Originally Posted by
stuffedsuperdud
After months of hurrying up and waiting, I have successfully relocated to Washington, DC. Take that Gilchrest! Well, actually I've been here two weeks now, but my personal computer was broken until just now (still broken, but limping) and the IT guys at work really don't like it when people surf the net, and I can't type on my phone real good, which brings us to this moment.
Random knowledge
-I am sharing a large house in Virginia with three hot girls in their mid-20s. When I was 18 I would have sported a raging hard-on all day every day in eager anticipation for the reverse gangbang that was certainly around the corner. But I am no longer 18 so I am mostly trying to keep the guys they have over from using my soap and towel. Also, we probably can't bang anyway since I am still sleeping on the floor surrounded by a moat of underwear and luggage, because I haven't made the requisite Ikea run yet...and I'm sort of getting used to this so maybe I'll just spend the $300 of furniture money on hookers instead.
-The weather is exciting here, but I'm wearying of native Washingtonians acting all smug whenever they catch me sweating in what is apparently a relatively mild June.
-Liquor laws. WTF? Guess the "Whiskey comes from Trader Joe's" memo didn't get here in time.
-I have nowhere to train. A cursory glance suggested that my only options in DC / NOVA are CF gyms, and that there are no sleazy Polish coaches anywhere to be found. This is fast turning into a medical emergency. Inb4 I run LP for a FIFTH time.
-More exciting/amusing updates to follow, maybe. I've been in a constant state of fatigue since getting here: I flew in on a Saturday night, started work the next Monday morning, and as luck would have it, my boss is the first supermotivated Fed I've met, who likes to start at 6, so we all start at 6, hence the aforementioned state of unpacking and such. A human can only arrive for work before the security detachment for so many times before he turns into a zombie....
The shoes:
Given how many times I've seen some manbunned hipster DB slam-bar-kill-PR a 58kg barbell, I wouldn't be surprised if this kickstarter thing at least gets this first product out. They...actually do look kind of like what I had in mind when I mentioned the idea all those months back. Quality-wise, a few red flags though:
1. I'm kind of wary of how few pictures there are
2. "Top grain" is, generally actually a bug, not a feature: it means the leather had blemishes and whatnot that they had to sand off, thus making no longer "full" grain. But this is an athletic shoe that will take a beating, so that's okay in itself, but indicative of shortcutting.
3. "Small-batch workshop" is probably supposed to sound artisanal and whatever, but what it probably really means is they found some factory in Leon, Mexico or maybe Portugal that will cater to their unusual design and low production run for cheap.
4. The heel is leather, not wood...and wood is 99% of the appeal of pre-CrossFit shoes, so what's the point again, except...
5. ....yea, hipster lifters. Fools and money and the easy separation thereof?
I might be okay with pay $150 for this thing if quality-wise it's what I am imagining, measured against the $200 that my 2008 Adistars cost. I am known for being overly harsh, so maybe I'm wrong and these will be a kickass product even for $300+. I guess all we can do is just wait and see.