Father's Day Gift Guide 2020: Gifts and Gadgets for Dads (and Dudes)
Father’s Day is almost here, so you’re probably looking for some gift ideas for a Dad you know. Here at Gentleman Scofflaw, we use Father’s Day as a mid-year excuse to get to make more gift suggestions until Christmas comes around! These gifts are great for men for any occasion (birthdays, graduations, anniversaries, holidays, etc.) Here are 15 gift ideas for the Dad (or Dude) in your life. Listen or Watch along with the episode for this guide if you want more details and hilarious commentary. We’re including gifts at all different price points from $5 to $160 (at the time of this post.) Also, check out last year’s Guide, as well as the Holiday Gift Guide which has more manly gift ideas if you’re a difficult schmuck and none of these tickle your fancy.
As a burly, hairy man with a Viking beard, I love the beard care products over at Phoenix Shaving. Even when I don’t have a beard, I regularly use their shaving products, because frankly, they are the best on the market. But many of you men with beards know how overpriced the stuff is. Phoenix Shaving’s beard oil comes in all their classic scents, in 2oz bottles for around $10… and it comes with a manly wooden beard comb! That’s twice as much, for half the price, plus a free accessory. Since your shaving all that money (see what we did there), you might as well get some of their Dapper Doc’s Mustache Wax to keep the unruly hairs in check. - $5-11
Every man needs a pocket knife. You’d be surprised how many times throughout the day that you need something pointy and stabby. Whether it’s to open up an Amazon package, or to fend off the neighborhood street gang, you gotta have one. This blackout folder is subdued enough without making you look like a tacti-dork, and big enough to get some real work done. Also, Gerber Knives are endorsed by the likes of Bear Grylls and Tim Kennedy… so you know it’s good. - $37
Have you always wished you knew how to remove your own fingerprints? Or fashion an improvised taser? Or maybe survive a drowning or an active shooter situation? Well, this book by Navy Seal Clint Emerson is the one for you. Unlike many survival guides that are made for the wilderness, this is designed for a more practical, modern urban environment. There’s lots of great info in there that can be read at a quick glance while taking your morning dump. Watch or listen to our episode with Clint to learn more. - $16
Sometimes you want to tell time, and sometimes you want nuthin’ fancy. These Vintage Casio watches are popular with Special Forces, hipsters, and terrorists alike, plus they look cool AF. There’s a reason they’ve been making these since the ’70s and they’re one of the most popular watches of all time. Get this version, because it’s a little bigger, more masculine, and has an ElectroIlluminessence light, whatever the hell that means. Plus it’s under $20, and an easy way to add a new watch to the collection. - $17
You may think in this digital age, “really? a pen?” But let me raise you this, can you stab someone in the jugular with your Samsung Galaxy? (use it as a bomb? maybe.) A tactical pen is one of the items every man should have in his arsenal. You can go with the Smith & Wesson full-on Tacti-Cool pen that can break windows (and skulls) and has other gadgets in it, or go with the simple tried and true Fisher Bullet Space Pen. The Bullet is easy to fit in your pocket, or even some wallets, it writes in the rain and it writes upside-down. You can’t go wrong with such a highly practical novelty. - $13-23
Backgammon is a game every gentleman should learn how to play. It’s a game of both skill AND chance, as if you combined chess and some sort of dice game. It’s not surprising that it’s the world’s oldest board game, and is still played today around the world (they even have professional tournaments.) Backgammon boards also just have a beautiful aesthetic that belongs in any gentlemen’s den. The problem is most boards are cumbersome, and most travel boards can be cheesy and awkward to pack. This all-leather roll-up Backgammon Set from Sondergut encompasses both a sophisticated yet rugged style. You can also take it with you camping, hiking, to the beach, pub, or cigar lounge. If you’re more of a chess or checkers guy, they have a version for that as well. - $39
If you’re looking to get stronger but don’t have a ton of time during the day, this is an awesome bare-bones fitness program. It was created by Pavel of StrongFirst, famous for training Russian Special Forces and bringing back the Kettlebell to the modern age. It consists of a quick warmup, then 100 Swings and 10 Turkish Get-Ups, followed by a stretching routine. It’ll take about 20mins a day, 3-6 times a week. It might not sound like much, but I first noticed after doing it a few months that I was able to carry my friend with CP up and down a serious flight of stairs at a 4th of July Party like it was nothing. The strength will creep up on you! And you’ll find after the routine you feel all loose and relaxed like you just went to a spa, it’s nuts! This program was designed to not interfere with other training activities, rather complement it. It’s especially great for people who rely on being fit and ready for their jobs. Like firefighters, military and LEO, who can’t afford to get all sore doing CrossFit and then be worthless for 3 days. You’re going to need at least a 35lb Kettlebell to start, and most-likely a 53lb within a couple of weeks. - $9
Sometimes you just want some cold whiskey on the rocks or an Old Fashioned that isn’t watered down. These King Cubes are perfect for keeping your drink cold, and because of their massive size, it will take forever to melt. So you don’t have to worry about watery spirits ever again. The silicone tray makes it easy to pop them out when you need them. Ditch those awful whiskey stones your in-laws gave you for Christmas from the novelty section at Target, and get some King Cubes instead! - $9
If your a man who loves his cold brew, this is an awesome way to make it at home. You can buy them in sets, or just find the accessories to pair with a mason jar you already have. All you do is put your grounds in the filter, drop it in the jar, pour water over it, let it sit overnight, then your Cold Brew is ready to pour and store in the fridge as is. It’ll save you tons on store-bought cold brew and serve you for years to come. Plus it just looks badass, like the coffee equivalent of a moonshine jug. - $12-30
Tacos are always a freaking mess! So fancy them up with these restaurant-grade taco stands to perfectly line up your meat-filled tortilla sandwiches for efficient face-stuffing. Plus, you can throw them in the oven or grill and turn soft tortillas into hard shells, who knew? - $20
Get ready for a hero's journey full of espionage, intrigue, and action when you pick up The Terminal List book series by Navy Seal and Author Jack Carr this father's day! Carr follows in the footsteps of such greats as Tom Clancy and Brad Thor with his action-packed saga of revenge, redemption, and the dark side of man that makes for an awesome summer read! Pick it up on audiobook or hard copy and keep an eye out for the series adaptation starring Chris Pratt streaming on Amazon. - $15
Every man needs an axe, especially for car camping or backyard fires this summer. This one is bigger than those cheesy camp hatchets that make you look inadequate in front of all the other camp dads, and lighter weight than a full-size axe. This is also what is known as a Bushcrafting axe, the axe head is slimmer and designed for your hand to choke up on for tasks that need a finer touch. This comes in highly recommended from the bushcraft community as a fantastic entry-level axe. - $50
Dads and cast-iron go together like peanut butter and pickles, it just works… You may have seen these items in the camping section and thought “a toast maker for camping, that’s a little extra.” And it would be, but these aren’t just for making toast. Think of it as a George Foreman Grill for the campfire. You can make Paninis, Hobo Pies, or use it as a cast-iron skillet to grill meats. My favorite thing to do is make a breakfast sandwich with bread, ham, cheese, and egg. And since this is a double iron, you can make two at once. Just stack your bread and fillings, close it up and throw it onto the coals for some hot gooey goodness. A great idea for the whole family to make their own custom creations, but you’ll need one Double Iron just for yourself, big guy. - $35
Guys need headlamps. For camping, hiking, walking the dog, working on the car, during a power outage, looking for their keys in the sand after too many Simpler Times. You might think “why not jus use a flashlight?” Ok Boomer. Plus this one is waterproof, dimmable, and has a red lamp to not mess up your night vision or wake people up in your tent. The flashing mode is great for cycling or walking at night so motorists know you’re there. - $35
1) GORUCK MACV-1 Boots
If you’re looking for lightweight hiking boots for your rucking and training, you need these boots. I’ve used these for several GORUCK challenges, they’ve been on the streets, in mud, on the trail, in the sand, and in the ocean and still hold up great. They’re like a combination between Vietnam-Era combat boots and Chuck Taylors. When you’re doing 15-20 miles, every ounce of weight you can shave off makes a difference. Plus since these aren’t made out of godawful Gortex, they won’t hold water and give you blisters. The water will just flow out the convenient drainage holes. Like other GORUCK products, these have a Lifetime Scars Warranty, so they’ll replace them if they break, or you wear them out. - $160
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