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/Drones/Action Cams 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 (including drones & action cams!)! 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 2024 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.
Tag Archives: Giveaway
Giveaway Extravaganza: PowerTap P1 Power Meter Pedals
Well then, that escalated quickly. From $250 GPS watch to $1,200 power meter…all in the span of one minute. Boom! You saw my review on these puppies yesterday, and it’s definitely all good. Now you can not only ride around … Read More Here
Giveaway Extravaganza: Garmin Vivoactive
You know how they say size matters? Well in this case – smaller is better. And there’s no GPS running watch on the market today as thin as the Garmin Vivoactive. It’s basically like a piece of paper ate a … Read More Here
Giveaway Extravaganza: Polar M450 GPS bike computer
Think small and mighty. Like mighty mouse on EPO (or synthetic testosterone as the cool kids are doing this week). But legal instead. So, like Nutella and bananas. That’s what the M450 is like: Incredibly powerful yet super small. It’s … Read More Here
Giveaway Extravaganza: Withings WS50 WiFi Scale + Withings Activité
Too many BBQ’s this summer? Too many Slushies? First off – no, that’s impossible. Trust me, from the land that lacks both good slow cooked BBQ and Slushies I reject that claim outright. You can never have too much BBQ … Read More Here
Giveaway Extravaganza: Garmin FR920XT Tri Bundle (with HRM-SWIM & HRM-TRI Straps!)
What, you thought we’d limit this to things that are currently shipping? Nah, I’m about the future here! Even if the future is only a week or two away. The FR920XT is probably without question the most beloved triathlon watch … Read More Here
Giveaway Extravaganza: GoPro Hero4 Silver & GoPro 3-Way Pole
So…are you ready to rumble? Or perhaps at least fake it for the camera? Well then – I’ve got the giveaway for you: The GoPro Hero4 Silver. It’s now my go-to action cam that I grab anytime I’m looking to … Read More Here
In Just 7 Days…
Yes, the time is once again almost upon us: The Annual DC Rainmaker Giveaway Extravaganza. Albeit slightly later in the summer season than years’ past – but worry not, I’m not skipping it! Next Tuesday (August 4th) starting at exactly … Read More Here
The DCR’s on Vacation Fenix3 Giveaway Winner!
Holy cow, there were almost 7,000 entries on the giveaway – the largest to date around these parts! To be precise, some 6,911 comments in total, after removal of duplicates and the like. Apparently people really want the new Fenix3. … Read More Here
The DCR’s on Vacation Fenix3 Giveaway!
It’s giveaway time! Partly because it’s been a while, partly because it’s Friday and it seems fitting, and partly just cause I’m on vacation and this seemed a whole lot easier than writing an in-depth review. This time I’m giving … Read More Here
Valentine’s Day Double-Gadget Giveaway Winners!
With Valentine’s Day landing this past weekend, I figured it was the perfect time to give something away. Except, instead of just one something, I went for a double: Two somethings! The winner could choose two gadgets from Clever Training, … Read More Here
Valentine’s Day Double-Gadget Giveaway!
It’s definitely time for another giveaway. Given Valentine’s Day is tomorrow, it only seems right to show you some lovin’. But, it would seem sorta awkward to give you a present and not also give the person you love (or, at … Read More Here
The ‘Guess How Many Steps I Walked at CES 2015’ Giveaway Winner!
Over the weekend I held a rather unique giveaway where I asked folks to guess how many steps I walked at CES from Sunday till Monday. Closest person was the winner, simple as that! The most accurate answer then got … Read More Here
The Guess ‘How Many Steps I Walked at CES 2015’ Giveaway!
When it comes to walking, I have no week at any point during the year where I tally up a greater number of steps than that of CES. And this year was definitely no different. It’s been a crazy packed week (with … Read More Here
The ‘Anything On My Recommendations’ List Giveaway Results!
Over the weekend I held the ‘Anything on my Recommendations List’ giveaway, which basically meant that as long as I liked the product and it was listed on my Winter 2014-2015 Recommendations Guide – then you could win it. This … Read More Here
The ‘Anything On My Recommendations’ List Giveaway!
Wouldn’t it be cool if you could pick any gadget that’s on my ‘2014 Winter Sports Gadget Recommendations’ list and call it your own? Yup, I agree. And, so does Clever Training. So they’re offering up to one lucky holiday duck … Read More Here
Kona FR920XT or Fenix2 Giveaway Results!
Hopefully everyone had a great weekend, and everyone that raced (or trained) was successful in that venture – especially those enduring the lava fields at Kona! Since Friday when the giveaway opened, a mind-boggling metric crapton of you entered the … Read More Here
Kona Giveaway Time! The Garmin FR920XT or Fenix2 Special Edition!
We find ourselves on the eve of the Ironman World Championships this weekend, which seems like no better reason to get into the swing of things with a good ole giveaway. Especially now that the hangover has eased off after … Read More Here
The 2014 Annual Giveaway Extravaganza Winners!
Sleep? You didn’t need no stinkin’ sleep! With the 2014 edition of the Annual DCR Giveaway Extravaganza behind us, it’s time to get on to the most important part – the winners! (Or, perhaps in some cases…sleeping). Thanks to everyone … Read More Here
Giveaway Extravaganza: Swimmers Package–Garmin Swim, FINIS Neptune Swimming MP3 Player, and more!
If you just joined us for the DCR Giveaway Extravaganza, you’re late…..but….you’re not too late. This craziness has been going on for the past 22 hours. Seriously; like every 2 hours; all night and all day. We’ve given away so many … Read More Here
Giveaway Extravaganza: TomTom Cardio Multisport (with optical HR)
Fricken lasers beams! While I originally asked TomTom for sharks with laser beams on their heads, they balked. They said they didn’t do sharks and asked why I wanted a shark anyway. I called them wimps, and we went our … Read More Here
Giveaway Extravaganza: Mio/Magellan Cyclo 505
You know those people in life that we call ‘overachievers’? The ones who somehow manage to wake up at 5AM (all perky), go to the pool for a swim, then run 20 miles, then come back and mow the lawn, … Read More Here
Giveaway Extravaganza: Garmin FR15 and a Scosche RHYTHM+ Optical HR band
It’s like peanut butter and jelly (or in the case of Europe: Nutella and anything). The Garmin FR15 is one of the best little GPS watches and activity monitors out there. Then you combine it with my current favorite heart … Read More Here
Giveaway Extravaganza: SRAM Quarq RIKEN Power Meter
Your long wait is over. It’s here. That’s right…..It’s Power Meter time! Behold the SRAM Quarq Riken. Let the wagering begin. All you have to wager is a comment, so it’s not really a wager; more like just a…well, a … Read More Here
Giveaway Extravaganza: The Wahoo Package: RFLKT+, TICKR, iPhone Bike Case
OK, we’re now half way through the DCR Giveaway Extravaganza. It’s been a long day – especially if you’ve been stalking and refreshing this page waiting for the next big deal. Sure, it’s been a long 12 hours but … Read More Here
Giveaway Extravaganza: PowerBeam Pro Cycling Trainer
It’s midnight in Australia right now. Which, is somewhat unfortunate for them because as they head into winter, this giveaway is probably more relevant to them than some of you sitting here pondering your lunch options on a hot and … Read More Here
Giveaway Extravaganza: Garmin Edge 1000
Size matters. At least, that’s what the magazines say in the grocery store – and they’re never wrong. At least, that’s what the tabloid magazines sitting next to them say. And they never lie. Thus, if size matters for you … Read More Here
Giveaway Extravaganza: Polar V800 Multisport GPS Watch
Are you planning on swimming, cycling, and running all in one day this summer? I’d point out that sounds like a lot of work (I’d advise just doing one instead). But, if you’re headstrong on doing the whole triathlete thing … Read More Here
Giveaway Extravaganza: Suunto Ambit2 Multisport GPS watch
What’s that you say? You want more high end watches? Ok, deal. Next up we’ve got the Suunto Ambit2 – it’ll go ahead and track your flailing efforts across all three triathlon sports while also providing navigational support in the … Read More Here
Giveaway Extravaganza: Garmin Fenix2 Multisport GPS Watch
Back in early spring Garmin released their Fenix2 multisport watch. This was a well-received move in the sports watch marketplace, bringing enhanced navigation, Running Dynamics, and Bluetooth upload capability into the mix. Oh, and with the Summer Solstice sneaking up … Read More Here
Giveaway Extravaganza: GoPro Hero3+ Black & 3-Way Grip/Arm/Tripod
Your long wait is over. Let the Giveaway Extravaganza begin! First up, for your consideration: a GoPro Hero3+ Black. The Hero3+ Black is their newest top of the line model, actually a combo pack of sorts since it includes a … Read More Here
The May Day Giveaway Results!
Hopefully everyone had a great weekend, and everyone that raced (or trained) was successful in that venture Since Friday when the giveaway opened, a ton of you swung by and threw your hat in the ring. All in a total … Read More Here
A May Day Giveaway
While meticulously lining up the above action cameras for some underwater tests this week I realized that somehow I missed April on the giveaway plan. I’ll blame the stingray for that, as clearly there’s no other explanation. But don’t worry, … Read More Here
St. Patrick’s Day Giveaway Results!
Hopefully everyone had a great weekend, and great (or green) St. Patrick’s day yesterday! Since Friday when the giveaway opened, you’ve all been quite busy getting your giveaway on. All in, a record breaking 4,656 of you entered in the … Read More Here
The Because It’s Almost St. Patrick’s Day…Giveaway
While I was enjoying the umpteenth day straight of mind-bogglingly sunny weather here in the ‘City of Light’, it occurred to my that St. Patrick’s day is Monday. Despite the French fondness for any reason to take the day off, … Read More Here
‘Because it’s Cold’ Giveaway Results! Were you the winner?
This past weekend was the ‘Because it’s Cold’ Giveaway, where I tried to light a tiny bit of warmth in your heart…especially if you’ve been training in the cold lately. All in, some 2,387 of you entered in the contest … Read More Here