Here's the thing about men: we like to put things straight. If we encounter a problem, we want to fix it. This is one reason women get angry at us for “not listening”. They don't realize we are listening, but something that's been said sends our brains down a rabbit trail which is headed toward a possible solution. So we miss the details which are her main point, and voila: argument.

Still, this urge to fix things isn't all bad. Sure, it may lack social graces, but it has lead to an endless cornucopia of innovation, invention, and discovery. There's a reason Mac MacGyver of the eponymous television show, MacGyver, was so popular: at a baseline archetypal level, this television show reflects what it means to be a man—to use your wits and hands to get you in and out of anywhere you need to be, essentially.

Now, most dads aren't going to be so clever as the fictional character of MacGyver, but many will be able to improvise engineering fixes which are worthwhile, and even quite clever at times. For such exploits, men want tools. We want a tool for every potentiality; a plug for every hole, a screwdriver for all screw heads, wrenches the right size, and drill-bits for anything.

Portable Tools With Power

The Strong Arm 5 may just be the strongest and most portable drill press on the market, and is the kind of gift any man would love. It allows for improvised mechanical solutions on the fly, and with a minimum of hassle, allowing greater realization of imagination. Whether building something or fixing something, it's good to have powerful mobile tools available.

As technology has progressed, additional considerations manifest which suggest even more possibilities to the creative male. Survival considerations become something many fix-it men are apt to ponder. You might get the MacGyver dad in your life portable food reserves, portable phone chargers, or even portable solar options.

You can spend $50 on a portable solar panel that will charge small devices; it's just the sort of impulse buy a guy might make in a hardware store if he had a little extra cash and was already picking up tools for a project of one variety or another.

Gifts For The Cutting-Age Dad

Additionally there are “smart” light fixtures which can allow for the manipulation of lighting from a person's smartphone. One thing that's worth considering is that MacGyver the show premiered decades ago. There's a reboot, but the pop culture phenomenon peaked in an era of lesser tech.

Today, the whole world can be controlled from a smartphone. You might look into giving dad a bit of a project while expanding his ability to improvise the feel of his environment. IoT (Internet of Things) lighting fixtures which co-opt smartphones can make him feel like he's a savvy operator.

Another fine innovation is a portable bluetooth multi-device keyboard. You can find these for around $50 if you want, and sometimes as cheap as $30, if you buy from the right place. Father's day is a little ways away; buying now can give you time to get the package clandestinely shipped beforehand.

Giving Dad What He Needs

Every dad has a bit of the “MacGyver” personality about him. Successfully raising a family requires being able to think critically on your feet. Good dads will be fixing things in improvised ways all the time.

So give him some tools, and keep him up-to-date on what's available this father's day. He'll love it, and you might be able to get in a few honey-do's organically. He's got to try those new tools out, after all!