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A very Ars-y gift for Dad.
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Further Reading
The Ars Technica Mother’s Day 2021 gift guide
Let's be real here: the best gift you and the family could probably get Dad this Father's Day is to leave him alone. But if you're determined grab him a token of your appreciation, even after he's said "I don't need anything" for the 10th time, we've
done what we usually do
to lend you a hand: test out a bunch of gear, figure out what's good, then report back with the things we think your gift recipient might actually like.
Whether you're celebrating your dad,
a
dad, or you're a dad yourself trying to give others an idea of what to get
you
, we've curated a sampling of last-minute Father's Day gift ideas below.
Note: Ars Technica may earn compensation for sales from links on this post through
affiliate programs
.
Table of Contents
An Ars-approved book he can nestle into
A tumbler suited for a bartender or an expeditionist
A personal massager for his tired and aching muscles
Tracking tags for the stuff he’s always losing
Peace and quiet with a good (and affordable) pair of noise-canceling headphones
A loud yet portable speaker he can enjoy in and out of the house
A few nights of easier cooking
A tech-friendly toolkit to assist with his electronics tinkering
A capable, reliable set of hair clippers
A remote that makes his Apple TV or Roku device easier to use
A comfy and feature-rich gamepad upgrade for his Switch or PC...
... or a handy iPhone controller for gaming on the go
A running watch for casual running or serious training
An Ars-approved book he can nestle into
Cover art for
Project Hail Mary
.
Cover art for Jason Schreier's latest deep dive on the game industry,
Press Reset
.
Yes that's a door handle on the front cover of
A Medium-sized Book of Boring Car Trivia
, but do you know
which
door handle?
Any number of books could hold Dad's attention, but if you need a prompt, a few works we at the Ars Orbiting HQ have recently reviewed positively do the job.
Further Reading
The Martian
’s Andy Weir is back to form with
Project Hail Mary
Project Hail Mary
, for one, is the
latest from
The Martian
author Andy Weir
, and like that hit, it's about a lone human in a desperate space-based predicament who must solve problems with science. Here, though, the fate of the Solar System is at stake, and our hero is accompanied by an unexpected partner. In many ways, it's like a buddy movie, with snappy dialogue, unpretentious prose, and a consistent commitment to logic and science. (Not surprisingly, it soon
will
be a movie
, with
First Man
Ryan Gosling in the lead role.) Don't expect a rich character study, but if Dad was into
The Martian
as a
film
or a novel,
Project Hail Mary
should be a treat. And when he's done, Dad can read
the 5,000-word screed on xenolinguistics
the book inspired in my colleague Lee Hutchinson.
Further Reading
New book
Press Reset
investigates the high human cost of game development
For a nonfiction pick, we recently praised
Press Reset: Ruin and Recovery in the Video Game Industry
, the latest from investigative video game journalist Jason Schreier. Being
into
games helps
with this one, but at its core,Press Reset
is a
breezy yet impactful web of stories
that connects working people—the people who make the games we play yet are punished by the rampant instability of a capricious industry. Inside you'll find all the expected dramatic anecdotes from a book that digs into the internal stresses of big-money gaming companies. But amid the tales of high human cost, Schreier leaves room for real-world nuggets of optimism and potentially healthier paths forward. For those interested in gaming or the state of modern labor in general,
Press Reset
is both entertaining and illuminating.
Advertisement
Further Reading
Sniff Petrol’s wonderfully interesting book of boring car facts: A review
Finally, for the gearheads among us, consider
A Medium-sized Book of Boring Car Trivia
from the satirical British motoring site
Sniff Petrol
. It is... more or less exactly what the title suggests, minus the "boring" part. It's brief, and, unsurprisingly, a bit Eurocentric, but nevertheless
loaded with fascinating anecdotes
about car names, prototypes, engines, and the like. To give you an idea, one bit describes how Ford Edsel dealers got saddled (ahem) with taking care of nearly 1,000 literal ponies. For less than $6, it's a fun and witty little dive for car nerds hungry for new party trivia. If it goes down well, note that Sniff Petrol
recently released a second volume
with even more motoring obscurities.—
Jeff Dunn,
Senior Commerce Editor
Ars Approved Books
Project Hail Mary: $17 at Amazon
Press Reset: $15 at Amazon
Boring Car Trivia: $6 at Amazon
(Ars Technica may earn compensation for sales from links on this post through
affiliate programs
.)
A tumbler suited for a bartender or an expeditionist
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High Camp's Flasks look sharp, yet rugged, while keeping you hydrating or libating.
High Camp Flasks
Firelight 375 Flask: $85 at High Camp Flasks
Firelight 750 Flask: $125 at High Camp Flasks
(Ars Technica may earn compensation for sales from links on this post through
affiliate programs
.)
Whether Dad likes to camp, hike, golf, or just go for nice picnics, a
High Camp Flask
is an excellent companion for hydration or libation. Twenty-four-hour hot-and-cold tumblers have become relatively common among millennials, but these particular flasks are designed more for sitting down and enjoying a drink, solo or with others, than replacing a plastic water bottle.
Coming
in either 750 ml
(enough to hold a bottle of wine) or
325 ml sizes
, the 750 ml seamlessly incorporates two magnetically attached cups onto its ends, while the 325 ml has just one. The magnets' grip on the cups is satisfying and strong, and in our use, the cups only came off when we deliberately removed them. The design is classy and feels durable, too, being forged of stainless steel in bronze, silver, or gunmetal and fashioned in the style of a six-shooter. It's a great look, somewhere between professional bartender and Bear Grylls adventurer, that adds grip and style to the cups and the flask's overall aesthetic.
Beyond that, you can
get a custom engraving
, and the company says it dedicates 3 percent of its product cost to 10 nonprofits, including Black Lives Matter, Earthjustice, and Defenders of Wildlife. The engravings look and feel well-done and can include pictures and text. Plus, as of this writing, several of the flasks are on sale for Father's Day.—
Corey Gaskin,
Senior Commerce Writer
