Good ole Dad. The man seems to have everything he could possibly want. Buying gifts for fathers might seem daunting or nearly impossible. As a dad myself, I went through the arduous process of looking for the gaps or dilapidated items in my own kit to build a wishlist that covers a wide range of price points and outdoor activities. See what strikes you for your pop.
Fitness
Bose SoundSport Free Earbuds
Any music lover knows Bose delivers superior sound quality and these little truly bluetooth wireless buds make the mark. If your dad loves having music or a podcast going while working out or even while mowing the lawn, he will be stoked to unwrap these. The don’t have a tether between the buds and fit securely in the ear. They come with a hard, protective carrying case that has a built in battery to provide the buds an extra two charge cycles worth. $200 | Buy Now | Full Review
Buff Pack Run Cap
Really, no matter what outdoor sport Dad enjoys, he can make good use of this cap. It only weighs an ounce and can be folded, rolled and stuffed into just about any space when it’s not being worn. The smooth, low profile polyester provides excellent sun protection (rated at UPF 50) and easily fits under any type of helmet—which is especially great for helmets that don’t have a brim. $32 | Buy Now
Tops & Bottoms
1620 Workwear
No matter if Dad works in a construction zone during the week or if he likes to get his hands dirty on projects at home, a good pair of work pants is a must. Founders of 1620 Workwear Josh and Ted set out to design and make a premium work pant using tough Cordura fabric right here in the USA—specifically, northeastern Massachusetts. With a moderately athletic build, these have been some of the best fitting pants I have ever worn and are my absolute favorite (and I’ve tried a few). They are comfortable, have a bunch of pockets (including a new must-have for me, the side-leg cell phone pocket), and are now a favorite. $150-$240 | Buy Now
United by Blue Hoy Short
A dad’s life (especially with kiddos under 10) can be extremely hectic and for that Dad needs to be able to switch from one venue to another with minimal hassle. This pair of shorts is really appropriately described by the maker as a “secret boardshort”. It will go from casual BBQ into the drink for a quick round of Marco Polo and back again to flipping burgers without flinching. It has two front pockets for quickly stashing whatever the kids are handing him and a zippered back pocket to keep valuables secure. $64 | Buy Now
Lululemon Commission Pant
If you or your dad tend to judge a book by its cover and are leery of men’s gear from Lululemon, move on. If you’re open to any pair of pants that is extremely comfortable and suitable for a wide range of use, hook Dad up with these. In fact, many only get introduced to the brand via gifts anyway. In this case, these pants with a light and airy yet stretchy and durable fabric have a nice tapered leg—which is perfect for summer so the back of the hem doesn’t end up between the heel and the flipflop and get chewed up. A hidden zipper pocket fits a passport for travel and the inside outer hem sports a length of reflective fabric for those unexpected dark bike rides home. $128 | Buy Now
Fisher+Baker Chelsea Trench
If Dad has any sort of fashion savvy (or if you want him to) but stresses value on the functional then the Chelsea Trench is going to be a great fit. The trench offers 20,000mm waterproofing and breathability with a 3-layer polyester coated with a durable water resistant finish to keep even the most severe downpours out. The modern cut means it will work covering a 3-piece suit or a T-shirt with jeans and the removable hood makes it incredibly versatile. Get Dad looking good and keep him happy that he’s ready for the storm. $548 | Buy Now
Outdoor Research Interstellar Jacket
On the more technical side, this lightweight and very breathable hard shell won’t restrict Dad in his movements in the rain thanks to the built in stretch. The hood is helmet compatible and the handwarmer pockets are designed to sit above a harness per OR’s strong technical savvy to playing in the mountains. It only weighs 11.6 ounces (size L) and is made with OR’s exclusive AscentShell technology which is where both the stretch and ability to move moisture away from the inside comes from. It’s also available in a Women’s version incase Mom is feeling left out (or you didn’t heed our Mother’s Day Gift Gear Guide). $299 | Buy Now
Cycling
Rudy Project Protera Helmet
Even if Dad got a new mountain bike helmet for Christmas, having another one handy to rotate through amongst his rides isn’t a bad idea. This new helmet from Rudy Project provides full rear coverage as well as a number of Rudy Project’s proprietary fit, comfort and safety technology. Their new RSR 9 dial brings the helmet in for a snug fit, Airframe Padding manages sweat and cooling and interchangeable straps allow Dad to customize the look to his liking. $250 | Buy Now | Bike Helmet Reviews
Spurcycle Tool
There are so many things that enter a dad’s life that require a hex-wrench of some sort. Instead of relying on keeping track of the free (and random sized) that come with any Ikea furniture that has been purchased, give dad all the hex sizes he needs in one easy package. Bonus if Dad is a cyclist as that’s what this little tool wallet was designed for. It easily slips into a jersey pocket or seat pouch. $69 | Buy Now
Travel
Velomacchi Impact Laptop Sleeve
When Dad just needs to get away for a little bit to get some work done, and doesn’t need anything else but his laptop or tablet (and maybe his favorite drink vessel) these simple carry sleeves are perfect. The single zippered compartment doesn’t even have room for the power cord. It’s made of 1680-denier ballistic nylon with high-impact form and a polyethylene plate to ward of accidental dings. A single strap extends to accommodate over shoulder cary or cross-chest carry as well as a well-placed handle at the top. $59-$69 | Buy Now
Eagle Creek National Geographic Guide Series
Two brands steeped in adventure, travel and discovery joined forces to build an incredible set of luggage to get all the gear you need to your next adventure. There are six pieces to this series, each is made with heavy duty Tarpaulin fabric and tight self-repairing #10 zippers to ward of bumps and scrapes as well as massive downpours. There are lots of external handles and attachment points for ease of movement and unexpected extra gear. And, the sleek black finish helps the subtle little yellow border synonymous with adventure stand out. Available as of the 1st of June the pieces are a 65 Liter Guide Travel Pack, 32-inch Yonder Rolling Trunk, Borderless Convertible Carry-on Roller, 60 Liter All Purpose Duffel, 40 Liter Utility Backpack and an Eagle Creek staple, a special edition of their Pack-It Storage Compression Cubes. $60-$500 | Buy Now
Thule RoundTrip Series
One thing missing in the Eagle Creek series above is luggage for a ski trip, which is where the Thule RoundTrip Series comes in (blue bags pictured above). The unique S-pattern zipper down the length of the roller ski bag makes it easy to pack all that extra gear that ends up going in with the skis—of which it carries two pairs comfortably. And the rollers make it easy to cruise through the airport or to the bus. Boots travel in either the 60 Liter Boot Backpack or for extra gear the 90 Liter Snowsport Duffel. Each boot carrier has extra room to carry a helmet (or two), goggles and avy beacon at the least. The 90 Liter will fit all that and possibly Thule’s backcountry ski pack, the Upslope. $100-$260 | Buy Now
Boat
Oru Kayak
With kids gear everywhere, storage is often at a premium and Oru Kayaks are a great option for the dad who loves to get on the water but doesn’t have anywhere to store a boat. The new 16-foot Coast XT sea kayak stores folded up in the shape of a 33” x 12” x 29” box and is easy to toss into the trunk of a car, or on the back with the backpack carrying case to head to the water. It unfolds in minutes and provides solid performance in the water. It takes up to 300 pounds of load and will accommodate anyone up to 6’6”. $2,500 | Buy Now
Photography
Peak Design Capture v3
The Capture camera mounting system has come a long way since it was introduced in 2011. Now on it’s third version, it’s much thinner than its predecessors and more refined. This system allows you to cary nearly any hand held camera (or binoculars or extra lenses) on any strap (backpack shoulder strap, belt, etc.) to keep the camera easy to access to get the shot. It eliminates the swinging around of keeping a camera hanging from a strap. If you (or Dad) are a long time Peak Design user, note the v3 clip can hold older versions of the plate (what screws into the camera) but the v3 plate might have a hard time working with older clips due to the thin design. Also, long time PD users should know about the Anchor Link recall. $70 | Buy Now
Camp
Nemo Stargaze Recliner Luxury Chair
If you really want to help Dad relax, but don’t want him to totally disengage from the group by disappearing into a tent or hammock, hook him up with this new style of camp chair from Nemo. It’s akin to sitting sideways in a hammock but it has its own frame to sit anywhere there is flat ground. The Luxury version comes with a high back and headrest and a clever weighted strap system gives the chair the perfect amount of recline. There’s a drink holder pocket as well as a little stash pocket to keep essentials handy. Come to think of it, he may just fall a sleep in this anyway. $220 | Buy Now
Goal Zero Nomad 28 Solar Pannel & Venture 70
Granted, there are probably some anti-technology dads out there who don’t need to keep anything powered up, but I’m guessing that’s rare. For the rest of the tech-savvy dads, they are going to need a way to keep their tech juiced when out camping and the Nomad 28 Solar Pannel from Goal Zero is big enough to capture a useful amount of sunlight for small gadgets, phones in particular. Solar does take some time so it’s best to just set the pannel out and let it do it’s thing all day long and charge up one of Goal Zero’s custom battery banks like rugged and waterproof Venture 70. $250 | Buy Now
Home
OluKai Moloa Slippers
Comfort at home is key between adventures and these slippers are so nice to slip into after a big day (or days) in stiff footwear like hiking boots or ski boots. OluKai has perfected the drop-in heel that makes it easy to get these slippers on and off. Having the heel dropped also broadens the use of the slippers beyond the cold winter months since it provides some nice temperature regulation. $120 | Buy Now