Practical Gifts for Practically Every Kind of Guy

Unfortunately, men are difficult to shop for, especially if the present needs to be romantic or sentimental. A nice tie is cliche and a shirt is boring. If you really want to show your love for your guy, find a practical gift that reflects his interests and hobbies. Here are four types of guys and the gifts that are sure to impress them:

For the Adventurer

Let’s say your guy is the competitive type that loves a challenge. He spends his weekends conquering mountains, catching waves and riding his motorcycle without a helmet way, way too fast. Sure, you could get him a Groupon for sky diving (if he hadn’t already been twice), but a utilitarian gift would show him how well you understand his needs.

What’s the one thing the thrill-seeking guy always takes with him? His sunglasses. His expensive Oakleys or Ray-Bans have seen as much excitement as he has, and they have the scars to show it. This means an ideal gift is replacement lenses for his cherished sunglasses. He can pop in a new set when he cracks a lens after a misstep, or change them out depending on how much direct sun his next adventure will involve.

For the Nerd

Though anything with the Death Star on it would likely send your guy into a full-on geek-gasm, the difference between a good gift and a great one is its functionality. If your nerd is into cooking (or if you want him to be), a cutting board with the periodic table printed on it will give him 118 reasons to enter the kitchen. Add a little science to his kitchen experiments and the chemistry is sure to follow.

For the Sports Fanatic

There are plenty of gifts that have your sports fan’s favorite team logo on it, but most of them are either worn or stuck in boxes or display cases. As far as useful goes, the generic sports team paraphernalia falls short. Picture your sporty guy watching the game, one hand holding the remote and his favorite brew in the other. What could make this scene better? A remote control that doubles as a bottle opener. Oh yes, it’s real. The universal remote with bottle opener may not scream romance, but it will surely show him how much you care.

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For the Manly Man

If your guy likes to get his hands dirty, fix cars, wrestle grizzly bears and catch fish with his teeth, then a Swiss Army knife is just not going to cut it. He needs something that looks, sounds and smells like a man.

Nothing is more manly than slapping choice cuts of meat onto a rack above a roaring fire. We’re talking about barbecue. If your fellow loves to prepare his meat himself, to salt and season his beef to perfection, you need to get him a Man Crate. No bow or ribbon necessary, these gifts for manly men come in crates. Choose one to match your theme, such as grilling, fishing or drinking, or personalize a crate of gifts for your man.

Don’t let Hallmark talk you into gifts your guy doesn’t need and will likely never use. Show your fellow you understand him, his passions and his needs with a unique gift that he can use for years to come.