Why Dads Are So Hard to Shop For
There is a particular kind of silence that falls over a family group chat when someone asks, "What should we get Dad this year?" The man who insists he needs nothing, who already owns the drill and the grill tools, and who would genuinely be happy with a fresh pack of socks is the hardest person on most gift lists. The result is usually a scramble of half-formed suggestions traded back and forth until somebody finally commits.
WIRED gear writer Harry Rabinowitz knows the problem from both sides. As a relatively new father who reviews products for a living, he admits he is something of a nightmare to shop for himself. Most of his friends, he notes, have no idea what to buy their own fathers and end up brainstorming in group chats with anyone who will listen. His answer is a thoroughly updated gift guide built around products his team has actually tested, not just skimmed from a catalog.
A Guide Rebuilt From the Ground Up
The September 2026 update is not a light refresh. The guide was completely overhauled, and the current edition runs to 34 picks, with 27 of them brand new. The additions stretch well beyond the typical gadget territory, covering tech accessories, headphones, apparel that a dad would actually wear, fitness gear, and more.
That range matters. A useful gift guide for fathers has to account for the fact that no two dads want the same thing. One wants something for the next flight, another wants workout equipment, and a third just wants a jacket that lasts a decade. The picks below represent a cross-section of the categories WIRED recommends, with a focus on items the publication's reviewers use themselves.
Top Picks for the Travel Dad
Travel is one of the guide's strongest themes, and it is where several of the most practical recommendations live. These are the kinds of gifts that get used on every trip rather than gathering dust in a drawer.
Anker Nano Power Bank With Instacord — $60
Rabinowitz calls this his favorite power bank without qualification. Whether he is abroad, camping, commuting, or simply working, it goes with him. The feature that seals it is a built-in retractable USB-C cable: present when you need it, tucked away when you do not. It is compact enough to disappear into any bag and light enough to forget you packed it. Additional USB-A and USB-C ports let you top up several devices simultaneously, which is exactly the sort of detail that matters on a long travel day.
Apple AirTag (2nd Generation) — $29, often discounted to $24
This is the least glamorous recommendation on the list and possibly the most valuable. Rabinowitz has lost track of how many times his AirTag has spared him a frantic search. Keys located. Luggage tracked. Backpack confirmed safe. It will never be the gift that draws a gasp when the wrapping comes off, but it may be the one that gets used most often — with the obvious caveat that it only makes sense for someone who carries an iPhone.
Huckberry x GoRuck GR1 Slick Backpack (26L) — $395
WIRED operations manager and outdoor specialist Scott Gilbertson, himself a dad, puts this bag in rare territory. Asked to choose a single bag for life, he says the 26L GoRuck GR1 would be his pick. It is built from water-resistant 1000D Cordura, tested by US Army Special Forces, and sturdy enough to fall firmly into buy-it-for-life territory. Although it was designed with rucking in mind, it handles travel and day-to-day hauling just as well. The Huckberry edition removes the exterior MOLLE webbing for a cleaner, more understated look. Gilbertson's full review is available for anyone who wants the deeper technical breakdown.
Beyond Travel: Audio, Apparel, and Fitness
The rest of the guide spreads across categories that cover a wider range of personalities. Brand credits on the piece point to names including Biolite, Montblanc, Owala, and Therabody, signaling a mix of outdoor power gear, writing instruments and accessories, drinkware, and recovery equipment alongside the technology picks.
- Best-in-class earbuds and headphones for the dad who is always listening to something, whether that is music, podcasts, or calls on the move.
- Dad-approved apparel for someone who wants clothing that is durable and comfortable rather than trendy.
- Fitness and recovery gear for the father who has committed to training, stretching, or simply recovering better after long days.
- Small tech accessories that solve everyday annoyances without requiring a learning curve.
- Practical everyday carry items that quietly earn their place in a pocket or bag.
How to Approach Dad Gifting
Reading through a list this long can be overwhelming, so it helps to start with the person rather than the product. A few guiding principles make the decision much faster:
- Match the gift to a routine. The strongest picks in the guide all slot into something the recipient already does — traveling, commuting, working out, or losing their keys.
- Favor usefulness over novelty. As the AirTag demonstrates, a boring gift that gets used daily beats an exciting one that gets used once.
- Check the ecosystem. Compatibility matters, and some products only make sense within a particular phone platform.
- Look for durability. Items described as buy-it-for-life, like the GR1 backpack, tend to justify a higher price over years rather than months.
- Consider the budget honestly. The guide spans roughly $24 to $395, so there is room at nearly every price point.
The Bottom Line
Gifting a dad does not require guessing. It requires paying attention to what he actually does every day and then choosing something tested rather than something advertised. WIRED's overhauled 2026 guide offers 34 options, 27 of them new this year, spanning travel gadgets, audio, apparel, and fitness equipment. Several of the picks have already been given as gifts within the writer's own family with good results — which, for a guide built on hands-on testing, is about as strong an endorsement as it gets.
This article is based on reporting by Wired. Read the original article.
Originally published on wired.com
