As I type these words, my 2-year-old is dumping out his snack cup and eating the food off the floor like a dog, and I’m on my fifth cup of coffee. This is to say that being a dad is hard, y’all.
That’s why the dad in your life deserves a little something special for his efforts. Ties for his office apparel? Cable ties for his workshop? Railroad ties for that landscaping project he can’t get around to? Get outta here with that surprisingly well-themed weak sauce.
No, papa needs swag that will help him bring the stoke and the steeze. That’s why you’re lucky to have stumbled onto an expertly curated list of the outdoor gear sure to put a smile on his (if he’s like me) increasingly haggard face.
GearJunkie’s Favorite Gifts for Dad
Knafs Lulu Fixed-Blade Knife
Dads and knives. They go together like dads and puns, or dads and obsessing over the thermostat. The Knafs Lulu could be a real gem in his no-doubt already prodigious collection, what with its MagnaCut steel construction, grippy Micarta handle, and do-it-all Scandi grind.
Lost in knife terminology? Not to worry. Here’s what you need to know — knife guys are very, very excited about MagnaCut steel for its ability to take and hold an edge. GearJunkie’s knife expert loved the size (around 6 inches total, with just under 3 inches of blade), materials, and thoughtful construction. Cons? He couldn’t think of any.
Now that’s a knife.
Hiplok Z Lok Security Tie
So, you’re wondering what Dad can do with a locking zip tie? Wrong question. What you should be asking is, “What can’t Dad do with a locking zip-tie?”
The dadly dude in your life will find a use for these beefy, steel-cored, locking zip-ties, I promise — be that as a minimalist on-the-go bike lock, an overlanding baggage security measure, or any of a dozen other applications. And because they are affordably priced, they make a great stocking stuffer. If Dad’s the kind of fella who loses keys, make sure and get him the slightly more expensive combination lock version.
Hyperlite Mountain Gear UltaMid 4 Ultralight Shelter
Pyramid-style ultralight shelters are fantastic. They shed wind, rain, and snow better than any other ultralight design, pitch with four stakes, and provide plenty of space for gear storage. They are versatile as well.
For instance, Dad can use Hyperlite Mountain Gear’s (HMG) popular UltaMid 4 as just a tarp, or he can pair it with a floorless bug net, or he can toss a half-floor insert in there. And if the whole family is tagging along? HMG sells a fully enclosed floor insert as well.
The UltaMid 4 is one of the pricier items on this list. But for the dad who already has everything else? It’s hard to beat.
Check Price at Hyperlite Mountain Gear
Athletic Brewing Company Variety Case
Near beer is getting increasingly trendy, and it’s easy to see why. When done well, they taste great and easily sub for the real deal. And they pack fewer calories than their cousins on the alcohol side, meaning Dad can crush one post-ride and still feel good about his decision-making afterward. These bad boys are my go-to end-of-day beverage during the workweek for just that reason.
When it comes to variety and taste, Athletic Brewing Company (ABC) is king. Take advantage of the brand’s myriad offerings with a variety case. Once Dad finds a few of his favorites, he can enroll in ABC’s subscription service.
Check Price at Athletic Brewing Company
Roark Barra Scrambler Hoodie
Decked out with playful patterns and colorful details, Roark’s Barra Scrambler Hoodie is a blast from the past. The anorak styling keeps you cozy, from bar to trail, and the zippered hand pockets enable some serious stowage, whether you’re packing for a night on the town, or a light hike up to your favorite waterfall. The half-zip design allows for copious ventilation and breathability while the lightweight polar fleece keeps you warm, even when it’s just a little damp.
Steadyrack MTB Rack
Dads like nothing more than vanishing into the garage for a few hours and bringing order to a once-chaotic pile of outdoor gear, tools, and holiday decorations. Help him out with a Steadyrack MTB rack. GearJunkie’s Motors editor couldn’t say enough good things about his — quote, “I love my Steadyrack hangers in my garage.”
Easy access to his bike means it’s that much simpler for Dad to squeeze in a little singletrack between all his other duties. And that’s the real gift.
Packit Gourmet Long Weekend Bundle
Everybody knows that food prep is one of the most labor-intensive parts of packing for an adventure. Give the gift of time (and taste) with Packit Gourmet’s delicious Long Weekend bundle. The collection includes three hot breakfasts, three cold lunches, three hot dinners, and two desserts. But let’s be clear — I wouldn’t recommend this bundle if the meals weren’t great. And they are.
I’ve tried just about everything the Austin-based brand has to offer, and every. Single. Thing. Is. Outstanding. Particularly the Tex-Mex-inspired breakfasts and classically Southern deserts (the banana pudding is slap yo’ mama good, as my Appalachian kinfolk would say).
All Dad has to do is toss these in his pack and head for the hills. Bonus points: Packit’s meals are designed to need very little water — most of them cook with 6 ounces or less. Is Dad a vegan? Check this out instead.
Peak Designs Phone Case + Accessories
If you’ve never heard of Peak Designs, chances are the dad you are shopping for has. The brand’s Everyday Case comes in a range of muted colors and is slim enough to fit into a pocket. And it’s Apple MagSafe compatible.
But the real magic is in the Peak Designs ecosystem (read our review!). The brand makes a range of mounts and charging accessories for Dad’s car, his motorcycle, his mountain bike, his desk, and pretty much every other thing he needs or uses daily. Trust me, he’ll get a huge kick out of unclipping his freshly charged phone from his dash and then clipping it right into Peak Designs’ secure Out Front bike mount.
The Big A## Calendar 2024
The Big A## Calendar is exactly what it sounds like — a big-ass calendar with the entire year’s worth of days in full view. The concept sparked a running conversation at GearJunkie HQ, where most peeps agreed it would be hella handy for planning and managing long-term projects at work and at home.
The brainchild of athlete/entrepreneur/public speaker/life coach Jessie Itzler, the Big A## calendar could be a useful way to break out of a day-to-day rut.
Check Price at jesseitzler.com
Jaybird Vista 2 Wireless Earbuds
The original incarnation of Jaybird’s Vista wireless earbuds won over GearJunkie editor-in-chief Adam Ruggiero with their durability, fit, sound quality, and battery life. And Jaybird only improved on all of that with the Vista 2s. My pair served me well before my toddler tossed them, battery case and all, into a cup of hot coffee. (Ah, the dad life.)
Even then, they worked intermittently until my cat knocked them off my desk, and my toddler picked them up and threw them to our new puppy, who promptly chewed them to smithereens, all in the 10 seconds it took me to say, “Oh no!” from across the room.
All of which is to say, these earbuds are tough. And that’s exactly what Dad needs in his electronics, trust me. Oh yeah, and they have active noise canceling. Which is another thing Dad definitely needs.
Gerber Stake Out Multi-Tool
Yes, there’s already a knife on this list. But any dad will tell you that different knives do different things. He’s right, especially when it comes to this one!
The Stake Out is one of the niftiest gadgets I’ve seen in a while. It’s a multitool explicitly designed with the camper/backpacker in mind! The stake-pulling tool is the heart of the Stake Out, but other useful features abound — blade, bottle opener, saw, beefy spring-loaded scissors, tweezers, and so on.
Other than the stake-puller, my favorite feature is the integrated carabiner. Dad can clip it to his belt loop or pack strap when he’s done breaking camp and never lose his pocket knife again. GearJunkie’s reviewer called it “genius,” and I don’t disagree.
YETI Rambler 20 Oz. Cocktail Shaker
Shopping for a budding backcountry barkeeper? You can’t miss with the YETI Rambler Cocktail Shaker. It’s a perfect addition to a car camping setup with its 20-ounce volume, signature YETI insulating properties, and borderline indestructible stainless steel construction. And after Dad gets back from his trip, he can toss the Rambler straight into the dishwasher. No muss, no fuss.
Fenix PD36R Pro Flashlight
There’s something beautiful about gifting Dad, aka “The Gifter of Flashlights,” his very own illumination. So make sure you do it right and give him the very best flashlight on the market today. According to GearJunkie’s resident flashlight expert, that would be the Fenix PD36R Pro, a rechargeable palm-sized number with top-of-class battery life and a brightness capacity that tops out at a searing 2,800 lumens.
But what Dad will appreciate most is how long this thing maintains a charge at the lower, arguably more useful, end. In GearJunkie’s Best Flashlights of 2023 roundup, our tester went months between charges with regular usage!
Why You Should Trust the Author
You may have noticed I mentioned my toddler a few times in this story. Yes, I’m a relatively freshly minted dad, and as such, I have an inside edge on what the dad world is buzzing about. (Other than trendy new mustache-care techniques. You’re on your own there.)
I’ve tested many of the products in this guide and utilized the GearJunkie staff’s multiple decades of outdoor expertise to fill in the gaps.
How to Use This Guide
Dads are easy to please. They like stuff, and they like that stuff to work the way it’s supposed to without breaking in a week and a half. (Don’t, repeat, do not give Dad another repair project for his list, okay?) In this guide, you’ll find gear and apparel that’s been put through the ringer by the GearJunkie team. Feel free to click links and read in-depth GearJunkie reviews as you find them.
You can also think of the following list as a jumping-off point. Maybe something here isn’t quite right, but hey, at least now you have an idea! Good luck and happy shopping!
