10 Things Dad Might Actually Want this Year on Father’s Day

I get asked a lot about my morning routine and “things I can’t live without” from my audience who watches me talk to other fascinating people with distinctive routines like Tim Ferriss or Gary Vaynerchuk on my series Behind the Brand.  So I thought I would compile my own shortlist and share some ideas. It also happens to be that time of year again and you might be dreading the obligatory gesture of getting your dad, partner or man in your life a gift for Father’s Day. I went one step further and asked 10 of my closest male friends about what they might want to get as a gift, so here’s a combo of my thoughts and their curated answers. Disclaimer: I am not being paid to endorse these products and I have personally used and vetted each one to form my opinion. Here we go!

1. 
   

   Loaded Boards Inc., Poke custom-built longboard: $300 

Picture this: It’s Sunday afternoon, wind in your hair and you take off on a summer ride down by the beach on your longboard with family in tow on bikes, boards and whatever. You stop to get fish tacos at a local spot where the fish is freshly caught that morning… The chips, guac and Pico de Gallo is on point. You wore your swim trunks so that you could run down to the water and cool off after eating before heading back home. Not a bad way to start the day.

Want to add some adrenaline? For $950 go for the electric version of the Loaded Board and cruise up 25 mph; travel up hills and down with the ability to break and stop on a dime. Full range is about 13 miles on a full charge depending on your weight and height. Do the distinctive orange Orangoutang wheels on the Loaded Board look familiar? Yes. Remember the now defunct Boosted Boards ridden by Youtuber Casey Neistat? Loaded Boards Inc., is one of the last true authentic, independently owned skate brand companies founded by CEO, Don Tashman. Don and team quietly acted as the ghost in that machine for all things Boosted all those years. They supplied the flexible bamboo decks, trucks, wheels and other components (sans the Boosted motor) to the Mountain View start up. Based in Los Angeles, Tashman and team are still carving their way at the top of this space. They are one of  the pioneers in skate culture while also innovating into future with a balance of nostalgia and an emphasis on caring for the environment.

I love the Loaded brand so much I went out to meet and interview Don Tashman to get a closer look Behind the Brand. Don explained, “We build what we want to ride. We are passionate about materials, are committed to environmentally conscious design and production, appreciate the subtleties of process (the devil’s in the details) and are devotees of functionally driven design.The upshot is both refined product and poignant personal growth.” 

If the pandemic has taught us anything, it’s that we can’t take anything for granted–especially the availability of a roll of toilet paper. No paper? No problem. Although I personally do my business with some follow up paper work for drying purposes…

The Tushy brand bidet is by far one of my new favorite household amenities and has become a conversation piece with friends who visit. I was able to easily install 3 of these Tushy bidets in my bathrooms in about 10 minutes for each. No fuss, no hassle. Just that refreshing, out-of-the-shower clean feeling every time you go. The family loves it and we’re ready for the next TP shortage!  

Your dad probably knows a lot about something…or maybe a little about a lot of things. In any case, let the man in your life talk it all out and record himself on his new podcast. Podcasting is a great way for your guy to express himself or to share knowledge on the topic where he has expertise. The Rode PodMic podcasting set up plugs right into a laptop where you can record your audio to make it sound professional. I use Libsyn to host my podcast and it’s about $25 per month, but there are several other low cost options out there that can help you get your podcast up to iTunes, Spotify et al with just one touch of a button. Great sound is the foundation of every podcast, and RØDE offers a wide variety of solutions for capturing incredible audio. 

This might seem expensive for a stick of deodorant but hear me out. Now that I’m at that age where health stuff matters more, I don’t want a daily dose of aluminum-filled chemicals under my armpits affecting my hormones. I like the new Amber Woods scent of Hume Supernatural. It’s is a plant and probiotic-based deodorant and includes new Blue Agave and Chicory Root prebiotic Inulin. It’s aluminum free. Baking soda free. Cruelty free. Phthalate free. Gluten free. You get the point. Hume is also a great little local start up company based in Venice, California.

There’s nothing like a fresh haircut and a new pair of kicks that makes me feel like a million bucks. This is my latest purchase from Nike that I can wear on a casual night out to dinner or with jeans and t-shirt on my next video shoot. I like the matte black on black look with the gum rubber sole for accent. 

I literally wear these FourLaps flex joggers everywhere. They are super comfy and my go-to when I want to feel relaxed and like I’m not wearing clothes. What more could a dad want than the feeling like he’s not actually wearing any pants? FourLaps also makes great shorts and other stuff I like. 

I make a protein shake for breakfast almost every day with this blender. Add one frozen banana; one cup unsweetened almond milk; a handful of raw coconut; one scoop chocolate whey protein powder. Blend it all up in seconds with no mess. Fast. Easy. Perfection. 

Since I do a lot of work on the computer I often get stiff shoulders and neck. This pillow has helped me get a better night sleep and seems to reset my spine and alignment each night. Sleep on your back with your neck cradled in the contour or on your side on the memory foam wings, I’ve noticed a big difference in the quality of my sleep. I’ve stopped eating late at night (try to eat by 6pm) and prefer sleeping on my right side   because it seems to help with digestion. 

On the advice of a friend I was shopping for a Herman Miller chair for my home office but then I found the X Chair and never looked back. This is seriously the most comfortable chair I’ve ever had and it comes in several styles to fit your dad’s needs. As someone who writes and edits a lot sitting in front of my computer, it’s worth every penny for the ergonomics and to save my body. I went one step further and pimped out my chair with sport wheels so I can glide better on my floor between computers and desk.

If you like camping and great outdoors — but you’re like me and also want indoor plumbing, hot showers, a kitchen stove, air conditioning, and a nice warm bed… I recommend renting a 23-30 ft. Flying Cloud Airstream Trailer via a site like Outdoorsy.