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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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.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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5 Easy Steps To The Site
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/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!
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: Weight Scale
A Quick Review: A $17 Weight Scale that Syncs to Zwift (1byone Smart Scale)
For those unfamiliar, the speed you go in Zwift is entirely based on your weight and power output – with some added trimmings, including height/virtual bike/wheels/etc… But really, it all hinges on your weight. As a good citizen of Zwift … Read More Here
Withings Body & Body Cardio WiFi Weight Scales In-Depth Review
Back in June Withings announced two new WiFi scales, though only one of them really got any attention – the new Body Cardio scale. I wrote up a bit of a preview post back then, but needed more time to … Read More Here
Hands-on with new Withings Body Cardio WiFi Scale
Update: My Full In-Depth Review for both the Withings Body and Body Cardio scales can be found here! Today Withings released their WiFi scale, the Withings Body Cardio along with the new Withings Body scale (sans-Cardio). Like all past Withings … Read More Here
Garmin Index WiFi Smart Scale In-Depth Review
It’s been a few months since Garmin announced their Index WiFi Scale (at $149), so it’s time to dive in on an in-depth review and see how things have shaped up. Most importantly: Is the scale worth the premium over … Read More Here
Under Armour’s HealthBox: WiFi Scale, Fitness Band, HR Strap, and more!
Today Under Armour has announced a flotilla of fitness products, likely to take the cake for the most unique fitness products announced by one company at the show this week. They’ve done so by partnering with HTC and delivering a … 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
A Weighty Decision: Deciding on a WiFi Weight Scale
Connected scales are all the rage these days. And for good reason – they make it easy to log your weight. More importantly though, they make it hard to pretend nothing happened. So as you rolled out of bed this … Read More Here
Withings Activité & Activité Pop In-Depth Review
It’s been well over a year since Withings released their initial Activité smart watch, which they then followed up last winter with the cheaper Activité Pop version. Of course – looking at both watches at a glance you wouldn’t realize … Read More Here
Garmin’s new Index Smart WiFi Weight Scale: Hands-on (or feet-on)
***Update Feb 2016! I’ve now published my full in-depth review on the Garmin Index Scale – so swing on over to that page for all my thoughts!*** Wrapping up what ought to be classified as a massive year of new … Read More Here
A&D Medical Lifesource UC-324 ANT+ enabled Weight Scale Review
I’ve reviewed a number of scales in the past, but only two of those are still used within the household on a daily basis. I say two, simply because one is in one bathroom, and the other in the other … Read More Here
Bod Pod & Consumer Scale Comparison Tests: Part III (The In Depth Statistical Analysis)
(Note from Ray: Two weeks ago when I published the results of the Bod Pod and body fat scale testing, a reader who happens to be a PhD Candidate in Pharmaceutical Sciences – Nathaniel Page – made an offer to … Read More Here
Bod Pod & Consumer Scale Comparison Tests: Part II (The Results)
Yesterday we left off with nine folks getting weighed in on five different consumer body fat scales – all in the quest to compare it against the generally accepted more accurate method of using a Bod Pod. Some of you … Read More Here
Bod Pod & Consumer Scale Comparison Tests: Part I
I’ve always wanted to do some sort of comparison test between many of the consumer scales that are out there today that measure both weight as well as body fat against one of the more expensive options such as the … Read More Here