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If your dad is a runner, there’s always something to upgrade
Because some of us are dads, too
Anything from grillin’ in the yard to rackin’ up the miles
Father’s Day can be a tricky holiday. After all, what do you get for the dad who has everything? Well, both Robbe and Thomas are dads, and we can confidently say that they don’t even have anything. If your dad is a runner, it’s even easier to come up with a gift. Dads who run are constantly on the hunt for more socks, more gadgets, and, most importantly, more ways to recover after a run. With that in mind, here are the best Father’s Day gifts for runners, carefully chosen by our collection of dads who run.
We’ve tried to cover a little bit of everything on our list. We’ve got apparel, accessories, and even some hydration options. Don’t worry — we didn’t resort to just good old beer and socks, though that is an option, I guess. By the way, we won’t tell on you if your kids are still too young to do their own Father’s Day shopping and you’re browsing our list to buy for yourself. It can be our little secret.
Anyway, on to our picks.
Outdoor Adventure
This is one of the best Father’s Day gifts for runners because it’s the equivalent of a super fanny pack. Fully waterproof with no-bounce construction and removable bottle holders, this thing is perfect for trail running, crewing during an ultra, hiking, rafting, and fishing (what we actually used this for). They also have a wide range of on-the-go medical kits that come in quite handy for those unexpected detours on any adventure.
Headwear
We’re obviously big fans of dad fashion — after all, we started with a fanny pack on steroids. Well, let’s keep it rolling with Fractel’s Legionnaire Hat. It’s perfect for spending long hours in the sun, whether running or working in the yard while keeping your neck guarded against the burning heat. As Wu-Tang Clan put it, “protect ya neck.”
Lifestyle Footwear
There are few dad shoes more iconic than the 990v6. Yes, there’s the Nike Air Monarch, but that swings too far to the “grilling while lawn mowing” side of the spectrum. The 990v6 remains the rock solid standard of understated cool and modern updates include FuelCell cushioning and evolved design marks, meaning this version will surely become an icon in its own right.
Outerwear
Dads have also been known to love a good lightweight jacket because they’re super versatile, from soccer practice to campouts. This Asics anorak comes in two different colorways, and both are just about guaranteed upgrades over whatever dear old dad is rocking right now (unless your dad is Robbe, who is literally wearing this jacket). Note: this jacket runs small, so size up.
On The Run
Robbe’s been lovin’ on the Tracksmith Van Cortlandt Grand short for years now. The 4-inch shorts are made from the same 2:09 mesh that you find on the rest of the Van Cortlandt collection, and they come in a few choice colorways to match your singlet. Tracksmith gets bonus points for keeping these shorts to the more affordable end of its collection — perfect for Father’s Day.
On The Run
We don’t usually play favorites — oh wait, we totally do. We’ve been believers in Path Projects for a while now, so it was an honor to finally cook up a collaboration together. Whether your dad likes sleeves or he’s a sun’s out, guns out kind of guy, the Path Projects Airdot mesh collection should be right up his alley. Path Projects has perfected the airy mesh, and we have to say our logo looks pretty dang good on the collection.
Accessories
We’re not saying that your dad is probably wearing a beat-up belt, but everyone can use a style upgrade now and then. Arcade may be the best belt we’ve ever worn thanks to its stretch construction and secure snap-and-click buckle. While there’s plenty of patterns and colors to choose from, our nature-loving team is partial to the National Parks collection.
Lifestyle Apparel
As much as we love to try, there are some times when we have to put the running shorts away and grab something different. Quite possibly the perfect summer short, the Patagonia Baggies are both something different and familiar at the same time. They look good with anything, they’re just the right length with a 5-inch inseam, and the three pockets offer much more storage than our typical running short. After all, Father’s Day is the perfect time to carry all the little pebbles and sticks that your kids find on a hike.
Baselayer
It’s pretty easy to fall into the dad trap of holding onto t-shirts for way too long. I know my own dad still has a few that I can remember from when I was still in school (which was long enough ago). This is one that you’ll be proud to have for years to come. Made from 100% NuYarn merino (which is both soft, moisture and odor resistant, and more durable than typical merino), the Sprint Tee works as a base layer or a shirt, in cold weather or warm weather. Basically, it’s there for whenever your dad needs it.
Footwear
Maybe socks are a cop-out when it comes to gift-giving, but any dad can tell you that runners burn through socks faster than most. Swiftwick’s Flite XT is a great do-it-all solution, especially if pops loves to spend time on the trail. These socks come in either ankle or crew lengths, and they use Olefin fiber to mitigate slippage and hotspots. Oh, and the Merino fibers should help to keep the stank away.
Outdoor Adventure
You can never have enough water with you on a hike or a trail run — especially if you’ve got kids in tow. However, you probably don’t really want to lug around heavy bottles all the time, either. That makes the Sawyer Squeeze Filter perfect for Father’s Day. It weighs just a few ounces, and all you do is fill a pouch with creek water and squeeze it through the filter into your mouth. It’s like magic, only lighter.
Activity Accessories
Any trail dad worth his salt knows that you don’t carry a speaker on a hike. What you can do, however, is strap on some bone conduction headphones to hear the sounds of nature layered on top of your favorite songs. There are plenty of options, but we like Mojawa’s Mojo 2, with their IP67 rating against water and dust and eight hours of battery life on a 50-minute charge.
Recovery
Last but not least, the Chirp Wheel. We promised you some Father’s Day recovery gear, and here it is. Thomas picked this set of wheels out as gear he loved last month, and we’re still rollin’ with them. The Chirp Wheel is kind of like a much larger foam roller, and the variety of sizes means that you can roll different parts of your body without contorting yourself onto a small wheel and throwing out your back.
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