Why Is It So Hard to Buy Gifts for Practical Men?
If you want to melt a practical man’s heart: show them that you cared enough to value their interests and understand their practical dilemmas.
Give him the gift of a solution: something that actually solves his real-world dilemmas.
If you want him to feel even more LOVED AND VALUED: Don’t just solve the problem, give him the best darn tool for the job.
How To Buy Gifts for Practical Men
It’s Simple. Go into the garage, office or wherever his “tinkering space” is and actually try to be interested in what he’s doing.
Be careful though, guys can sniff insincerity and get weirded out by your “sudden interest”, so have a plausible reason to be there. Bring a coffee for him and sip yours while you make small talk about his projects.
Ask things like, “So, what’s the hardest part of this project?”(Problem) and “What would make it easier?(Solution) It’s those “solutions” that are the gifts ideas you’re looking for.
Do that for a few days here and there and you’ll have plenty of great gift ideas.
Top Quality, Durable Gift Ideas for Practical Men
It took me two weeks to carefully research and build this list because I didn’t want it to be another “bulldust” internet gift list.
I’ve broken it down into various categories depending on his interests. I purposefully excluded tech because it’s not timeless enough. Perhaps I’ll do a tech post separately.
What you’ll find below are industry leading, benchmark products, and their quality will far outlast their cheap competitors.
Yes, they cost more, but they also communicate that you cared enough to research and give them the very best.
Gifts for the Hunter / Woodsman
The ESEE 6 is easily among the top 3 survival knives out there today. The other two being the Kabar BK2 and the Kabar USMC knife.
He’ll need to include it in his will, because this 1095 HC blade will be a lifelong companion that will take severe abuse. In fact, ESEE will replace any broken knife whether by accident or on purpose! Check out my Review of it here
As rugged as any mountain man, this full-grain leather wallet is built tough and makes a great practicl gift for men. It’s literally riveted together. Perfect for the guy who likes the rustic tough look.
This is currently the brightest tactical flashlight on the market. It produces a blistering 5000 lumens. By comparison, most decent quality tactical flashlights only produce about 1000 lumens.
The Kabar is probably the most iconic knife on the planet and universally respected. It was standard issue for the USMC since WW2. A knife collection is not complete without this legend.
Buck 110 Folding Hunting Knife
Buck’s full size folding hunting knife is a legend. Its been around for over 50 years and is backed by one of the best knife warranties out there. Say, “Hunting Knife” to most hunters and they’ll say, “Buck.”
Gränsfors Bruk Wildlife Hatchet
The Swedes know how to make good axes. Gransfors Bruk’s wildlife hatchet features a hickory handle and is compact enough for a rucksack. It also comes with a vegetable tanned leather cover.
It’s not just a fine hatchet. It’s an heirloom in the making. Someday when your practical man is old, he’ll put his well-loved Gransfors into the strong young hands of his grandson and say “swing away boy!”
Yes, another Scandinavian ax company, this time from Finland. I personally own the Fiskars X27. While it isn’t going to be an heirloom in the same sense as the Gransfors Bruk, it’ll last just as long. The X27 is arguably the best splitting ax in the world. (Check out my full review of it here)
It features a modern fiber composite handle and an unbreakable 4 lbs “Permahead” making it a true beast. Overstrikes don’t faze it a bit. The incredible splitting force comes primarily from the mechanical advantage developed by the 32″ handle. Life Time Warranty included.
Merino wool is an amazing thing. These things will keep him warm even when wet. Odor resistance is measured in days not hours. With over 900 stitches/square inch these high-quality socks are unconditionally guaranteed for life. I wore a pair this afternoon to my daughters late fall soccer game and my feet were the only part of me that stayed warm.
Check out my Review of the full range of Darn Tough Socks
Suunto MC-2G Navigator Compass
Ask search and rescue how many calls they get to rescue people who set out into the wild relying only on a GPS. BAD IDEA! Batteries die and electronics don’t do so hot with water or freezing temps.
A compass is solid state and is way more reliable. Besides, it more manly. It actually requires skill and brains to use. The Suunto MC-2G is top of the line and packed with nav features to guide him home even in low light.
Behold the toughest backpack on earth. How much more practical can you get?
Used by special forces, this Rucksack ain’t cheap, but it’s a pro-grade beast that’s seen combat all over the globe. If he ever manages to wear it out his GoRuck GR1, they’ll repair or replace it no questions asked for a lifetime. The grandkids will inherit this one too.
Full Grain leather, 100-year warranty and a warm dry den for his well-loved rifle. Saddleback makes top notch leather products that only look better with age.
Gifts for the Practical Gentleman
Let’s face it, comfort matters most when its close to home. I was a skeptic of Saxx underwear because of the price, but I took a chance and bought one pair to test. Switching to these was like switching from a PC to a Mac computer. The “separation zone” just works and you won’t want to go back.
Land’s End Men’s Wool Pea Coat
No stylish man is complete in winter without a well-made wool pea coat. Land’s End produces top quality clothing backed by one of the Top 5 Clothing Warranties in the industry. It’s a classic timeless look that he’ll look great in for years.
Tilley Endurables is a highly respected hat brand based out of Toronto, Canada. All their hats are guaranteed for life. Their Tec-Wool would go perfectly with a nice pea coat. The secret weapon is its C_change™ technology membrane that opens to breath when the outside temperature rises and closes again when the temperature drops.
Saddleback Leather/Love 41 toiletry bag
The supple full-grain leather of this beautiful toiletry bag will last forever and carry all his travel shaving and toiletry items. Plus, all profits from this bag got to Saddleback’s charity wing: Love41
Handcrafted in the UK from English bridle leather these wallets feature a variety of bold color options. One must be somewhat of a wallet connoisseur to appreciate the care and time put into them. Detailed work such as the truly turned edge, pleated)corners (not cut)and embossed card slot lips add up to a world-class wallet.
For more options on top quality wallets or how to spot a quality wallet check out: How to choose a wallet that will last forever.
Gifts for the Outdoorsman
Behold the brightest flashlight on earth! The beam shots above are legit. The Acebeam x70 cranks out a blistering 60,000 lumens which reach out to 1.1km! By comparison, a car’s high beams only deliver 2400 combined lumens. Get the idea? Can you say “light canon?”
This is one heck of tough headlamp and totally obliterates 98% of headlamps on the market with a blazing 2300 lumens. I took one to Africa this summer and was very impressed.
If you’re looking for the brightest headlamp you can consult my regularly updated list of the world’s brightest flashlights.
Hydration packs and CamelBaks are synonymous. CamelBak really does makes the best. The Rogue is the best of their best. So, if he’s a cyclist this is a no-brainer.
Go Pro
Electricity from fire! This is a serious piece of practical engineering. The Biolite actually charges USB devices and an onboard battery from the heat generated from the fire. The stove can boil a liter of water in 4 1/2 minutes by utilizing a fan to turbocharge the smokeless fire. It packs away into a compact 2lbs. You can also pick up a cooktop grill accessory.
L.L Bean has a solid reputation for durable stuff and their Continental Rucksack is a top seller for good reason. Beyond its classic, timeless look this ruck features an air mesh back panel, laptop sleeve and sternum strap for rucking heavy loads.
I own one and I’ve found it be extremely rugged and durable. I like that its easy to lash my machete and survival knife to it for my outdoor adventures.
Originally designed for law enforcement these boots also make darn good hikers. The Acadias boots are as close to lifetime footwear as they come. They’re American made and available in various sub-models. Some features include: Waterproof Goretex insulation, full grain leather, and 1000 denier nylon uppers.
The shock absorbent Vibram outsole will take a beating. Even after many years, the soles are fully replaceable! These things will easily last 3 times longer than most well build boots if you take advantage of Danner’s recrafting services. Police forces often use this service to double and triple the life of their standard issue boots.
Gifts for the Practical Professional
This timeless full grain leather briefcase will only look better with time as it develops a rich patina(unique to full grain leathers only.)
It can accept up to a 15-inch laptop and converts to a backpack for an easier carry for the business traveler on those long airport concourses.
Rugged as heck this Timbuk2’s Classic messenger bag is probably the most respected messenger bag on the market. The Classic Messenger is a great entry level bag. You can check out a few other options from my post: Comparing the Top Timubk2 Messenger Bags.
Steel Case and Herman Miller make the most comfortable and durable office chairs out there. The Leap is probably the most loved. If you’re wanting to give him the very best consider the Steel Case Leap, or the Herman Miller Mira 2 .
I went to the moon in 1969. The gas charged AG7 hasn’t changed a bit since. Space pens are super-rugged and designed to work from zero gravity to extreme temperatures. The hardened chrome plating will keep this pen looking great for a lifetime. He’ll have a great conversation piece at the office.
Gifts for the Gear Head
PIAA 95055 Super Silicone Wiper Blade
You can’t find these wipers in car parts stores because they last too long and they want you back every year to buy crappy wipers. The PIAA Super silicons last at least twice as long(anecdotally over 6 years)
The silicone blades are quieter and when they finally do wear out, you can just buy PIAA silicon refill inserts which costs half as much as replacing the whole wiper.
Guaranteed for life. Waterproof custom fitted for every car model. Hose them down to clean. He’ll love them, especially in winter. Made in the USA. This is a great gift for a practical man.
If he’s into 4×4 adventures or just wants to keep his tires in good shape, ARB’s Tire Guage/deflator is a top choice.
Made by the most respected off-road brand in the industry, ARB uses corrosion resistant brass fittings, a precision gauge and quick deflation technology to make the job quick and painless. It also comes with a nice ARB hi-vis canvas pouch to keep it from getting lost in the trunk.
This will reduce his oil change time to 10 minutes or less! The Fumoto valve replaces the oil plug on his car so all he needs to do is open the lock valve to drain the oil before refilling. So brilliant and easy!
Consult Fumoto’s Website for the correct make & model of car before ordering.
Connect this Bluetooth dongle to the car’s dashboard port and he can turn his Android phone into a wireless engine stats/health monitor with free apps like Torque.
He could check fault codes, view real-time fuel economy and engine gauge readouts. It’s a really cool tool.
Gifts For the Hard-Working Man
It’s the most respected and best-selling multitool in the world. Precision engineered in Portland Oregon, Leatherman hit the sweet spot between usefulness and portability. The Wave features 17 tools that any practical man will use daily. It’s backed by Leatherman’s 25 Year warranty
These are among the toughest work pants in the world backed by Duluth Trading co.’s legendary warranty. They’re made of 11.5-ounce cotton canvas, and plenty of puncture resistant pockets. These work pants are as tough as they come.
Danner 6″ Bull Run Moc Steel-Toe
Yet another rock solid, American made work boot with replaceable souls. These work boots are one of Danner’s best sellers. The Bull Runs are super comfy pro-level work boots that will keep him going for a long long time.
Iconic and sturdy, the Stanley Classic thermal Flask will keep his coffee piping hot all day. It can also keep drinks cold for 28 hours and ice up to 250 hours! The cap doubles as a cup which is nice too. Yup, there’s a good reason why it’s still around. If it’s good enough for Gramp…well it’s good enough for him too!
Craftsman has long been a quality benchmark in the tool industry and although they are no longer under the Sears umbrella the continue with their legendary Lifetime warranty service that made the brand famous. You can’t get more practical than solid Craftsman ratchet set.
My world for a decent tape measure. Save him the frustration of working with a crappy tape measure. The Stanley FatMax is rugged and a consistent top 3 performer.
Makita 2pc Cordless Driver/Impact set
Makita is particularly known for their top quality drill and impact drivers. Tools like this make one of the best gifts for a practical men.
Gifts For The Yard Boss
Many moons ago I worked as a golf course maintenance guy. We used honda powered mowers and I was thoroughly convinced of their incredible reputation. I only recall four or five occasions when I had to pull the cord twice to start those mowers! That was over 2 thousands of hours of use. These things are unstoppable beasts.
The Ariens Delux 30″ EFI Snow Blower
Not to toot our own horns, but eastern Canadians know a thing or two about snowblowers and Ariens are consistently top of the pack. Horsepower is important but, how it handles in wet snow etc is equally important.
The Ariens Delux 30″ EFI eats 25 inches of heavy snow for breakfast and annihilates crusty snowbanks left behind by the plow. The electronic fuel injection system means you don’t need to keep recalibrating the carb each year.
Fiskars is a rare brand. Everything they make comes with a lifetime warranty. Their tree pruners and pole saws combos are especially awesome for thinning the dead lower branches of evergreens and pruning fruit trees. The saw blades are very sharp and replaceable after a few seasons use. The forest in my backyard looks like a park now that all the scraggly dead branches are gone.
Ryobi 3100 PSI Honda Powered Pressure Washer
With a reliable Honda engine and a fuel-saving “idle down” mode this pressure washer will clean twice as fast as even the best electric washers out there. Other features include a roll cage, onboard soap dispenser and a 5 in-one-quick select nozzle.
Stihl has built their reputation on quality for over 90 years. They are now the largest chainsaw company in the world and highly respected by professional lumberjacks. The Farm Boss brings Stihl’s pro-level quality to homeowners and farmers. These things can easily last 30 years.
Echo Pro Attachment Series(PAS) Power Yard tools
This is the ultimate gas powered yard tool system. The powerhead can be coupled to a pole saw, weed trimmer, edger, leaf blower, sweeper, cultivator, and other handy tools. Echo makes pro-grade stuff and the nice thing is you can add attachments to the collection at a reasonable price.
With all this talk about power tools, He needs some good ear protection from a trusted brand like 3M.
If you found these gifts for practical men helpful, check out the gift category on the menu bar for more quality gift ideas.
