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!
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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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.
Tag Archives: Underwater
Snippets of workouts from the past week (and how I killed a $1,700 camera)
This past week has been a work whirlwind for me, hence why the posting has been a bit light lately. Thankfully, the worst of it is over, and now I’m almost back to full speed around these parts. But that … Read More Here
How I ran into a WWII tank on my swim
Alternate Title #1: The Americans invaded during my swim! Alternate Title #2: How I got tanked on my swim Alternate Title #3: Down Periscope Fail (Really, I could go on and on…) Of course, you’re probably wandering what I’m talking … Read More Here
A weekend in Saipan
Over the last 8 weeks or so I’ve been jetting in and out of countries all over the place, mostly in Central America. In the vast majority of the cases, I was there working for only 24 hours, sometimes up … Read More Here
A day with the Maldives Whale Shark Research Programme
Back a few months ago while following the Underwater Thrills blog, I saw a story about a Whale Shark research program in the Maldives. After a bit of poking around, it turned out the program is partially supported by the … Read More Here
Days 11-13 – Maldivian water games, a night and day difference
Given the Maldives are a collection of tiny islands in a vast ocean, you spend the majority of your time in or around the water. The good news is…I like the water. The bad news is that there isn’t enough … Read More Here
Days 4-6 – A prelude to a Bali Triathlon
After arriving on the island of Bali from Singapore, we sought out our pre-booked rental car place at the airport. However, despite booking with a major international car rental company via a major travel service (Travelocity), no car rental humans … Read More Here
Isla Guadalupe Great White Shark Diving – Day 5
I woke up surprisingly late – around 9AM. Though, since we were just making the trek back to land, I wasn’t exactly missing much. Thankfully, the weather continued to hold up and made for an incredibly calm ride back – … Read More Here
Isla Guadalupe Great White Shark Diving – Day 4
Over the course of the night the boat moved a round a bit in an attempt to avoid some of the winds and swells that can make life on the boat uncomfortable. But, by time the sun rose we were … Read More Here
Isla Guadalupe Great White Shark Diving – Day 2
Our day began with sunrise at sea, just after 6AM. We had been motoring east now for some 17 hours, making way towards Isla Guadalupe at a steady clip of about 10mph. However, while we slept, the ocean did not. … Read More Here
Isla Guadalupe Great White Shark Diving – Day 1
Our itinerary put together by Shark Diver called for us to leave San Diego around 6:30AM via charter bus. We’d then drive South about half an hour, where we’d cross the US-Mexico border before continuing onto Ensenada, Mexico – the … Read More Here
Egypt Day 3: Blowing Bubbles
After driving a gazillion miles from Cairo, it was time to do what we came here to do – diving. Both my brother and I certified scuba divers, so it was mostly just a matter of picking out a reputable … Read More Here
Shark Week
Ever since I was a kid I can remember watching Discovery Channel’s Shark Week – which typically occurs during the last week of July (this year July 27- Aug. 2…aka NOW!). Way back when (probably 10-15 years now), the content … Read More Here
Kayaking Day 3: Jellyfish Lake
After coming back a day ahead of schedule (we were cruisin’!) from our kayak camping trip, we got persuaded into going back out in the kayaks for another day (although after a good nights sleep in a real bed). It’s … Read More Here
Kayaking Day 2: Here comes the sun!
(If you’re just joining me, check out day one first) We got an early start due to being up before sunrise. We tooled around our beach area a bit, basically just wasting time. After a breakfast consisting of Pop Tarts, … Read More Here