Sharp List: The 18 Best Damn Father’s Day Gifts Money Can Buy
Another year, another semi-annual list of covetable items that will make your old man (or, hell, you) drool.
You don’t need to be reminded that summer is insultingly short in this country (which, in case you haven’t heard, also turns 150 this year). That kind of talk won’t give you any extra days at the cottage. Consider the following a resource guide: if you want to make the most of summer, stocking up on this awesome gear is a good place to start.
Space Oddity
The stuff of hyperactive childhood imaginations, Destination Moon is a table clock inspired by the pointy-nosed rockets of ’50s sci-fi. Created by Swiss brands MB&F and L’Epée, its eight-day movement follows the basic engineering of a real spaceship, short of belching flames out of its base.
Price upon request / mbandf.com
True North Strong and Fresh
The worst thing about the sesquicentennial? All the hideous Canada-themed tchotchkes, toques, and T-shirts being hawked at us. Roots’ Canada 150 jacket, detailed with vintage tribe leather sleeves and tastefully patriotic embroidery, provides a very welcome, very wearable respite. Patriotism ought to be wearable once the fireworks have ended.
$588 / roots.com
Like a Rock
Master & Dynamic’s first wireless speaker sounds heavy — about 35 pounds, to be exact. Co-designed with architect David Adjaye, the MA770’s sleek, sculptural form was moulded out of concrete for increased dampening, reduced resonance, and a purer sound. Just don’t expect to take it to the beach.
Price upon request / masterdynamic.com
French Canadian
It seems every dinner party-throwing couple worth their granite countertop has a line of Le Creuset cookware. (This, of course, is as it should be.) But chances are, they won’t have this special-edition Maple Leaf Round French Oven, since only 1,867 were made (see what they did there?) before the French brand destroyed the maple leaf mould to ensure the celebratory pot remains special for at least the next 150 years.
$500 / lecreuset.ca
All I Do Is Swim
We’ve seen shipping containers turned into houses, hotels and urban farms. Swimming pools were the next logical step. Modpools’ relocatable, app-controlled pool can be set up in minutes, with a divider that turns one side into a hot tub. And to think some people just fill these things with Chinese electronics.
$35,000 / modpools.com
If Books Could Grill
Burgers make life beautiful. Should you concur, The World is Your Burger: A Cultural History is your book. The 400-page Phaidon tome dives deep into the iconic American food via never-before-seen archival photographs, exclusive interviews, and essays by those who helped popularize it. Something to relish.
$50 / amazon.com
Be My Yoak-Oh
Aside from setup and portability, there’s nothing easy about the Yoak, which is exactly what you want in a fitness tool. Use it as a barbell to do squats, or hang it from the ceiling for some epic resistance training. It’s deceptively simple looking, but it’s still tough enough to get you cut before you hit the beach.
$300 / theyoak.com
Summer Spirit
Make no mistake: despite a shared fondness for the prefix “Glen,” not all scotches are created equal. Take the limited edition Glenmorangie Bacalta, which is the first Glenmorangie finished entirely in sun-baked Malmsey Madeira casks. The result is a golden single malt with rich notes of honey, baked fruits, and a hint of something like mint that is perfect for warm weather.
$180 / glenmorangie.com
Stationary of the Art
Most home exercise bikes just wind up gathering dust. But at least Adriano Design’s Fuoripista — elegantly crafted with glass, wood, and polished chrome — doubles as a living room statement piece. It even comes with an iPad stand for tracking your vitals — you know, in the rare case you actually use it.
Price upon request / adrianodesign.it
Breitling Chronoliner B04 Boutique Edition
Just 100 of these blue bezel pieces will be available, and only at Breitling boutiques — luckily, one is opening in Toronto this summer.
$11,300 / breitling.com
Raymond Weil Canada 150 Freelancer
Designed for Canada’s big birthday, this watch is limited to 150 units and features an engraved maple leaf on both the black ceramic bezel and the caseback.
$2,150 / raymond-weil.com
Panerai Luminor Marina 1950 America’s Cup 3 Days Automatic
The official watch of the 35th America’s Cup is a limited (only 300 units) version of the Luminor Marina 1950, updated with blue and red accents on the dial and strap.
$10,300 / panerai.com
We’ve All Got Baggage
Besides holding your stuff in a space-efficient way, a good weekender should look damn fine over your shoulder while you’re running through the terminal. Gucci’s suede duffel bag — trimmed with the House Web stripe and finished with a skull and crossbones — fits the bill. Make everyone in the TSA lineup jealous.
$2925 / gucci.com
Keeping it Wheel
Motorcycle concepts are like Jaden Smith making sense — nice to think about, but unlikely to ever happen. Husqvarna’s Svartpilen 401 is the exception. Revealed as a concept in 2014, this beautiful beast — with its fuel-injected 44 hp engine and lightweight steel-trellis frame — is real, and it’s spectacular.
Price upon request / husqvarna-motorcycles.com
She’s a Beauty
Not owning The Colour of Canada should be considered an act of treason. With stirring photos of our vast land, and words by Hugh MacLennan, it’s been this nation’s best-selling non-fiction book since 1967. The update features new snaps from the All Canada Photos archive and an intro by acclaimed author Roy McGregor. Buy it, and never speak of this again.
$24 / penguinrandomhouse.ca
Flash Forward
This is neither the time nor the place to denigrate Instagram, but we will admit its most obvious flaw: you can’t print the pictures. For that, you’ll have to go retro, with an instant camera like this one — an ironically Instagram-ready collaboration between Fujifilm and the fashion brand Michael Kors, complete with a mirror under the lens for perfect selfies. It’s analogue, but we know what you’re going to do with it.
$180 / michaelkors.ca
GOT YOUR MONEY
Headed to the bar? Leave those loyalty cards and coffee stampers at home. Consider Coach’s 3-in-1 wallet, a double billfold with an extra removable ID insert, just for essentials. Retro embroidered patches ensure you’ll never lose this thing.
$340 / coach.com
