I bought this as a gift for a rock climbing friend. She absolutely loved it and was impressed at how it helped her practice her grips.If not familiar with rock climbing, group would take some getting used to.I have a rock climbing loving husband. This was a perfect Christmas gift. The grip is difficult to hold onto to drink hot coffee (even for a rock climbing husband). But, he still loved it and he uses it as a pencil / pen holder. It's the perfect accessory to his desk.Super cool! I wasn’t sure if the mug + hold can withstand getting baked to set the paint, but it held up.What I did for painting/customizing:1. Used acrylic paint2. Let dry in the blazing sun for a day, then inside for I can’t remember how long…3. Stuck the mug in a cold oven, set temp to 240F4. Once temp has been at 240 for ~20 minutes, I turned it up to 300F5. Baked at 300 for about 2 hours, turn oven off, and let mug cool in the ovenWhat I would do differently: wash the mug really well before painting. There were parts of the mug that the paint didn’t adhere well (likely because of residue), and I just went over it twice.Cool conversation piece, it’s easier to hold than I thought it would, which is a good thing lolMy son got this for his sister’s birthday. She’s a climber and loved it.The handle is a real hold. You could practice finger strength but it will take ages to built up.Overall great product, good quality.Not to be used in the dishwasherSlightly lower volume than advertised (I measured out water and poured it in to verify that). Too bad — the handle and construction are lovely. The volume both reduces its utility for holding drink and for working out your grip:/ — as it’s not going to get very heavy even full.One of these days I’ll get around to putting a similar handle on a sizeable mug.Otherwise — good construction and as advertised though.This is an awesome mug that's really appealing to people who are super into rock climbing. It's fun to grip your mug with the rock hold, and the hold is steady and firm, which is great! This isn't the best mug to keep drinks super warm (if you're thinking Embr or any of those fancy mugs), but it's a fun gift and it's great for rock climbers who like to drink tea or coffee.This was a gift for a friend who climbs and he loves it. At first he thought of it more as a novelty, but once he drank coffee from it once it's the only mug he uses anymore. When the mug is full of liquid it's unrealistic to grip the mug by just the hand grip. The mug easily fits into one's hand and the grip can be used as support. The grip is actually very sturdy and and after months of using this mug the grip is still as sturdy as day one.Two draw backs is that the mug can not be microwaved and it has not been put in the dishwasher which is always helpful to know up front.Cup is good, but the handle is bit small meaning can burn fingers on mug if not carefulAmazing mug, great for training finger strengthMy friend loved it as a giftBought this as a Christmas present for my boyfriend who is a rock climber fanatic. He absolutely loves it and uses it everyday.It’s fun