Where to shop for Dad this Father's Day
When it comes to buying presents for the men in my life, the gender stereotypes tend to ring true. They are notoriously difficult to find great gifts for. I don't know why. They're not particularly picky. They just always seem to have everything they want and need. This year, I'm turning things around. I went on a manhunt of sorts to find the very best new places to shop online for dads, grads, and even grooms alike. Here are my favorite finds.
Tech Him Out
Touch of Modern is packed with the kind of gear and gadgets that men crave and … wait for it … everything is on sale. (She shoots, she scores!) The site has cool gifts that start in the $10 range and go up from there. Every single item on the site is hand-picked by a team of buyers who look for novel, one-of-a-kind men's products that tell a story of distinction and design.
One recent sale showcased $100 off the Ghost Aerial Plus Drone ($679). This is a high tech flyer that looks super sleek as it bobs and weaves to Dad's delight — all while shooting HD video to earn him family feature film credits.
Another top pick on the site, the AIR² Square Bluetooth Levitating Speaker ($139), will take his music to new heights. This next-generation speaker system features a UFO-style disc that floats above a plate sized saucer-base to crank out powerful tunes. It also charges his phone and impresses his friends with its magical approach to music.
There's some really cool stuff on this site. Beer Soap ($15.99) will let him bathe in his favorite brews. The Cruiser ($599) electric skateboard can keep him young at heart even when he's over the hill. There are great lists for outdoorsman, executives, and even those trendy hipsters in your life. Just note that if you use this site for Father's Day, you'll need to buy by June 14th to make sure his gift is delivered in time.
Deck Him Out
He wants to be comfortable. You want to be comfortable being seen with him in public. If Dad needs help bringing his wardrobe into this century, surf the online shop of Ministry of Supply to seriously spiff up his style. Ministry of Supply sports button-ups for the office that are so comfortable he could wear it to play a game of pickup basketball, and still go back to work looking like James Bond afterward.
Two of my husband's favorites on the site are the Mercury Sweater ($168), which is made with the same heat-regulating materials NASA uses in astronauts' spacesuits. He also really likes the Archive Dress Shirt ($108). It's made with moisture-wicking fabric designed with the body's movement in mind, so he never feels restricted. It's like athletic wear meets the best-dressed list — high tech and high fashion.
Give Him An Experience He'll Never Forget
Ready to splurge? If Only's Father's Day gift guide isn't curated for the budget-conscious, but if you're willing to hit double, triple, or even septuple ($ million+) digits, you can give him the experience gift of a lifetime.
For just over $7,000, you can buy him a private Quarterback Camp led by none other than legendary QB Joe Montana. $715 will get him a personalized audio message by that very same Hall of Famer. If you want to aim higher — much higher — you can buy him a hot air balloon expedition over Mt. Everest for $2,607,500 per person.
If Only has dozens of other options for much less than the cost of a home, car, or small country too, such as a Gourmet Jerky and Craft Beer Pairing for $75 or two tickets to the star-studded premiere of Jurassic World at the Dolby Theater in LA starting at $250.
The company works with various "luminaries" in food, music, film, sports, fashion, adventure — and everything "charmed-life" in between — to create epic experiences that also raise money for charity. So your gift won't only be an investment in Dad's happiness, but it will be a way of giving back to those in need. Or at least a chance to see how the 1% live.
Still Haven't Found Anything Great?
There are all kinds of additional men-specific shopping guides still just a few finger-taps away.
Gear Patrol has great ideas for the active men in your life. From "Essentials for the Ultimate Gym Bag" to "The Gear You Need to Capture a Solar Eclipse," they've pretty much thought of everything so that you don't have to.
If you're a total procrastinator and need something right now, check out sale site Canopy to find detailed, curated collections of gifts that you can buy on Amazon. It's like having a personal shopper sift through thousands of choices and lead you straight to the best of the best. I know several guys who would like the Stir It Up On-Ear headphones from House of Marley ($69) or this Woodburning Stove ($130) from Biolite. What's even better is you can select to search through Amazon Prime items only, so you can shop at the last minute, and still get everything delivered just in the nick of time.
See, this is the year that we're going to make giving gifts to guys a whole lot easier — it's all about knowing where to look. What are some of your best guy-gift ideas? Be sure to share in the comments section below. Happy Father's Day!
Jennifer Jolly is an Emmy Award-winning consumer tech contributor and host of USA TODAY's digital video show TECH NOW. E-mail her at techcomments@usatoday.com. Follow her on Twitter @JenniferJolly.