This Father’s Day, give Dad a subscription service to match his tastes
When it comes to gift giving this Father’s Day, the National Retail Federation reports that Americans will spend a record $15.5 billion to celebrate the Day of the Dad. Not sure what to get yours?
Check the box.
Specifically, monthly subscription boxes designed to deliver a mind-boggling variety of interest-themed products on a regular basis.
The best boxes or club-of-the-month-style services offer a cool, curated assortment of items (seemingly everything from artisanal salami to shaving cream to survival gear) aimed at introducing recipients to new stuff that’s right up their alley – or IP address, as the case may be.
“It’s like a better version of shopping,” said Liz Cadman, founder of online review site My Subscription Addiction, adding, “subscription boxes are providing the new method of product discovery.”
And experiential gifts that provide the opportunity to try something new is exactly what 27% of dads say they want this year, according to a survey by Prosper Insights and Analytics, done for the National Retail Federation.
It sure beats another tie that will go straight to the back of the closet.
Here are some subscription boxes we picked out, according to personality type:
The meat eater
Four-to-six varieties of hand-crafted cured meat from around the world, delivered monthly, bimonthly or quarterly starting at $50, taxes and shipping included. CarnivoreClub.co
The top chef
The manly pantry, or Mantry, delivers a themed wooden crate containing six full-sized American-made food items (think: Bacon Nation, Tailgate Tour, Bourbon BBQ) with a manual showing product origin, maker bios and recipes every two months. Starting at $49. Free shipping. Mantry.com
The Boy Scout-meets-survivalist
Survival and tactical gear (think: antiperspirant grenades, fishing gear, tactical pens, camp stoves, utility knives) handpicked for outdoor enthusiasts, emergency preparedness experts and off-the-grid kind of guys. Starting at $24.99, shipping not included. Battlbox.com
The superhero gamer guy
Gaming and Marvel-inspired collectibles, T-shirts, downloadable games, comics and books are packed into monthly shipments from Geek Fuel and designed to celebrate the superfan. Starting at $14.90 monthly. Shipping not included. GeekFuel.com
The discerning dude
Themed lifestyle boxes for gentlemen who appreciate the finer things in life (think: Churchill-themed cigar box, shaving kits, weekender bags and more). Starting at $55. Free shipping. BespokePost.com
The beermeister
The Craft Beer Club delivers a sampling of a dozen craft beers from small, independent American brewers and a monthly newsletter. Starting at $42. Free shipping. CraftBeerClub.com
The workout beast
A curated crate of fitness gear, apparel, supplements and training aids shipped monthly. Starting at $59.95. Shipping $6. StrengthCrate.com
The sartorialist
Got style down to his toes? Send one, two or six pairs of fun, trendy socks monthly. Starting at $11. SockFancy.com
The cheese man
The Cheese Board Club delivers artisanal, handcrafted American cheese, cured meats, nuts, olives and spreads monthly. Complimentary crackers. Starting at $300. Free delivery. LadyandLarder.com
Updated at 7:45 p.m. An earlier version of this story misstated the price for Bespoke Post box. Shipping is free.
Bonnie McCarthy contributes to the Los Angeles Times as a home and lifestyle design writer. She enjoys scouting for directional trends and reporting on what’s new and next. Follow her on Twitter @ThsAmericanHome
ALSO
You’ve never seen a kitchen island sink like this