polar Bluetooth Smart Stride Sensor (Footpod) In-Depth Review
Earlier this week Polar announced their latest product – though, it’s not a watch. Or even anything connected to a watch. Instead, it’s an accessory for smart phones that further illuminates Polar’s direction and protocol strategy going forward. The Bluetooth … Read More Here
A look at the new Polar Beat Bluetooth Smart app with H7 Heart Rate Strap
Late last week, Polar released their first iPhone App – Polar Beat. The app aims to bridge the gap between their dedicated devices and the phone market. Most importantly however, it’s actually the first Bluetooth Smart compatible offering from them. … Read More Here
Polar RC3 integrated GPS watch In-Depth Review
The Polar RC3 is Polar’s first GPS integrated watch. As a mid-range watch, it has pretty heavy competition. Let’s dive deep and see if it…. Read More Here
Polar Look Keo Power System–Pedal Based Power Meter–In-Depth Review
The Polar Look Keo Power System is the first pedal based power meter to make it to market, meaning, you can actually go out and buy one. Announced nearly two years ago, the units finally started trickling out into the … Read More Here
Polar RCX3 In-Depth Review
The Polar RCX3 was announced a little over a month ago, though, the unit won’t be available until this summer. The RCX3 is designed to be the RCX5’s younger sibling. A bit cheaper, though with fewer features. It’s a clean … Read More Here
Polar RCX5 In Depth Review
While the Polar RCX5 was officially released yesterday, I’ve actually been playing with it now for over a month – getting the change to put it through its paces in hundreds upon hundreds of miles of real world running, cycling … Read More Here