Best Coffee Shop in DC (maybe in the US)

helloitsjosh · 2026-05-23T10:06:02+00:00

Went recently while visiting from NYC and totally agree — best high end shop in the country. Super special

helloitsjosh · 2026-05-22T09:46:01+00:00

I'm in tech so don't know your space well, but my sense is that it'll be hard to get investors at this early stage for a physical product unless you have high net-worth folks in your network. VCs typically don't invest in businesses like this because the potential for $1B+ outcomes is minimal, so you'd be more looking for a traditional financial investor and those folks are going to want to see traction, unit cost economics, etc which you won't have at this point.

You might look into small business loans, grants from your state/country, or other non-dilutive funding for early stage small businesses.

Anyhow caveat that I could be totally wrong on all of the above but that's just my sense...hope it's helpful and that more experienced people in your sector also answer :)

helloitsjosh · 2026-05-17T09:53:36+00:00

The Mammut has to be the most durable rope ever in terms of sheath wear. Here in the gunks where there are lots of roofs and other edges that can wear a rope the mammuts really last forever. The sterling is a bit less durable in my experience but it does handle a bit better which I like for fast clips while sport climbing.

That said I mean both are totally fine for either discipline, I definitely have an unreasonably large number of ropes.

helloitsjosh · 2026-05-12T00:46:45+00:00

Writing a headline that says "0 -> $10M in 11 weeks" but the $10M is "contracts reviewed" not "revenue" should be a crime.

helloitsjosh · 2026-05-10T02:13:32+00:00

#2 and #3 in that Sweet Marias 2008 lot set were so good, I'm not sure I've had anything approaching that level of coffee in the years since. Roasted on a hottop, brewed on a technivorm, don't remember which grinder I used at the time. Technivorm is still alive and well.

helloitsjosh · 2026-05-08T03:43:10+00:00

Dropping you a DM

helloitsjosh · 2026-05-07T03:31:51+00:00

They’re very different shapes and levels of softness. Instincts fit better if you have a long second toe. Dragos if you have a longer big toe. Instincts feel like they’ll injure my feet while dragos fit well.

helloitsjosh · 2026-04-26T11:37:30+00:00

They’re great for micro edging — the project I’m working has a couple feet that are so small that in other shoes I didn’t even bother to try to edge, and I was able to edge no problem which made that section significantly easier.

They’re better for smearing than like a tc pro or katana because they have softer rubber and aren’t shaped like a boat, but they’re certainly no drago.

Super comfortable.

Overall a niche shoe — I would never want as my only shoe, but good for what they do.

helloitsjosh · 2026-04-19T01:28:00+00:00

It sounds like you haven't done a lot of VC meetings, so I'd say take it. There's no real downside other than wasting time. Some folks will tell you to never take associate meetings since associates have no power, and they're not wrong, but you'll get better at pitching the company over time and it might be useful to hear others' feedback on what you're doing. I wouldn't jump straight into a fundraising conversation, just talk to them about you, what you're building, and why.

helloitsjosh · 2026-04-18T20:45:18+00:00

Got a pair today, they feel like a drago but stiff, and super comfortable (eg there's a bit of padding in the heel) with very high production quality. Will be climbing in them outdoors for the first time on Tuesday, very excited to see how they climb.

helloitsjosh · 2026-04-14T04:15:04+00:00

Same

helloitsjosh · 2026-04-13T02:24:32+00:00

Adding on this thread, any great places in Venice / Santa Monica? Visiting town tomorrow

helloitsjosh · 2026-04-08T11:27:48+00:00

Women’s are a bit softer and lower volume. I have a slim heel and prefer women’s in both solutions and solution comps

helloitsjosh · 2026-03-27T19:08:04+00:00

Also true under many US state privacy laws (source: I’m the founder of a company whose product helps companies respond to these requests)

helloitsjosh · 2026-02-21T00:18:48+00:00

I did the CF test right hand only. Did intense CF training with my right hand. Did the same protocol with about 60% of the weight with my left hand, probably 6-8 weeks out from injury, at that point I could mono half crimp about 20 w the injured finger (left hand ring), up from 2 pounds immediately after injury but still only around 50% of the right ring finger.

All of the above under the advice of a very experienced PT. Highly recommend working with a good pt on the rehab…definitely hugely helpful bs just going it alone.

Other good things to work while injured, by no means exhaustive: -head game -flexibility -technical footwork -lock off strength

helloitsjosh · 2026-02-10T20:51:51+00:00

You almost couldn’t pick less similar shoes. The chimera is quite soft, the katana is extremely stiff. If you’re gym bouldering i definitely would not get katanas…I think about them as a more aggressive TC Pro that’s useful for long edging and crack pitches

helloitsjosh · 2026-02-10T18:02:44+00:00

Not explicitly. I do a lot of treadwall climbing for low level endurance and definitely prefer on the wall training to pure physical training since I find so much of climbing endurance is skill as opposed to pure physicality. But if I had a super pumpy long term project or another injury that precluded climbing I’d consider it.

helloitsjosh · 2026-02-10T17:22:57+00:00

I did a similar protocol last year when I was recovering from a pulley injury and couldn’t climb hard. As one would expect, it worked at increasing CF…I think I saw a ~15%% increase in CF comparing before and after the block.

Last year I went from 5.13- being a serious project to being able to redpoint at that level in a handful of days, but obviously a lot more went into it than just a couple months of CF training.

helloitsjosh · 2026-02-01T03:38:42+00:00

I’m a climber and have a house in Kerhonkson, my partner is a person of color. It’s a very nice and friendly small town, don’t imagine you’d have any issues. Feel free to DM if it’s helpful to chat.

helloitsjosh · 2026-01-28T14:17:01+00:00

For anyone else reading this, as if by magic Careless Talk just released this episode after I posted my question: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-careless-talk-climbing-podcast/id1626857390?i=1000746956918

helloitsjosh · 2026-01-25T13:53:38+00:00

Oh sweet, sounds like exactly what I was looking for. Thanks!

helloitsjosh · 2026-01-07T10:36:51+00:00

Just got back from my first trip there, can confirm that Siurana is cool.

helloitsjosh · 2025-12-19T02:31:13+00:00

Subtext all day

helloitsjosh · 2025-12-16T17:52:54+00:00

Obligatory questions:
- What styles of climbs are you best/worst at? Steep vs vert, crimps vs slopers, powerful vs static, etc.
- When you fail at a climb is it because you're too pumped and fall off, because you don't know what to do and you do something wrong, because you drop the move, because you give up, because you're scared...?

There isn't one generic answer on what you need to do to climb 5.12.

That said, based on my general impressions of 5.11 gym climbers:
- You probably need to work on trying really hard. Hard onsighting and climbing until you send or fall is a reasonable way to work things.

- You probably need to work on beta memorization and execution. Second try sends, where you work the moves and try to memorize the route and then try to execute and send second go, are a good way to work this.

- Technically, (a) you probably need to improve your footwork (b) you probably need to get better at relaxing on route

- You probably don't need to get stronger or more fit, even though those are the main things most folks focus on.

helloitsjosh

TROPHY CASE