Best Father’s Day gifts for tech enthusiasts

We’ve buried ourselves in voluminous research. We’ve conducted countless surveys in order to prepare for today’s mission: Naming the perfect Father’s Day gifts for tech-enthusiast dads.

So brace yourself for nine awesome suggestions, and then brace yourselves for embraces from happy fathers. It’s time to lean into what dads actually want, and just make them happy on Sunday, June 17.

So your dad likes things tough, does he? Is he the sort of man who sees the sleek, thin profile of an iPhone X and thinks, man, this would be so much more manly if it were three times as thick and looked like it could hold its own in the middle of a squabble between Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather?

Then it’s time to get your dad an Otterbox Defender. The thick case alone beefs up the iPhone like Bruce Banner morphing into the Hulk, but the accompanying belt clip adds an extra degree of protection that can take the punches. Heck, it can probably even take toolbox drops. And just to “Dad it up” a bit, get the model with the camouflage and traffic-cone orange highlights. 

Your dad likes to keep black, rubbery material that feels a bit like leather close to his skin, and for that matter, he likes reaching down to his belt to reveal toys that can greatly improve an awkward situation. Yes, your worst fears are true: Your dad thinks he’s Batman.

But that’s just fine. Go ahead and indulge his love for the darker superhero universe with the Dlames (faux) leather holster smartphone case. It’s a horizontal clip and belt-loop case that transforms any humdrum gut-cinch into a utility belt, and its $10.99 price tag is no killing joke. As a bonus, it’s big enough to stuff in an iPhone X with an Otterbox Commuter case.

Protection? Your dad claims he doesn’t need it. That’s led to a surprise once or twice, but even today your dad totes his iPhone nakedly and caseless in defiance of fate.

But if you can’t convince your dad to slip a protective covering over his $1,000 phone, then maybe you can at least get him a clip that keeps it snugly on his waist. That’s where the ClipMate² Non-Slip Rotating Holster comes in. Dad can still walk around without a case, but the screen remains protected with a lining of soft microfiber on the clip itself. Even better, the belt clip doubles as a display stand.

Perhaps your dad was in the Marines. Or maybe he only wishes he was. Now, he may not be the kind of guy who struts about town with a case splattered in full-on camo, but his heart still leaps at the sight of desert tan and camo green.

And so his heart will leap at the sight of the Zizo Bolt. Admittedly, its grippy design makes it looks a bit X-Treme and we’ve seen several users report that both the attachable belt clip and rear kickstand sometime break down in the field under a little pressure. Regardless, the case itself is a beast aside from the moveable parts, so even if that clip does snap, there’s a good chance the phone itself will survive when it hits rock bottom. Inspirational, eh?

Your dad is tough, but unlike some men, he doesn’t feel the need to rub that toughness in the face of the world. It’s just apparent, maybe from looking at him or watching him in action.

And that’s why he’ll appreciate the Supcase. It can take a punch and survive a drop much like the Otterbox Defender, but it manages to do so while looking more like a toolbox than a tank. Even better, it does so for a fraction of the price. It may not be the flashiest clip-case out there, but it gets the job done, and that’s what counts.

Your dad laments that he can’t take a bug-out bag with him everywhere—the niceties of modern civilization generally prevent it. But you can still help him get pretty darn close with the Universal Tactical Waste Belt Bag, which looks like a military-grade tactical backpack riding comfortably on dad’s waistline. (It’d probably be wise not to call it a fanny pack.)

iPhones, knives, power banks, small flashlights, bandages, Werther’s Originals—many are the wonders that dads can stuff in here at once. And even if your dad doesn’t harbor visions of the world’s impending doom, it’s a great little accessory for camping trips or day hikes that won’t wear you down like a traditional backpack.

Your dad always taught you the value of simplicity. This Father’s Day, you can show him that you’ve taken that lesson to heart when you present him with the Urvoix Black Army Camo Molle Bag for stowing away his iPhone on his trusty belt.

Or, at least, we can hope that’s how he’ll interpret the gesture of buying such an inexpensive case, considering this 7-inch waterproof nylon phone holster costs only $7.99. Just make sure that your dad has a really thin case over his phone or doesn’t use one at all before you slap this in his hand. The Velcro enclosure makes it an accommodating option for phones of a number of different heights, but you may struggle with the width.

Dad’s still rocking an iPhone 6s, and you know he’s not going to upgrade anytime soon. What he wants is an absurdly big durable shock-resistant case with a belt clip that says “yeah, I’m a hunter/fisher/construction worker/race car driver/sportsman.” 

AlphaCell has affordable heavy-duty (“military grade”) full-body cases with integrated belt clips—you gotta have an integrated belt clip—in a variety of styles. There’s everything from basic black to orange/camo hunting style or steely blue with a skull. 

Dad upgraded to the iPhone X right away, and he loves it, but how can he keep it ready for Tactical Dad Action if it’s not in a belt clip? Aduro’s iPhone X combination case and clip has a 180-degree swivel on the clip so he can keep the phone facing whichever way he wants, and of course an integrated kickstand for all those FaceTime calls.

Aduro makes a simlilar case and clip combo for the iPhone 8 and 8 Plus, too.