Father’s Day Gift Guide 2015: Presents for Dads who Hunt, Fish, and Shoot
OL picks 16 perfect, Dad-approved presents for every price range.
TAB SAC, $50
milehighshooting.com The initials stand for Silent Ammo Carrier, and that's as good a description as any for what this little bag does. It has a zippered enclosure that can accommodate about 100 rounds of loaded .308, without the need to haul around ammo cans or bulky ammo boxes. Within that enclosure is a divider that creates a separate pocket for empty brass, which keeps the shooter from fumbling around when going to reload. On the outside of the SAC are individual loops to accommodate 10 loaded rounds for even faster access. Like all TAB gear it is overbuilt and ready to take on the rigors of any shooting chore. PALS webbing on the back of the SAC allow it to be mounted on other bags or accessories should the shooter desire. —J.B.S..
milehighshooting.com The initials stand for Silent Ammo Carrier, and that's as good a description as any for what this little bag does. It has a zippered enclosure that can accommodate about 100 rounds of loaded .308, without the need to haul around ammo cans or bulky ammo boxes. Within that enclosure is a divider that creates a separate pocket for empty brass, which keeps the shooter from fumbling around when going to reload. On the outside of the SAC are individual loops to accommodate 10 loaded rounds for even faster access. Like all TAB gear it is overbuilt and ready to take on the rigors of any shooting chore. PALS webbing on the back of the SAC allow it to be mounted on other bags or accessories should the shooter desire. —J.B.S..
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tape
mcnett.com For backcountry repairs to clothing, sleeping bags, tents, packs or any other fabric item, Tenacious Tape is the bomb. It is adhesive-backed tent fabric and makes Duct Tape look wimpy. It comes in different colors. Perhaps the most useful is “clear” as it blends nicely against any background. — John B. Snow
govinowine.com Whose dad doesn’t like relaxing with a malted beverage at beer-thirty? And what’s better than imbibing outdoors? Govino has a featherweight, shatterproof, go-anywhere line of polymer drinkware that is perfect for the beach, backyard, or backcountry. Their product line includes wine and cocktail glasses and decanters, but Outdoor Life dads are beer drinkers, so consider their 16-ounce beer glass, sold in packages of 4. —Andrew McKean
wingone
wingoneusa.com There is no other handheld clay thrower on the market that works nearly as well as the Wing One. This clever product is the brainchild of two brothers: Tom and Jerry Black. They’ve been building these for decades, but they are only now starting to market them aggressively. What makes this product so special? Well, it loads fast, doesn’t break the clays, and depending on the model can throw up to three targets at once. With a little practice the thrower can master numerous different presentations, keeping a shotgunner on his toes. The clays get out there fast too. A basic toss will propel a clay 40 to 50 yards downrange, but if you add a little mustard to it you can chuck a clay the length of a football field. Also, the throwers come with a lifetime guarantee. —J.B.S.
montanafly.com The gorgeous patterns representing different species of trout on these flasks allow an angler to look at the object of his desire and either toast his successes or drown his sorrows. —J.B.S.
kromer
stormykromer.com A classic, just like your dad. If there’s a visual shorthand for the American outdoorsman of a certain vintage and vibe, it’s a plaid Stormy Kromer, with ear flaps ready to be untethered and go to work. The wool-and-flannel Stormy has been coopted by urban hipsters, but the original is a hard-working, hard-wearing piece of gear that’s warm in the winter and looks right at home in the hardwoods. _—A.M. _
weldonowen.com Oh, your dad already knows how to hunt everything? Then buy this big, gorgeous coffee-table book for the photos and the first-person accounts of hunting animals as varied as Quebec caribou to Zimbabwean hippos. Much of the book was written by yours truly, so its inclusion in this list is entirely self-serving. Still, it’s a great read. —A.M.
tabsac
milehighshooting.com The initials stand for Silent Ammo Carrier, and that’s as good a description as any for what this little bag does. It has a zippered enclosure that can accommodate about 100 rounds of loaded .308, without the need to haul around ammo cans or bulky ammo boxes. Within that enclosure is a divider that creates a separate pocket for empty brass, which keeps the shooter from fumbling around when going to reload. On the outside of the SAC are individual loops to accommodate 10 loaded rounds for even faster access. Like all TAB gear it is overbuilt and ready to take on the rigors of any shooting chore. PALS webbing on the back of the SAC allow it to be mounted on other bags or accessories should the shooter desire. —J.B.S.
thermacell
thermacell.com If you worship at the altar of Lord ThermaCell as we do, you needn’t be told how effective their products are at controlling biting insects. And while they’ve offered lanterns for several years now, the lanterns haven’t produced much light or been very useful outside of keeping the skeeters at bay. This new model, however, provides 300 lumens of light for 50 hours on 4 D cells, features a tough rubberized armor, is water-resistant, and even has a clip in the base that allows it to be hung overhead. — J.T.
xtratuff
xtratufboots.com With these deck shoes, dad can sport the same brand of footwear worn by all of his favorite characters on those commercial fishing shows without having to risk his life at sea for weeks at a time. The non-slip outsole is the same as the one featured on Xtratuf boots, and the mesh upper is lightweight and breathable. — J.T.
ccshirt
magnaready.com There’s a special circle in Hell for those who get their dads ties for Father’s Day. Save your eternal soul (and make your father happy) by getting him a MagnaShirt instead. The unique feature about this shirt is the magnetized faux buttons that hold the shirt together. These shirts were originally designed for people who had a hard time manipulating buttons, but it turns out there is another great use for them. Under normal daily use they stay secure, but with a quick, vigorous tug they pop apart allowing for quick access to a pistol, knife, or other item concealed under the shirt. The shirts have a clean, professional look and are ideal for someone looking for deep concealed carry. —J.B.S.
bisonblowtorch
thebisoncompany.com This air-driven blowtorch just might be the ultimate Father’s Day gift, assuming your father is into grilling, fireworks, or other pyrotechnics. The portable, butane-fueled device is basically a lighter on steroids. The torch ignites flammables with a 4-inch flame, but its real game-changing asset is the on-board fan that feeds the flame, allowing users to ignite charcoal or wood stoves without the need for lighter fluid or other accelerants. —A.M.
ibattz
ibattz.com There is no shortage of portable power options available today, but this is the best I’ve used (and I’ve used a bunch). It’s rugged, compact (5.5x3x1″), and slips nicely into a pack. With a ridiculous 20,400-milliamp-hour capacity, it takes a while to juice up fully (like, 16 hours), but once it was full, I was able to get 6 full iPhone 5 charges out of it. It’s super-simple to use, and with two USB ports you can charge multiple devices at once. — J.T.
eddiebauer.com I’ve been wearing this vest for nearly every month of the year for the past couple years, to duck blinds, deer stands, and New York restaurants, and it seems to fit everything I do and everywhere I go. The vest is almost unnaturally warm, thanks to its lightweight lofting goose-down fill. The ripstop shell is treated with a water-repellent finish, but the vest’s greatest attribute is its light weight and extreme packability. —A.M.
palopinto
www.cabelas.com With a durable rubber outsole that’ll stand up to abuse, combined with exquisite detailing (check out those elk antlers), these full-grain leather boots will allow dad to transition seamlessly from ranch work to dinner with mom in town. The Palo Pinto is one of five new styles of cowboy boots introduced by Cabela’s this year. Others have square toes and/or leather outsoles and different stitching and colors. — J.T.
knife
helle.no The first rule of being a dad is that you can never have too many knives. Isn’t it time that your dad owned a really nice knife? The Helle Utvær features a 4-inch Sandvik 12C27 stainless steel drop point blade. This is an excellent blade material, as it’s quite hard, yet can be honed to razor sharpness. Its curly birch handle (with red vulcanized rubber inlays) is incredibly handsome and evocative of the northwoods, and it comes with a very good leather sheath. — J.T.
OL picks 16 perfect, Dad-approved presents for every price range.
