Dads can be mysterious fellows. Just when you think he’s been a laid-back family man his whole life, you dig up an old photo album, and there he is! Roped up and walking on a glacier in southern Chile, fishing with locals off a wooden skiff in Zanzibar and clinking glasses with Bedouins near an oasis in the Arabian desert. This Father’s Day, give Dad a gift that will remind him of those wayward days; maybe it’ll coax an untold story or two out into the open.
Whiskey Peaks
Adventures can be fleeting. Often it’s the photographs and memories that bring us back into the moment, more than any souvenir can. There’s no better way to salute a trip than with a raised glass, and Whiskey Peaks provides one that features a raised topographic impression of well-known peaks from around the globe. Hand-blown with premium lead-free glass, they’re a perfect accompaniment to any travel story — even more so when you can trace a well-worn climbing route on the mountain at the bottom of the glass.
Buy Now: $40
Douk-Douk Folder
Made in France since 1929, this iconic folding knife, used for decades by the French Foreign Legion and Armies, depicts a Melanesian spirit incarnation known as “douk-douk.” Keep it close by to open boxes or stubborn envelopes.
Buy Now: $24
GrowlerWerks uKegs
There are growlers, there are kegs, and then there are GrowlerWerks’ uKegs. Available in gallon and half-gallon sizes, a uKeg is a true marriage of portability and preservation, allowing beer drinkers to bring their favorite beverage anywhere. GrowlerWerks builds each vessel with double-walled insulation, a CO2 regulator cap that maintains perfect levels of carbonation, and a tap-like pour mechanism that provides access without opening any lid — meaning, your brew will stay cold and fresh for weeks.
Buy Now: $114+
Leatherhead Sports Handsome Dan Football
Adventures don’t have to mean high-risk exploits to the end of the earth, and when they’re not, it’s okay to bring along some fun. The Handsome Dan Football is a vintage-style pigskin made of real leather that will age and develop its own unique markings. It’s hand-stitched in the USA and made slightly smaller than NFL footballs, which will help you toss that perfect spiral. Bring it on your next camping trip, or toss it around the backyard.
Buy Now: $115
Flint and Tinder Slub Pocket Tee
T-shirts are designed for everyday comfort, but too often they’re constructed as cheap afterthoughts made with sub-par materials. Flint and Tinder took a different approach with its Slub Pocket Tee, which is made of 100 percent ring-spun slub cotton. It’s extra-soft and sports an uneven texture that’s both aesthetically and tactically appealing. It’s also durable — even after many washes — and breathable, making it the perfect casual shirt for long days en-route.
Buy Now: $29
Myles Everyday Shorts
The light and airy materials that make fitness shorts so comfortable are often slightly too casual for settings other than the gym and the home. Myles Apparel knows that, so it set out to make a short that’s both comfortable and appropriately versatile. The end result: the Everyday. It’s made of a blend of nylon and spandex to create four-way stretch and is treated with a DWR finish to fend off the elements. More importantly though, it looks great, which means you can shamelessly enjoy the breeze while wandering foreign cities.
Buy Now: $58
TRX Strong System
A good home gym doesn’t have to entail heavy and bulky, not to mention expensive, equipment. In fact, it can be portable, something that you can bring on an airplane and set up in a hotel room or at a campsite. Take TRX, a packable suspension training system designed by a Navy SEAL. TRX takes seconds to set up, works indoors and out, and can provide a solid workout while on the road.
Buy Now: $150
ManCan Growlers
Your dad’s college days are long behind him; he’s not used to full-sized kegs anymore. Luckily, ManCan is all the greatness of a keg — durable, leak-proof, airtight — in a portable package. ManCan growlers are made of the same stainless steel as their full-size counterparts, but they’re much lighter and more easily refilled. Stow one in a backpack for an afternoon day hike or toss it in the boat on your next fishing trip.
Buy Now: $27+
DemerBox
There are plenty of rugged Bluetooth speakers out there, but there’s only one DemerBox, and it puts all the others to shame. DemerBox was created by an audio technician named James Demer when he decided to install speakers and an amplifier into a Pelican case — a super-tough box typically used to protect expensive camera equipment — while working on a film in Barrow, Alaska. The production model DemerBox is just as rugged but much more refined. (And it’s still made with a Pelican case.)
Buy Now: $399
Wolf and Grizzly Portable Grill
All dads love grilling — that’s a fact — and adventurous dads are forced to face separation anxiety whenever the open road calls. Not so with Wolf and Grizzly’s Portable M1 Grill; it weighs just over two pounds and packs down into a packable carrying case like a set of tent poles. That means it can be stashed in a backpack and be put to use over a campfire at the beach or on the side of a mountain, and your dad will never be far from a grill again.
Buy Now: $90
Mystery Ranch Briefcase
Mystery Ranch is well-known among bag enthusiasts from the backpacking, wildfire-fighting and military communities. Office-goers don’t have to feel left out, though, because everything it makes is functional, durable and comfortable, including this briefcase. Carry it three different ways — like a classic briefcase, with a shoulder strap, or as a backpack — and, thanks thanks to its 500-denier fabric, through any weather condition and locale. Everything inside will stay dry, protected and organized.
Buy Now: $150
Japanese Chef Knives Bunka Knife
A practical tool from far-away lands is better than any postcard, and the Bunka Knife is one that can be used every day. The Bunka is a hand-forged chef’s knife crafted with ZDP-189 steel, which is known to resist corrosion and hold an edge longer than other metals. Made with sharp and straight geometric lines reminiscent of samurai blades and finished in the traditional kurouchi style, the Bunka is a beautiful example of a gift that will go appreciated every night. (Thanks for dinner, Dad.)
Buy Now: $280
