16 Unique Father’s Day Gifts That Don’t Suck

The problem with finding a gift these days is that the internet has made it so easy for everyone to buy everything they want instantly — and there’s no bigger culprit than dads.

Gone are the days of dads lamenting for months that they need a new toolbox or wearing a ratty old shirt because they can’t bring themselves to buy a new one. Dads are all up in Amazon’s business, getting overnight delivery on super powerful flashlights, disc golf baskets, and weird gadgets they don’t need.

So what are we, the children, left to do on Father’s Day? Seek out a bunch of cool, undiscovered sh*t. Don’t worry, you don’t have to do any seeking; I already did it.

Some of the brands below you’ll recognize — I don’t presume to have discovered Carhartt or YETI— but you might not have heard about why these particular products are the bomb.com. (Dads love bomb.com jokes.) All the brands and/or products are tested in-house, by my very lucky husband who gets Father’s Day gifts year-round and will likely just get a card and a kiss on June 15.

Force Sun Defender™ Lightweight Long-Sleeve, Carhartt ($44)

Best For: Outdoor Dads

My husband swears by this shirt for reasons that never would have occurred to me, as I am most frequently found inside. It’s ultra-lightweight so he can wear it while gardening without breaking a sweat and because of the hood, he doesn’t get a dreaded neck sunburn.

SelectTech 552 Adjustable Dumbbells, BowFlex ($429)

Best For: Fit Dads

Get past the initial sticker shock because investing in adjustable dumbbells is the smartest thing you can do. Sure, there are knockoffs on Amazon, but the BowFlex ones are the best money can buy and he’ll use these for years. (It’s a gift for you, really.)

Cascade Duffel Bag, Portland Gear ($139)

Best For: Travel Dads

As a PNW resident, I’m pleased to highlight Portland Gear as a company that makes exceptional travel items. Pair this duffel with a classic Dad Hat and you’re good to go.

Wood MagSafe Stand, Grovemade ($190)

Best For: Desk Dads

He spends so much of his waking hours at his desk; make it sleek as hell with a hand-crafted iPhone stand that’ll hold his phone upright and charge it simultaneously. Think of all the YouTube he can crush while he’s working.

Mighty 850 Blender, BEAST ($124)

Best For: Smoothie Dads

Does he keep trying to get your into protein powder? First of all, tell him no because it tastes like chalk. Next, give him this personal, portable blender for all his beloved smoothies.

P3 Portable Charger, Infinacore ($130)

Best For: Device Dads

There’s nothing dads love more than keeping all their devices charged at an optimal level. (My husband even caps his iPhone at an 80 percent charge because that’s supposedly best for his phone. What a beautiful nerd, right?) Infinacore’s P3 is everything he wants in a portable charger, including international outlet converters.

Sportcross All-Terrain Golf Shoes, Municipal ($189)

Best For: Golf Dads

I gifted my brother a pair of these Mark Wahlberg-backed shoes for Christmas and he sent me back a 4-minute-long video review. The long and short of it is that these are badass and he gets a ton of compliments on them. They’re great for golf but because they’re all-terrain, they’re also ideal for walks and hikes.

6mm Smooth Band, Mejuri ($198)

Best For: Jewelry Dads

Full disclosure: My husband isn’t a jewelry guy (thank goodness for that avoided expense) but I love Mejuri and have several pieces from them. So if he was into it, I’d go with one of these slick titanium bands with a personalized engraving.

Men's Super Buffer Sponge, Spongellé ($22)

Best For: Skincare Dads

I friggin’ love Spongellé and I will put them in every guide until I get a lifetime supply. There are a ton of scents for women but this is their “manly” version, which smells like citrus and sandalwood. (All men love sandalwood, according to makers of cologne and body wash.)

Montana Fleece-Lined Jacket, Line of Trade ($140)

Best For: Jacket Dads

I’ve turned my husband into a jacket guy and he has repeatedly mentioned that this is his favorite out of all the ones I’ve gifted him over the years. It’s warm and durable without sacrificing style, and you could do a whole lot worse for $140.

Roadie Hard Cooler, YETI ($200)

Best For: Camping Dads

Dad doesn’t have a YETI? What are you even doing? At this point, a Roadie must be brought on all trips out of the house that last longer than four hours. Get it in tan, get it in blue, heck, get an American flag one — just get one.

GTFO 1995 Performance Shorts, Origin ($99)

Best For: Shorts Dads

Don’t all dads turn into Shorts Dads around March? It’s like their inner pants-hating teen emerges and they’re unnaturally compelled to expose their legs for the next eight months. If this describes a dad in your life, go with these bestselling shorts from Origin. He’ll love that all their clothes are made in America, because he’s a dad.

The Super Smart Fridge, Rocco ($1,795)

Best For: Drink Dads

Even if he doesn’t someday dream of an in-house tiki bar (no comment), the Rocco Smart Fridge is a fantastic accent piece. We store non-alcoholic beverages in it along with drinks for the kids, and people are constantly commenting on how cool it is. And yeah it looks great, but the neat part is that it connects to an app that’ll scan the fridge and tell you what’s in it at any given time. The future!

The Bossitano Short Sleeve Shirt, Kenny Flowers ($88)

Best For: Matchy Dads

Kenny Flowers is my go-to for matching dad-son sets, but they have pieces for women and girls if you want the whole family to match. The only problem is that some prints sell out ridiculously quick; make more clothes, Kenny!

Signal 19-in-1 Multi-Tool, Leatherman ($140)

Best For: Hunting Dads

Speak softly and carry a sharp knife, right? This Leatherman isn’t just a blade; it’s an all-in-one tool with 19 different uses. It’s made of stainless steel, comes in three colors, and is now in my husband’s everyday-carry stash. (You never know when you’ll need to slice open a deer carcass, am I right?)

Ojai Classic Sandals, REEF ($85)

Best For: Dads With Feet

REEF sandals might be in every room of our house. They’re in my shoe trunk at the foot of our bed, they’re downstairs by the coat rack, they’re by both doors for quick trips. While I’m a fan of the Vistas, you can’t go wrong with Ojai Classics for a dad. Literally any dad.