The Best Gifts to Get Your Outdoorsy Dad This Father’s Day

May 25, 2023

Whether the ideal outdoor adventure for the dad or father figure in your life consists of a multi-day backcountry hike or a day of paddling on the lake, these Father’s Day gifts promise to elevate their next outdoor pursuit.

For the Dad Who’s Prepared

A paracord bracelet is an often-overlooked item but is far more than just an accessory — it’s a survival tool. Named for its ability to hold as much as 550 pounds, this Paracord Survival Bracelet is made of woven 550 paracord and boasts a number of features despite its tiny size. Equipped with an emergency whistle and ferro rod fire starter and flint, the cord can also be unwoven for a variety of uses, like tying together branches and a tarp for a makeshift shelter, fashioning into a tourniquet to prevent excessive blood loss, hanging food at a campsite and even replacing a busted shoelace on your hiking shoes.

For the Dad Who Can’t Put Down His Coffee

With a set of peaks artistically etched on this matte black mug, the design is sleek and minimal. Crafted with premium 18/8 stainless steel and double-walled vacuum insulation technology, the 800-millilitre Mountain Mug is made to keep cold drinks cold and hot drinks hot for hours on end no matter the environment or conditions, making this a practical choice for long road trips, camping, picnics at the beach or leisurely walks at the park. Plus, its tapered bottom means it fits seamlessly in the cup holder of most vehicles.

For the Savvy Outdoor Dad

Whether out on an hour-long hike or a week-long backcountry trip, savvy outdoor adventurers always carry a reliable fire source that can heat food, serve as emergency signaling and keep you warm. This lightweight and easy-to-carry Butane Lighter Torch has a dynamic range. Using an intuitive one-touch button, you can adjust the flame from a flicker to a scorching 1,300 C at its maximum. Plus, its weatherproof properties make this a reliable tool in a range of conditions. This torch can provide you with a light flame to jumpstart your campfire or toast marshmallows at your campsite, even if you’re battling wind and rain.

For the Dad Who Road Trips

Thoughtfully curated by the Explore magazine team, the Road Safety Bundle helps you feel prepared and confident in the worst-case scenario of being stranded in a roadside emergency. This bundle includes an LED safety beacon with multiple flash settings to warn approaching drivers of a situation, a 950-millilitre insulated stainless steel bottle that keeps drinks cold for over 12 hours and hot for over six hours, an LED wide-angle flashlight, an issue of Explore and a first aid kit stocked with bandages of various shapes and sizes, gauze pads, antiseptic wipes, tourniquet and more.

For the Dad Who Worships the Sun

Whether hiking, biking, fishing or paddling, a high-performing sun hat will help keep you cool while keeping any harmful UV rays at bay. Not only does the Patagonia Quandary Brimmer keep the sun off your face, but its glare-reducing brim also helps shade the eyes. This model features a quick-wicking sweatband, and its internal mesh lining helps promote breathability to keep your head comfy and cool. The secure toggle closure keeps your hat on in windy conditions.

For the Dad Who Packs Light

Don’t be fooled by its compact size—this trusty Gregory Miko 15 fits all the day’s essentials whether you’re hiking or relaxing by the lake. The hip belt pockets are generously sized to fit quick-access items like your phone, lip balm and a couple of energy bars and the pack is compatible with Gregory’s Hydro reservoirs to keep you hydrated all day long. The pack’s winning feature is its dynamic and flexible BioSync Suspension System, which hugs your body for a close fit and moves with your body’s natural movements to keep the pack close and balance the load.

For the Dad Who Shreds

Dads who enjoy scenic rides on road bikes or who like to coast down the side of a mountain at adrenaline-fueling speeds can always be in clear view of their phones and interact seamlessly with them—hands-free—thanks to the ROKFORM V4 Pro Series Phone Bike Mount. Made with aluminum, the mount is built for durability and can be adjusted to your preferred viewing angle, especially if you like to keep GoogleMaps open during your ride.

Using their RokLock twist lock system, an intuitive secure twist lock, the mount requires a compatible ROKFORM phone case to keep the device solidly in place.

For the Dad Who Bird Watches

One of the brand’s top-selling binoculars, the Celestron Nature DX 8×32 offers a balance of performance and price, making it an approachable choice for dads who want to pick up a solo and meditative outdoor activity, or for those who want to enjoy a soft adventure activity with the family. It has eight times the magnification for a wide 129-metre field of view makes feathered friends easier to locate, and the brightness, smooth focus and exceptional clarity allow for markings and identifying features to easily be spotted.

For the Dad Who Likes To Sleep Beneath the Stars

Side and restless sleepers who generally find mummy sleeping bags restrictive will appreciate the extra room in this Mountain Hardwear Yawn Patrol bag. Rated for -1C and made with 650-fill RDS-certified down, this sleeping bag is exceptionally soft and cozy, and the stuff sack with compression strap helps it pack down for a backcountry trip. Its two-way long zipper allows those who run hot to open the footbox for ventilation, and it also allows the sleeping bag to pull double duty as a quilt for hanging out by the campfire or roaming near the campsite.

For the Photographer Dad

Whether your dad’s a pro at snapping wildlife, natural landscape or glittering cityscape photos, this WANDRD Duo Daypack will elevate the way they travel with their camera gear. Equal parts style and function, this 20-litre pack is loaded with zippered pouches, mesh pockets and elastic cord organizers so your camera and additional lenses, external hard drives and filters all have a place to call home. For even more room inside the pack, tuck away the Pop Camera Cube when you’re not toting around your camera, which allows enough space for dirty laundry or an extra pair of shoes. Plus, there’s enough room for other day trip essentials like energy bars, sunscreen and sunglasses. The pack has eight anchor points for use of up to four accessory straps at the same time, which can be used to carry a tripod or an extra outer layer. Crafted with 840 denier nylon, the pack is weatherproof and stands up to rugged terrain to keep your gear safe.

For the Dad Who Wants to Be in the Know

Keep up to date on practical tips and tricks, thrilling profiles of outdoor adventurers and in-depth gear reviews with one, two and three-year subscriptions to Explore magazine’s print edition, which offers exclusive access to stories not available online. With 200 plus national media awards and nominations, those new to Explore will quickly discover why this is Canada’s most decorated outdoor-focused publication. Published four times a year, the insightful stories and enchanting photography promise to inspire your next epic adventure in Canada’s outdoors.