Hopefully, our Mother’s Day Gift Guide was helpful, and we’re going to take some inspiration from there to help you find a present for the dad(s) in your life.
Whether for runners, pickleballers, or tennis players, we’ve got a bit of everything for anyone — let’s start with tennis.
Tennis
Summer’s right around the corner, so it’s time to grab a racket, head to the courts, and have a blast. It’s certainly not uncommon for dads to keep using their racket from the 80s (I know from personal experience), but there’s no better time than the present to change that up. There are plenty of amazing frames right now — check out our YouTube channel for more in-depth reviews, comparisons, and Top 5s — but we’ll make a couple of suggestions.
The Babolat Pure Drive and Yonex Ezone 100 are what we call “power rackets” and they’re great for a wide variety of players, beginner to advanced, because of their user-friendly and powerful nature. They’ll work great for someone just starting out or a player who hasn’t touched a racket in a few years.
Sometimes, power isn’t what you’re looking for. Reeling it can be challenging for some, and the Head Speed MP, Legend MP and Wilson Blade 100 are great options for someone who needs more help with control.
Pickleball
Tennis is old news, though, right? It’s all about pickleball now.
Well, maybe not, but pickleball is here to stay, and it gets even more fun during the summer with the sun and the heat. It’s also a sport where technology is rapidly evolving, so for someone who started playing a few years ago, it’s probably time to get a new paddle.
One of the most popular paddle styles is the “hybrid” paddle. These are 16.3 inches long, which falls in between elongated and standard-length paddles, and they have the best combination of spin, power, and manoeuvrability. The Vatic Pro Flash has been our most popular hybrid paddle for the better part of a year, and if you want slightly more modern playability, try the red-hot SixZero Ruby. It has a Kevlar face, which provides a little more control while still producing tons of power.
Speaking of power, many guys like longer paddles because they produce unrivaled power and spin. The Bread & Butter Filth and CRBN1X are two similar elongated, thermoformed paddles that hit as hard as anything, and for a slightly more forgiving feel, try the CRBN3X.
Perhaps you know someone who’s almost up to date with all the latest and greatest tech, but you want to introduce them to the next big thing. The R3 Pulsar FX is Ronbus’ most recent release, featuring an adaptive carbon layup that flexes more on soft shots and firms up the harder you hit. Like the Ruby, this provides a fantastic combination of power and control; this is the next big step in pickleball!
One of the issues with all these ultra-powerful paddles is that they’re hazardous weapons of mass destruction. Take a thermoformed paddle-powered ball to the face, and you’ll know what I mean. Not everyone will love wearing them, but protective eyewear can be very helpful. The Gearbox Vision goggles are our favourite for minimalism with adequate protection.
Court Shoes
If you don’t take anything else from the article, we want to make it clear that the most important bit of gear for either court sport is a pair of court shoes. In fact, if you have to go out there and play with a wooden spoon, so be it because a good pair of shoes is the difference between injury and staying healthy out there. We tend to prefer tennis shoes even on the pickleball court, so we recommend these for both sports.
The New Balance 996 v5 is one of the lightest and most comfortable court shoes on the market and will be very popular, especially for pickleballers who spend all day on the court and don’t require maximal stability.
If you want something more substantial, try New Balance’s CT-Rally. It has a similar level of comfort to the 996 but with more cushioning and a more stable platform, but it’s also a little heavier.
For players with a history of injuries or for those who want the most secure feel, try the Asics Gel-Resolution 9. It’s a design that’s tried and true (hence the “9”) and has been the most popular amongst tennis players and now pickleballers for many years.
Pickleballers will need somewhere to put all this gear. When you started, you probably didn’t take it too seriously and threw your paddle in a backpack. Now you play every day, have six paddles, 18 overgrips, and a pair of very stinky shoes so it’s probably best to get a pickleball specific bag. Our favourite is the Team Tour from CRBN.
Running Shoes
Let’s move on to running. Not everyone wants to play court sports — personally, I can’t understand why — but running is another fantastic activity to do during the summer, at least when it’s not 30 degrees out.
There has been a shift to more cushioned runners in recent years; you’ve got the Brooks Ghost Max, which is a slightly more plush option, and the classic Hoka Bondi 8 if you want a firmer ride. Both do a great job of taking pressure off the joints, which could be helpful for people looking to maintain their running distance as they get a little older.
Hoka Bondi 8 Running
men's
Socks
We know dads like a good pair of socks, so let’s start with the classic: Thorlos. I don’t think any one article of clothing represents fathers better than a burly, thick pair of socks, and whether it’s the mini or the mini crew, they’ll work great for tennis, pickleball, running, or dad fashion.
We also have some more minimalist socks. Feetures and Balega have some great options, either quarter-length or hidden.
Lifestyle
If going for a run sounds daunting, perhaps we need to add a bit of fun to it. Shokz OpenRun headphones are great for listening to music while maintaining awareness of your surroundings; they are the safest way to stay entertained.
Of course, with the sun shining bright and till very late, a pair of Goodr BFG glasses can help, and they also look pretty darn cool.
Recovery
After all that physical activity, it’s time to recover. If you’re feeling generous, I don’t know anyone who doesn’t love massage guns. The TruMedic TruRelief Thermal gun is great to give more acute temperature pressure; there’s nothing like stabbing it into a problem area and feeling the pain melt away.
It’s also not a bad idea to wear a pair of recovery slides around the house. The Oofos Ooahs have a more classic design, and people who prefer sandals go for the Ooriginal Black Thong.
OOFOS OOahh Sport Slide
Unisex
Finally, we have a fantastic Run Club that is open to anyone and ranges between $130 and $180. Any level is welcome, even those who just want to get out and walk in a social context. To learn more about it or to check out the full list of products we've outlined, you can visit our Father's Day Collection page.
That’s it for our Father’s Day Guide. Hopefully, we were able to help you out, and of course, we have excellent staff members in-store who are more than happy to assist you as well.
Happy Father’s Day!