Fathers' Day Gifts For Outdoor Dads

The best gift ever, though, is spending time with him.

Chances are, your dad is the one who introduced you to the outdoors. I know that was the case with me. My dad took me hunting and camping all the time, starting when I was really young, and that gave me a love of the outdoors that is stronger than ever, even now. If your dad is outdoorsy, here are some gift ideas that are sure to make his day this June 18th.

ATN Smart HD Binocular

Let's just start right out with the splurge – the ATN Smart HD Binocular is $479, and it's a gift that will thrill your dad every time he picks it up. He probably already carries binoculars so he can get a really good look at birds, wildlife, and even the trail ahead, but these let him geotag, magnify, record images and video, and even more. They're pretty awesome, just like Dad.

They have a new Obsidian Core processor that gives them smooth E-zooming from 4 to 16x at the touch of a button, plus they have night vision. A MicroSD slot lets you save photos and video and you can export them via a port. These things are incredible – you need to check them out at https://www.atncorp.com/smart-hd-binocular.

Flextail Max Pump

I'm pretty sure your dad has to pump up a lot of stuff – pool rings, air mattresses, beach balls – all those things take lots of air. Unfortunately, most pumps are big, bulky, expensive, or just plain ineffective. The Max Pump is the smallest air pump anywhere and it works like a charm. It's rechargeable with an outlet, your portable charger, or even your computer. Plus, one charge will let you inflate 20 air mattresses.

You have to see this to believe it. Even if Dad is a backpacker, he can bring this pump along. Go to https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/max-pump-best-outdoor-tool-enjoy-your-leisure-time-technology#/ and check it out. It's just $34.

The Extractor Bite And Sting Kit

Anyone who spends a lot of time outdoors is going to end up getting bit or stung one time or another. The key is being prepared. Make sure your dad is ready to take action by giving him a first aid kit that is designed to take care of snakebites and bee stings. An extractor is used to remove stingers and venom – perfect for emergencies in the bush. Get The Extractor Bite and Sting Kit on Amazon for under $16.

Tenacious Tape

While you're on Amazon, get Dad some Gear Aid Tenacious Tape for Fabric Repair. It's less than $5 and works better than duct tape to repair camping gear, sleeping bags, tents, etc. Instantly seals leaking seams and stops rips from spreading. It's an add-on item, so add it to your Extractor order.

Heaket

Outdoor dads don't give up what they love just because it gets cold. I've seen guys fishing tournaments with the water icing up on their rod guides, and I've seen them sit in a duck blind with an icy wind turning their noses bright red.

Part of the problem with very cold weather is that regular jackets are so darn bulky – makes it hard for dad to mount a gun, cast a line, or even clamber over a big rock. That's why he needs a Heaket – the worlds most durable all season heated jacket. Believe it or not, this jacket is light and totally comfortable, waterproof (so you can even wash it!), heats up in 3 seconds, and has four different settings. It's super tough and uses carbon-based heating wires so it's very flexible and soft.

The Heaket comes in sizes from XS to XXXL, men's and women's. You can even get one in camo. Buy one right now for $129 at https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/heacket-the-best-all-seaon-heated-jacket#/.

Freedom Charger

Oh, the angst of being out away from home and having your Go Pro, phone, camera, iPad, or GPS run out of power. Especially if you forgot that special cord with the weird little fitting that it takes to connect it to the power. Dad can either buy a second set of all those darn cables, or you can get him one that will charge pretty much anything out there.

It's called the Freedom Charger. It's the first all metal charging cable for both iPhone and Android devices. It has a flexible stainless steel cord with super strong alloy housing, and one head charges all lightning and Micro USB devices with NO parts to change so no parts to lose. The steel cords are 6 feet long, and they have two points of attachment for extra strength.

I'm actually even going to get one of these for my granddaughters, who are always wishing they had the right cord in their car for their friends whose phones are dying. Seriously, this is a great idea. You can get one for under $20 if you act fast, and they'll be out in June of 2017. Go to https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/the-freedom-charger-iphone-android#/.

Invizbox Go

Here's another great start-up to get in on: The InvizBox Go. This tiny little box will allow dad to browse the Internet completely privately and securely, no matter where in the world his outdoor adventures take him. There's been a lot of stuff in the news lately about people and governments being able to listen or watch everything you do on your smartphone, but the InvizBox Go makes you immune to all that.

All dad has to do is just connect his phone, tablet, or laptop to the InvizBox Go over WiFi and that's it – no software to install, and it updates itself regularly with security and safety features. It will even charge his devices and extend his WiFi network. You can get one right now for just $99 with 2 months VPN service, or $139 with a year of VPN. It uses a VPN or a connection to Tor to keep you safe from tracking and profiling by people, governments, companies, and hackers.

It also allows you to stream content that may be censored in the country you're in. Sweet deal! Buy one for Dad today at https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/invizbox-go-privacy-security-wherever-you-are-wifi-powerbank#/.

Helio

Helio is the smallest outdoor camping lantern you can imagine. It's actually smaller and lighter than an egg, but puts out up to 220 lumens – shines to 65 feet. Forty minutes of charge will give you up to 10 hours of bright light, and it has a built-in USB port so you can use any portable charger with it. It has a magnet and a hook so you can put it all kinds of places, and even has a light diffuser that can be used as a cup.

This is perfect for Dad's backpack, boat, glove box, or camping box. They're expected to ship around August, so you'll have to give dad a card with a picture in it, then he can wait with anticipation. The kickstarter price is $29, and you can get one at https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/203753556/helio-incredible-brightness-ultra-lightness. These are made by Flextail - the same guys who make the Max Pump.

Vava Dashcam

The VAVA Dash Cam is the most versatile dash cam you've ever seen. The camera swivels 360 degrees, it has a dedicated mobile app for footage and photo transfers (no need to remove the SD card!). It takes great HD video in 1080p at 60f/ps with a 140 degree field of vision – enough to cover 5 lanes of traffic.

It even has a built in GPS to log and track trips, snapshots for remote captures, and will even capture footage when your car is off with a parking mode that works for up to 30 days when you use the VAVA Dash Cam Charger.

That ought to make Dad feel better about leaving his truck at the ramp or the trailhead! These are going to ship in July, and you can order one now for $149, which includes the Dash Cam, dual-port card adapter, mount, snapshot button, 32GB microSD card, and 4m cable with built-in GPS. Check this out at https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/the-vava-dash-cam-capture-the-road-ahead#/.

Check The Stores Too

You can also get great ideas by visiting a good sporting goods store like Sportsman's Warehouse. They've got inline water filters, survival kits in a bottle, great maps, knives, ammo – pretty much anything an outdoor dad could want. And if all else fails, how about a gift card to Sportman's Warehouse, Cabelas, or Bass Pro Shops?

Just remember that no matter what you give your dad for Fathers' Day, the best gift ever is spending time with him.