Celebrate the good fortune of having a great father by more than just tossing a few steaks on the grill or doing a few more chores. From heritage products that’ll age gracefully over the coming years to envy-inducing luxe toolkits, we’ve got ideas to make your special guy’s day a guaranteed success.
1. Olloclip + OtterBox uniVERSE Case System, starting at $50; 2. Tanner Goods Journeyman, $60; 3. Silca Hex-One Home and Travel Essential Kit, $125; 4. Pladra Flannel, starting at $97; 5. Miir Growler, $55; 6. United by Blue Mt. Drew Duffle, $228; 7. Nau Introvert Blazer, $255.
Nathan Borchelt is a gear-obsessed travel writer and adventurer whose collection of shoes, backpacks, jackets, bags, and other “essential” detritus has long-outgrown his one-bedroom apartment (and his wife’s patience).
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OtterBox already dominates the smart phone case market with their bomber protective products. And Olloclip's kits have successfully offered a whole host of pocket-sized camera lenses for your iDevice. Now, with the uniVERSE they've joined forces, introducing a camera case an iPhone 6, 6s, and Plus models that work directly with the Olloclip's 4-in-1 system ($80), which includes a fisheye, 10x and 15x macro, and wide-angle lenses. Start with those two, which will help unleash your father's inner Ansel Adams. Then your dad can grow into a suite of other accessories; the modular case was made in partnership with other partners like SanDisc, Square, and Goal Zero, with add-ons that range from tripods and extra storage to battery additions and a thermal camera.
OtterBox
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Thanks to a timeless aesthetic and seriously skilled manufacturing, pretty much anything offered by Portland, OR-based Tanner Goods would quickly become one of your father's essentials. As an introduction, go for the travel-friendly Journeyman, a slim and sturdy wallet with one central pocket for cash, and two slip pockets on either side for credit cards, hand-scrawled blueprints, or business cards. And, as with all Tanner Goods, the high-quality leather will age beautifully. Bonus—get in monogramed in the lower right corner for an additional $20.
Tanner Goods
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Tools and fathers go together like pizza and beer. And while he probably already has a hodgepodge collection of hex wrenches sitting at the bottom of some toolbox or drawer, they're no match for this high-end set. This kit comes with 52 hex keys crafted from S-2 shock-resistant tool steel, from 2 to 10mm, and a stainless steel magnetic adapter that transforms the 6mm wrench into a ¼-inch socket drive that can accommodate the included six Torz sizes, two Philips-head and two flat-head drivers—all nestled in a magnet-secured beechwood box. Ideal for fixing bikes, motorcycles, or disassembling that damn Ikea furniture, and proof that tools can actually be stylish and (dare I say it?) sexy.
Silca
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Upgrade the old lumberjack flannel shirt that every father has with one of Pladra's new designs, which pairs traditional plaid with clever animal print liners on the cuffs, back yoke, and collars. We're talking images of elk crossing rivers, black bears cavorting in whitewater, a crowd of seals scanning back at you—things that likely speak to your father's personality far better than just another piece of fabric. And the shirts themselves are also high quality, made of 100 percent cotton flannel with Pladra embroideries, a single chest pocket, and a slightly slimmer fit than your boxy '90s throwback.
Pladra
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The rise of craft beer has triggered a veritable avalanche of growlers, but the new one from Miir comes with one hidden benefit: as part of the company's "Product to Project" initiative, some of the money spent on this 64-ounce growler traces back to a giving project initiated by the company. Just visit their website, type in the give Code attached to the product, and see which of Miir's international aid projects is associated with it. They've funded more than 55 water initiatives and delivered more than 4,500 bikes to those in need across 18 countries. As with other double-wall vacuum-insulated vessels, it'll keep liquids cold for 24 hours, and hot for more than 12, with a flip top, clamp-style lid and a durable powder coating over 18/8 medical-grade stainless steel.
Miir
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Unfettered wanderlust, meet your next best friend. The Mt. Drew Duffle makes for the perfect weekender pack, made from waxed organic cotton with vegetable-tanned leather straps and durable brass hardware. The cross-body strap can be removed, and internal and external pockets allow for the right amount of organization. It's bound with a lifetime guarantee, and better still, for every bag sold United by Blue removes one pound of trash from the world's waterways and oceans.
United by Blue
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Keep your dad in step with contemporary fashion with Nau's new Introvert Blazer, which leverages a classic profile with smart, tech-centric features. Made of a woven organic cotton that's been boded to an organic cotton knit on the inside, it provides three-layer soft-shell weather protection without sacrificing smooth, against-the-skin comfort. The slim fit makes it ideal for warmer weather, with two side-entry hand pockets and a snap-close chest pocket, and five-button closure.
Nau