When I was a kid searching for a Father’s Day gift for my dad, all I had to do was stick to a couple of aisles at the store. Buying a gift was simple. My first stop would be on the soap aisle, where I would pick up a box of soap on a rope. Remember those? You can actually still find soap on a rope. Check out Caswell-Massey if you’re interested. What was the point of it? Anyway, soap on a rope was always a crowd-pleaser. After the suds aisle, I’d pick up a tie and maybe a chocolate bar or two.
Having the internet makes buying Father’s Day gifts a lot easier. If it would have been around when I was younger, my dad wouldn’t have had a back stock of soap, aftershave, and ties and could have received gifts that were more thoughtful, unique, or applicable to his life.
Here are some gift suggestions for the dad in your life.
Personalized Bat
If your dad loves all things baseball, a personalized bat from Cooperstown Bat Company would be a magnificent gift. Cooperstown Bat Company provides many Major League Baseball players with well-made bats and some of those bats have made their way into the Baseball Hall of Fame. After cutting a bat to your desired style, the company will engrave whatever you want on the bat. I own one and is on display in my living room. It looks great at home or in an office. To order a bat, click here.
Read about my visit to the Cooperstown Bat Company here.
A good duffle bag
A stylish duffle bag for multiple purposes is a great gift for dads that are constantly on the go. I travel a lot, but I don’t like to bring a heavy suitcase as my carry-on when I fly. The Retrospective Duffle from Think Tank Photo, is a durable bag that can meet many of dad’s needs. It’s great for a trip by air or land, as well as a trip to the gym.
Recovery Salve
I’m 47, which means my body is in a constant state of pain. It hurts just to get out of bed these days. A little CBD Recovery Salve from Joshua Tree Skin Care goes a long way. During the pandemic, I worked out more, and I picked up running. I tried many creams and lotions for my aging and aching muscles. A part of my post-workout regimen now includes rubbing in products from Joshua Tree. As I type this gift guide, the menthol smell from the recovery salve fills my nose and the coolness of the salve is on my lower back.
Joshua Tree also makes great products for skin care, lip balm, tattoo care, and many other items.
Durable Water Shoes
When looking at my summer plans, it was obvious I needed a good shoe that’s comfortable in the water and on the trail. My family is active, which means my footwear needs to be active as well. Crosskix makes a shoe that can withstand jumping in and out of the boat and walking around a beach town. Nobody wants to walk around in sloshy shoes and my upcoming vacation plans include those activities and I don’t want to bring different pairs of shoes. I need one shoe for everything. You’ll see a lot of photos of my Crosskix on Instagram this year.
New clothes from JACHS NY
One of my new favorite stores is JACHS NY. I love the clothing and the store offers a variety of styles for all occasions. I appreciate you can wear JACHS clothing for any occasion. Over the past week, I wore a JACHS’ blazer to graduation and an event. I’ve worn shirts to church, events, a party, and lounging around the house. If your dad needs an updated wardrobe, peruse JACHS’ website and you’ll definitely find good quality clothing.
Alcohol from FreshDirect
Did you know you can order spirits, wine, and beer from FreshDirect? It’s true! If for whatever reason you can’t or simply don’t want to run to the store, you can click around on FreshDirect and have bottles of alcohol delivered right to your door. If your dad lives far away and loves a glass of Scotch now and then, send him a bottle of his favorite or try something new.
T-shirts from Fodada
My favorite dad-inspired t-shirts are from Fodada. Chances are, if you see me walking around NYC, I’ll be in a Fodada t-shirt. The shirts look good and feel good, and even better than that, purchases help Fodada fund programs that help father-related activities, assist incarcerated fathers, women empowerment programs, and mental fitness.
To read my review of Fodada clothing, click here.
Beard and Body Hair Trimmer
Whether or not you are into manscaping, owning a good beard trimmer that can trim up body hair is important. Once a dad reaches a certain age, hair seems to pop up in the weirdest places or grows at a preposterous rate. Why is there ear hair!?! Need to drop a hint to dad that he needs to do something about that overgrown nose hair? Add a beard trimmer to the cue that has multiple uses. I like the Series 5000 from Phillips Norelco.
Massage Gun
Remember when I mentioned my muscles hurt? A massage gun is helpful to work out those post-run kinks. I reviewed a massage gun from Youdgee and I can’t believe I went so long without one. Massage guns have risen in popularity recently and it’s easy to see why. You can work out those knots yourself or someone else can take a turn holding the massage gun. Either way, those knots in your legs, shoulders and back can loosen up,
Apple AirTags
Is your dad like me and is frequently upset that kids lost the remote? Does your dad impatiently pace back and forth while waiting for the luggage at the airport? Does he lose his wallet or keys? Or should I say, does everyone else in the house lose his wallet and keys? Apple AirTags are a great gift for dads that are constantly searching for something. You can attach it to an item and track where it is on an iPhone. For items nearby, a sound is played and helps you locate the item.
A Museum Membership
One of my favorite things to do in New York City is to visit a museum. It’s also one of my favorite things to do when I travel. I love going with my kids or by myself. Over the years, I’ve had many memberships to museums and I always get my money’s worth. Think about what your dad’s favorite place to visit is and check out the membership price. It’s a gift that keeps on giving.
Cocktail Shaker
My daughter bought me bartending supplies from Mixology and Craft, and I use them frequently. If you’ve seen any of my cocktail recipe videos on TikTok, then you’ll have seen me use the products. Mixing up your own drinks is a great way to try out new cocktails at home.
AirPods
One of my favorite items that I own is my Apple AirPods. When I work out at home, I pop them in my ears and my kids know I will not hear them when they talk to me, so they won’t even ask me for things. That’s a huge win. I also wear them when I run, which has helped keep my fitness routines consistent. Read more about AirPods here.
Portable Power Source
We keep our portable power source plugged in our car, but it is also solar charged. We love to take it camping and long days at the beach. It keeps our devices charged, and that helps me enjoy the outdoors more. Jackery has many great portable chargers. You can grab a small one with 60 watts, which is the one I own, or a large one that holds 200 watts.
Read my gift ideas for runners here.
Whatever you buy your dad, he’s going to love it. If you get nothing for him, that’s fine too. A simple card goes a long way. It doesn’t matter if it’s Hallmark or made with scraps of paper at home, it will be cherished. And to the dads, if you didn’t get something you really wanted, now’s your chance to justify splurging a little on yourself.
*Disclaimer: I have partnered with most of these companies throughout the year and have been compensated for reviews. However, the thoughts, words, and experiences are my own.
Up-to-date ideas. Thanks.
Dear, people remember gifts and the giver when they receive them because gifts serve as a representation of the giver to the recipient. Therefore, it is imperative to give a gift of considerable value. Thanks for sharing the article.