Find the best Father’s Day gifts to keep your outdoorsy dad comfortable and content on the water or in the woods.
By Outdoor Life | Updated Nov 8, 2021 6:50 AM
Short of actually being out there with your father, the next best Father’s Day gifts you can buy will help him more thoroughly enjoy his time outdoors. Whether he prefers to camp, fish, or hunt, and whether you’re looking to splurge or save, we’ve assembled a list of outdoor gear just in time for Father’s Day. We present top gifts, useful gifts, fun gifts, and cheap gifts for dads who need camping gear, fishing gear, hunting gear—or, perhaps, a mix of all three.
Coinciding with the start of summer, Father’s Day is the right time to think about buying camping gear for your outdoorsy father. Tents and backpacks would no doubt make generous gifts. But more realistically, the best Father’s Day gifts are camping accessories—since Dad already has the big stuff. From chairs to headlamps, here are some of the Best Father’s Day gifts for dads who camp.
Unless Dad always turns in before sunset, headlamps are some of the most important camping accessories you can buy. They also are some of the least expensive, setting them up to be the perfect cheap gifts for outdoorsy dads. At less than $20, the Tikkina is a great budget headlamp, offering 250 lumens of brightness and up to 120 hours of run time with 3 AAA batteries. This Petzl product doesn’t offer the same dim control as the best headlamps, but for half the price, you can get Dad a great light for his head that’s light (81g) on his head.
Even if your dad is especially rugged, there’s no reason he should have to sit on a log or rock at the campsite. These portable camping chairs will give your Dad a comfortable place to sit, even if he’s the kind of guy who treks miles into the backcountry. The chairs weigh just over 2 pounds and pack into a compact storage case that can easily fit in any backpack. Yet the aero-grade 7075 aluminum alloy frame is plenty strong, capable of supporting up to 300 pounds. Meanwhile, these chairs will also keep Dad comfy and cool thanks to a 600D polyester seat, which features an ergonomic cut, and mesh vents on the sides.
Living on jerky and nuts for a weekend is one thing. But going without a hot cup of coffee in the morning is a sacrifice Dad shouldn’t have to make. These all-in-one compact camping stoves make incredibly useful gifts because it combines a grate, ceramic frying pan, a butane canister (not included), and a 7,200 BTU output burner into a 12 x 10 x 4-inch package. Give a Father’s Day gift that lets Dad say goodbye, granola, and hello, hot meals.
Want to help your dad find fish? Want to keep him comfortable and safe on the water? Not sure what he fishes for but still want to get him something fishing-related? We have you covered with the best Father’s Day gifts for dads who fish.
Dad needs to keep his skin safe out on the water. With UPF 50+ protection that blocks 98% of the sun’s harmful rays, this hat will protect your dad’s head and neck. The polyester fabric is breathable, and the wide-brim hat has mesh vents to let cool air in. It comes in 14 color options, including Army Green, Bright Blue, and a shade of orange that’s as bright as the sun.
When you give Dad one of these machine washable long sleeve T-Shirts, he’s going to give you a hug. That’s because holding out his arms will put the shirt on full display. The sleeves feature a ruler design so Dad’ll be ready for the picture after reeling in his next big catch. The best gifts put a smile on someone’s face, and this shirt is guaranteed to do exactly that.
The high frequency Clear Vu scanning sonar depicts what’s under and around a boat or kayak, offering a bounty of information that’s regularly updated. The built-in maps can help you navigate, and the device can chart the bottom down to depths of 1,600 feet in freshwater and 750 feet in saltwater. The easy-to-use Garmin comes in 3.5, 5 and 7-inch sizes, and it is IPX7 rated, so it can survive being dropped into a meter of water for half an hour.
If your dad spends time in the tree stand or walking the fields looking for birds, we’ve scoped out some of the best Father’s Day gifts for dads who hunt. Get the best hunting gear here.
With 2,000 lumens of brightness, this zoomable tactical flashlight is 20% brighter than a regular flashlight, making it an excellent cheap gift for dads who hunt. It’s compact and lightweight but tough as nails, featuring shock and rust-proof steel builds. And they’re sold in pairs, so Dad will always have a backup.
When Dad’s in the process of getting dinner from the field to the table, he could use a pair of Farm to Feet socks to keep his toes toasty and dry. The Merino wool socks are useful gifts, designed to limit moisture and odor—meaning they can be worn several times before they need to go in the washing machine. They have a low-stress seam placement to prevent wear, and they feature targeted cushioning to keep the right spots of Dad’s feet comfortable. They’re high enough to ensure full coverage when wearing boots.
The Engage X binoculars are just right for hunting. They repel water as well as oil, fog, and dust. Snow, fingerprints, and dirt won’t stick to them. They’re lightweight, and the 10x magnification is ideal for hunting.
Just because your Dad already owns a flashlight or hunting socks doesn’t mean he won’t appreciate a stronger flashlight or a better pair of hunting socks. If your Dad is practical—which most outdoorsy Dads are—those are often the best gifts to give.
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