Father’s Day comes around every year and it seems hard to figure out a perfect gift for dad. How about a tie? No, he already has many of those. A book? He has many of those too. How about something personal that he’ll love? What does a dad in your life like to do? What are his interests? Think about spending quality time with a dad doing something he likes doing. It could be a round of golf or a hike with a dad in your life. Better yet, buy him one of the 8 best hiking gifts for dads for him to use on your hike together.
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1. Men’s Smartwool Merino T-Shirt
My family and I hiked the gorgeous Lake Minnewanka trail along the lake. My dad was wearing his men’s Smartwool Merino t-shirt that cost $74.95. It’s lightweight and breathable, perfect for a day of hiking in Banff National Park. This T-shirt comes in an assortment of colours: grey and yellow. Colours change frequently; be sure to check back often if your dad would like a different colour. The size ranges from extra small (XXS) to extra extra large (XXL).
Odour Resistant
Even when sweating, the Merino t-shirt doesn’t smell very much, even when wearing it for multiple days in a row. It is the perfect t-shirt for backpacking the West Coast Trail, without having to switch to another one because of the stench. It helps reduce your pack weight by minimizing the amount of clothing you bring backpacking; clothes are generally heavy. The men’s Smartwool Merino t-shirt is a great option for your dad to have in his drawer. You’ll appreciate the lack of smell coming from him and he’ll most likely be appreciative of this thoughtful gift that is reasonably priced.
2. Best Hiking Gifts for Dads: Convertible Pants
The next of 8 best hiking gifts for dads are convertible pants; a bit pricier at $109.95, but the ultimate gift! No one likes hiking with shorts underneath pants, in case the temperature warms up! Convertible pants are ideal when hiking with larches. Dads can wear the complete pant portion when it’s cold outside or even when just starting to get into exercise mode. When your dad is overheating and the sun starts shining, he can change into shorts, by zipping off the pant leg! Such a neat feature! The current pant colours are tan, black and green. They come in a variety of sizes. Be sure to check in-store for the appropriate size for your dad.
Pockets
Depending on the brand, pockets will be found at different locations on the pants. Some might have buttons to close the pocket, while others will have Velcro or a zipper. If a dad tends to put small items in his pocket, I suggest buying pants with zippers, so the items don’t fall out! Food items like a granola bar in a pocket with buttons or Velcro are likely to stay in the pocket.
Tip: Make sure to get a gift receipt for these pants. Sometimes, depending on the brand the pants can feel tight or baggy. Your dad might want to exchange them for a brand that fits properly. Mountain Equipment Company has a great return policy if the convertible pants have been lightly worn and need to be returned because they don’t fit properly.
3. Arc’teryx Shorts
Arc’teryx Konseal shorts are $110. They are a bit on the pricier side for shorts but offer breathability and durability for rock or alpine climbing. They are less likely to tear than convertible pants. The size ranges from 28 to 38. The colour currently being sold is black. For a hiker, they are an awesome gift. They are especially great for a dad to wear hiking in nice temperatures from 15°C and up and doesn’t require convertible pants.
4. Arc’teryx Men’s Delta LT Jacket
The 8 best hiking gifts for dads include Arc’teryx men’s Delta Lt jacket which costs $144. Another expensive item but for those who have the budget, this is a high-quality microfleece jacket offering warmth and brightness. I love Kris in his gorgeous fleece. It adds a nice colour to his pictures. The microfleece has ripstop fabric ensuring that if it gets ripped, the tear doesn’t get very far, which is fantastic for bushwhacking or going through trees and shrubs while hiking and backpacking. The fleece is nice and warm when the weather is a bit colder. This coat is perfect for many outdoor adventures, including kayaking Desolation sound on windy days.
Features
It features two large pockets on the front side of the jacket for your dad to carry a phone to take pictures of his family that joined him on his wonderful Father’s Day hiking trip. The zipper goes all the way down the jacket for ease of taking it off when he’s too warm and putting it back on when he’s cold. The newer coat version also has a pocket on the side of the left arm to carry credit cards or whatever suits his needs. Your dad will need to like flashy flashy colours as orange is the only option available for purchase. The sizes range from small to large.
5. Sunglasses
Sunglasses at MEC range from $40 to $90. Depending on your budget and the style your father likes for sunglasses, this option offers more flexibility. It might be easier to tell your dad, that he’ll be getting sunglasses but you’ll go together to try them on and offer to pay. It will be hard to gauge how they will fit on his face without him being there to try them on. You could also take your best guess and exchange them if they don’t fit.
Misplaced Sunglasses
My dad has lost or broken so many sunglasses, I’ve lost count. It’s easy to leave them on a rock or remove them and put them down somewhere if it gets cloudy and forget to pick them up when you’re done with your break. It’s always an item that needs to be replaced regularly for my dad. It can get a bit frustrating to spend money on sunglasses, knowing they’ll get lost or broken shortly afterwards. Maybe buy him one pair and then get another family member to buy the next ones if they get lost. You might have a dad who will use the same sunglasses for multiple years.
Tip: Buy slightly expensive sunglasses, for more than $20. I’ve found that when buying cheap sunglasses, they tend to break easily or not provide adequate sun protection.
6. Best Hiking Gifts for Dads: MEC Fleece Jacket
The MEC fleece jacket is more of an affordable item at $89.95. It’s such a popular fleece in my family that both Kris and my dad have one. They fit comfortably on both of them even being different sizes for each of them. When hiking and backpacking in the mountains, it’s imperative to have a fleece. You never know when a storm will brew in with high winds causing your dad to get cold. The mountains are always unpredictable; it’s best to be prepared with a warm layer.
Heavier Fleece Material
This fleece doesn’t have ripstop fabric built in. Sticks that poke through are likely to create a bigger tear. It’s a heavier material for colder weather. Depending on the weather and activity, it’s always nice to have different-weight fleece for different circumstances (weather, temperature, bushwhacking through trees).
Features
This MEC jacket has a pocket on the chest (bigger than the credit card pocket on the Arc’teryx yellow fleece) and two smaller pockets on each side of the zipper on the stomach. Royal blue is no longer available but grey with black, and two different greens, blue and yellow are good options for that father in your life who deserves a nice hiking gift. Sizes range from small (S) to extra extra large (XXL).
7. Long Sleeve Sun Shirt
The 8 best hiking gifts for dads include a long-sleeved sun shirt for $119.95. It’s lightweight and offers some wind, sun and bug protection when hiking in the woods. It’s a wonderful addition to Dad’s hiking collection! When it’s warm outside and your dad doesn’t require a heavy additional fleece layer, a long-sleeved shirt to cut the wind is a fantastic option.
A dark-coloured t-shirt can attract bugs in the forest but when putting a lightly coloured sun shirt on top, this can deter them from visiting and sitting on your dad’s shoulders and sweaty back and potentially stinging him. It’s easy to forget how hot the sun gets while hiking and how easy it is to get sunburnt. With this long-sleeved sun shirt, your dad will avoid looking like a lobster while also feeling awesome with a thin fabric providing sun protection.
8. Socks
Socks are important when going hiking. Some men like thicker padded socks, while others like Athletic Works Men’s Crew Socks. The ones above cost $10. As long as your dad doesn’t get blisters he can wear the ones he finds most comfortable. Socks tend to be on the cheaper side so an easy purchase if you’re not looking to spend a lot of money. In many cases, men typically don’t like to go sock shopping so they’ll most likely be happy that you did them a favour and bought them new socks that don’t have holes in them!
Final Thoughts
A merino t-shirt, convertible pants, shorts, two fleece jackets, a sun shirt, sunglasses and socks are the 8 best hiking gifts for dads. All these ideas offer different price ranges depending on your budget. A personal gift can go a long way by making a dad in your life feel special by offering a thoughtful gift for him rather than a generic gift that any man could receive. Your dad will tend to think of you every time he uses the thoughtful gift you gave him.
Even better than a gift, offer quality time with your dad doing what they love. Father’s Day is about appreciating the effort and time they’ve spent with you throughout the years. The least you could do is offer one day a year and make it all about them. Cook breakfast, go for a walk, go golfing, hiking, whatever they like but quality time together is priceless!
Additional Links
- Discover River Valley and Surrounding Trails in Edmonton
- City to Wilderness Hiking: Where to Start?
- Jasper Hikes: Best Memories
- Winter Hike to Marjorie Lake in Jasper
- 4 Spectacular Drumheller Hikes
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