Cool Dad Energy
what to gift him for Father's Day
Alright, the time is upon us. Mother’s Day has come and gone and now it’s time to focus our energy on the dads.
Father’s Day is Sunday, June 15th and the clock is ticking. What will you gift the hardest person to shop for? Whether you’re buying for your partner or your own dad, the mere thought of what to gift dads is enough to induce night sweats.
To help us out here, I asked my husband Austin (the ultimate gifter and I must say, a cool dad) to put together some recs. Most of these gifts probably fit more in the husband/partner category, but some could be great for your dad as well.
Anyway, we thank Austin for his service!
COOKING/KITCHEN:
Coffee & Tea: “I asked for a Moccamaster ($360) for Christmas a couple years ago and it’s completely transformed my morning coffee routine. And who doesn’t want an army green coffee maker? We also love our Fellow electric kettle ($200) for tea and pour overs.”
Knives: “I went to culinary school, so I’ve suffered through a lot of talk about knives (myself included). The reality is though that good knives do make a big difference in the kitchen. Everything is just a bit easier with a good knife. I love everything from New West Knifeworks and have this 9” one ($420) in the Shoshone color. Old Faithful Shop is also a favorite for sourcing kitchen gear, this knife ($291) and cutting board ($109) included.”
Pint Glasses: “We have these pint glasses ($15) from Amazon and I use them all the time. A few of these would be a great gift to give alongside his favorite beer.”
CLOTHING & ACCESSORIES:
Chore Jackets: Every guy needs a chore jacket. Austin loves this one from Alex Mill ($250) and this version from Imogene & Willie ($275). For a tan color and if your budget allows, this one ($595).
Summer Button Downs: “Todd Snyder is great for a fun short sleeve button down.” Exhibit A ($248) & Exhibit B ($228).
Tees: “I like a heavy weight tee that I can dress up or down. Both Taylor Stitch ($50) and Buck Mason ($55) are great.”
Swim: “In all honesty I really struggle with swim trunk but these ones ($128) are cool. They kinda have a ‘what if Gomez Addams went to the pool?’ vibe and come in solid colors too.” Editor’s Note: Also how cool are these (~$150) from A Kind of Guise? Lookbook.
Socks: “Bombas calf length socks ($60) really are the best. They kinda turn my whole world view around when I get new ones.”
Shoes: “Checkered Vans ($80) are fun for summer. Salomon’s ($180) are worth the hype but can be tricky — make sure to stick to classics unless you’re really gonna go run up a mountain. And Clark’s Desert Boots ($150), like Oasis, are back.”
Wallets: “I use Apple Pay for almost everything now, so a wallet clip is nice because it’s a lower profile. This one ($66) is cool and very similar to mine. If I were to buy a wallet, I like Leather Works Minnesota.”
Sunglasses: Austin picked these Garett Leight ones ($415) and these Moscot ones ($370).
Watch: “If he’s been extra good this year and you want to spend the money, you can’t go wrong with a Tudor Black Bay 54 ($4,175). With watches it’s super personal, but this one is the right size.”
GEAR:
“I love gear. Like a Patagonia bag ($119) or a knife ($99). Who doesn’t want a cool new pocket knife? One of my favorite gifts for friends is anything Snow Peak, like this mug ($45) and french press ($65). Both are great for camping, but also just to have.”
OUTDOOR & GARDENING:
His gardening game is instantly more vibey with Japanese tools.
“Basically anything from Barebones.”
“We have several outdoor furniture pieces from Fermob. Just added this rechargeable, portable outdoor lamp ($191) to our collection for summer nights.”
GOLF:
“I’m not a big golf guy, but if I was, I’d want something from ACL’s golf shop.” (s/o to A Continuous Lean and Michael Williams).
FISHING:
“For anyone into fishing, get them David Coggins’ The Believer: A Year in the Fly Fishing Life ($18)… as you can tell I’m a bit of an ACL fanboy.”
BOOKS & MAGAZINES:
Coffee Table Books: “Coffee table books are always a fun gift to receive. I have and love this Paul McCartney one ($40) and this Wes Anderson one ($24).”
Magazine Subscriptions: “I’d recommend Mountain Gazette ($89) for outdoorsy guys or anyone who just likes to have cool stuff around (no one’s really climbing mountain, are they?) And then Monocle ($180) for guys who like design, business, travel. And love to pretend they might want to live in Helsinki.”
Storyworth: Okay, another rec from me, not Austin. But, my dad loved when I gifted him Storyworth (on promo for $84) the other year, and so did I! Such a special thing to have for both of us. “Easily capture Dad’s stories through voice recordings or email. Then, preserve them along with unlimited color photos in a beautiful keepsake book.”
ANTIQUES:
“If they have any specific interest, Etsy is a great place to find niche antiques from golf memorabilia, to Samurai swords, to lighters.”
And finally…
“If nothing here is resonating, a really great gift would be to just get them nothing. Instead, nudge them to buy that thing they’ve been looking at for themselves, but haven’t pulled the trigger on yet.”
Thank you for reading just a splash! If you enjoy my work, there are a few ways to support:
Like, comment & share this post! Truly so grateful — each ping makes my day.
Subscribe! (Currently, nothing is behind a paywall, but if you feel so inclined to sign up for a paid subscription, trust you will be my new favorite person.)
Great recs CoolDad 👏👏👏
A true cool dad list. Well done Anusbigians!!