There’s never been a better time to be a man with a hobby, but to gift said hobbyist? Excruciating.
The options are dizzying, and the intel is either overwhelmingly predictable or completely off the mark. With every man and their dog sending out a substack and publishing a gift guide, who can you really trust?
The answer is right here. We’ve seen a lot of cool gear in the last 11 months, and we keep track of it all in the lead-up to the most wonderful time of the year. By gents, for gents.
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For The Outdoorsman
When you’re shopping for the man (or when you are said man) who fancies himself as a bit of an outdoorsman, what that actually means these days could be any number of things. Does being outdoors mean spending the weekends hiking and free climbing? Grab him a flight to Tassie and a Three Capes Track pass ($595), with a Patagonia Triolet Jacket ($700) on his back and a pair of Salomon X Ultra 4 Mid GTX ($259) on his feet serving as the ultimate workhorse uniform on one of the country’s wildest trails.
If he prefers his time spent outdoors with a big serve of adrenaline on the side, try him out with a Spectral CF 8 K.I.S Mountain Bike ($7,649), or — if he’s already got a bike (perhaps the wallet doesn’t permit a new one) — the Osprey Syncro 12 Hydration Pack ($160) is an essential piece of kit that he might not want to fork out for himself, but is top of the practicality hit list.
Heading outdoors means slowing down and winding things back to basics. A North Face Base Camp Duffel ($200) will fit everything needs for a weekend out in the bush, including this Gransfors Bruk American Felling Axe ($359) that’s perfect for chopping logs. He’ll need something to snack on while he’s out there in the wilderness, and the Shimano Catana 732 Fishing Rod ($153) is the perfect tool for casting a line when the fish are biting, and after a hard day’s work on the land, there’s nothing quite like retiring into a tent with equal room for activities inside as out. The Zempire Airforce 1 v2 Canvas Cabin Tent ($3,499) is the biggest (and therefore, best) tent on the market for the long summer ahead.
For The Style Conscious
Extensive time spent in nature? It’s not for everyone. If his version of being an outdoorsy guy is switching out his REMY Sport Loafers ($395) for his New Balance 2002RD Eclipse ($250), then play to his style and opt to gift something that blends seamlessly into the wardrobe he has so carefully curated.
The never-fail stocking stuffer of a pair of boardies might become the focal point under the tree if you wrap up a pair of Orlebar Brown Setter Sea Mist Swim Shorts ($445), and if he’s still in that baby-steps phase of figuring out his style, guide him in the direction of a staple white shirt to throw over his new shorts — namely the Ripa Ripa Camicia Capri Bianca ($247), and some Mr Leight Maverick S Sunglasses ($919) to hide those beautiful baby blues when they’ve had one too many this summer.
For the man who likes to look just as good at the gym as on the streets, look no further than the UnderArmour Rush Seamless Short Sleeve Top ($85) paired with these Lululemon Commission Classic-Fit Short ($79).
For The Traveller
If he’s got his threads down-pat but finds himself carrying around his Dad’s old briefcase to store those random papers and overripe bananas, upgrade him with the classic Dunhill 1893 Harness Tote ($4,000), and when it’s time to pack up all of his new favourite pieces and hit the road? The Gucci Savoy Large Suitcase ($11,465) is the ultimate collector’s piece for the man who knows that every inch of their wardrobe — and what it travels in — counts.
For The Tech Wiz
When it comes to holiday gifting, tech is that crutch you can always lean on as a people-pleaser. Whether he’s the kind of bloke who sets a calendar reminder for product drop announcements, or he’s been rocking a Blackberry since the early noughties, this is the perfect time to drop a new phone on him.
Of course, unboxing a titanium iPhone 15 Pro Max ($2,199) is guaranteed to elicit a squeal from even the most nonchalant of tech bros, but if he’s a man who appreciates taking photos rather than taking phone numbers, the Google Pixel 8 Pro ($1,699) is essentially a mind-blowingly good camera first, and a communication device second.
For the man who likes to tune out the raucousness of Christmas Day, a set of Sony WF-1000XM5 ($469) might just be the nicest gift you can hand him, and if he’s spending half the day on the phone with his Mrs, the quality of phone calls using the Jabra Elite 10 earbuds ($379) is hard to top. If, however, he’s more akin to starting the party than hiding from it, the brand new JBL PartyBox Ultimate speaker ($1,999.95) is an absolute thumper that’s guaranteed to get a complaint from the neighbours.
For the dad whose comprehension of tech developments extends to remembering his Netflix password, the Hisense ULED Mini LED Pro ($2,499) provides cinematic-like quality of picture that will blow his socks off (perhaps these Icebreaker Merino Socks). But if he’s the kind who trusts technology over your nagging voice to get him off the couch and outside moving, then the Galaxy Watch6 ($699) dials in the motivation with personalised workouts and sleep coaching, as well as time-telling.
For The Horologist
If he’s less digital and more analogue, there’s little more timeless or loved than an addition (or starting point) to the watch collection. 2023 Has been a monster year for Longines, and it’s fair to say that the Longines Hydroconquest GMT ($2,775) now sits as a benchmark of modern sports watches with a seriously affordable price point compared to its luxury counterparts. Likewise, the stainless steel and quartz face of the TAG Heuer Aquaracer Professional 200 Solargraph ($3,400) mean even the roughest of wearers can put it through the ringer and emerge in a Bond-esque manner of composure.
For the young buck who’s developing an interest in the watch market, the Tissot PRX Quartz ($699) is a stunning entry-level timepiece. Paired with a Bennet Winch Double Watch Roll ($950) to help train him to look after it, this could be the beginning of a beautiful relationship between man and watch. Stepping into the luxury end of the spectrum, the IWC Pilot’s Watch Mark XX ($9,800) is the successor to the legendary Mark 11. If he’s shown a minor interest in aviation at some stage in his life, the buck stops there, but if he’s Logan Roy of your family, then opt for the maker he repped most across the four seasons of Succession: Jaeger-LeCoultre, whose Reverso Tribute ($17,000). It’s a design that’s remained at the top of the watch game since the 1930’s and is sure to make a suitable heirloom in the (hopefully) distant future.
For The Man Who Has It All
And when all else fails, when the man who has it all claims he doesn’t really ‘need’ anything comes to the table? Meet him there. Drinks are a great place to start, and whisk(e)y kicks goals with everyone from your boss to your best mate. A bottle of Suntory Hibiki Harmony ($290) continues to prove that the Japanese are making complex, world-class whisky, and institutional classics like the Scottish GlenDronach 18Y0 Single Malt ($265) sit nicely on the home bar cart. For the true connoisseur? Dalmore 21YO Single Malt ($1,110) is known as ‘The Master of Malt’ — perfect for when you’re digging your way out of the in-laws’ dog house from prior family Christmas transgressions.
Brown liquor ain’t for everyone, admittedly, and a bottle of Pierre-Jouet Blanc de Blancs NV ($150) doesn’t even need a ribbon to stand tall on the table. If drinks of the non-alc variety are more the speed (tired parents, gamers, DJ’s ahoy), a slab of Mateo Yerba Mate Soda ($80) might be the best afternoon party favour you can bring to a mates place, and when blended with a few cups of ice in a Ninja Blast ($80), it makes for a pretty bloody good adult slurpee. Into the drinks-adjacent sphere, cigar armoury might not feel essential to the inside pocket repertoire, but Faure Le Page’s 2-Cigar Case ($298) might convince you otherwise. But if wellness is the way forward for your man about town? Tide him over with a member to a wellness/breathing studio like Inner Studio ($65 p/w), or sort him with a set of Normatec 3 Full Body ($2,295) and let him channel his inner Nike Master Trainer that we all know he’ll never be.
Oh, and for the board game enthusiast with très deep-pockets? You can’t go past the Dior Embroidered Backgammon Set ($7,300).
Looking for the perfect Christmas Gift for Her? Check out our 2023 Christmas Gift Guide for Women.
