Professional Geek Dad Alex Yarde has curated an eclectic list of the of best products he’s tested so far this year just in time for Father’s Day!
—-
Still scrambling to find the perfect Father’s Day gift for the foodie, fandom loving, Pop Culture appreciative, gym rat, beer snob, techie, bibliophile, gamer in your life? Fear not! I’ve got something below for every price range and fit for mind, body and spirt of the Geek Dad you love in no particular order. I can personally attest to the fine quality of the products as I’ve previewed or reviewed them all! These sure-to-please products can be ordered direct from the manufacturers or Amazon with the helpful links provided, just in time for Father’s Day June 19th!
Or, you can always play it safe and get dad a tie, dads love ties.*
*Dads don’t love ties
A Bretter Day- Biere De Mars Ale: Two Brothers Brewing Company
The Two Brothers Brewing Company is a family-run microbrewery offering free weekend tours plus an on-site restaurant with American chow. Founded in 1996 by brothers Jim and Jason Ebel, who run the Brewer’s Coop homebrew supply store, Tap House restaurant and beer distribution company Windy City Distrobution in West Chicago suburb Warrenville, Illinois. The brewery produces a wide range of beers for retail sale. Out of the blue, tottaly unsolicited, they sent me a sample of “A Bretter Day” thier take on a Biere de Mars…MANA. FROM. HEAVEN!
Now I’ve sampled my fair share of craft beer man & boy, this is one of the best Summer Artisinals I’ve had the pleasure to drink! She poured clear yellow amber with a lacey white head. The scent is belgianie, maybe a dry Resling with hints of peaches and fresh cut grass. The taste between Belgian twang and sweet malt. Smooth earthy finish I missed when it was gone. Mouthfeel is light with good carbonation. Seek it out. Get him a case! Get ME a case! Your Beer Snob Geek Dad will love you for it! Check thier site for local distribution in your area!
http://www.twobrothersbrewing.com
VEGA CLEAN PROTEIN & VEGA CLEAN ENERGY
Geek dads who’d like to get in shape or stay in shape, need clean plant based Protein to both fuel their workout sessions and repair the damage post workout. VEGA Clean Energy + Electrolytes and VEGA Clean Protein with BCAA’s + Glutamine are the perfect supplements for all! Hey none of us are getting any younger but with a terrific variety of VEGA Products available, the active Geek Dad on your list will say Thanks!
Unless he’s a Klingon,
Klingons don’t do thank you.
Prices and products vary, here’s a link to order the perfect set for you!
HAVEN: THE FINAL SEASON on BLURAY
Based on “The Colorado Kid” by Stephen King, the final season of this underrated Syfy series finds our heroes with challenges unlike any they’ve face until now. Cut off from the world, HAVEN is on its own. Epic journeys into past, present and future punctuate this season as the remaining inhabitants hurtle toward a final showdown. And “Croatoan” is finally revealed! Check the series On Demand to catch up but the finale has to be seen to be believed!
Price $34.99 available on Amazon
SOBER STICK FIGURE by Amber Tozer
It’s a woman’s memoir but don’t be put off by that, this ain’t “chick lit” it’s pretty hardcore.
Amber Tozer had a three decade long romance with alcohol. But like any bad relationship, she had to give it up. Sober Stick Figure is her unflinchingly honest memoir and the crazy, harsh sometimes laughably ridiculous universal truths about addiction, denial and getting sober. It’s a tough but totally satisfying read for the bibliophile dad! Well worth checking out!
$14.63 Available now on Amazon
LOOTCRATE MYSTERY SUBSCRIPTION BOXES
Lootcrate was founded in 2012 by an entrepreneurial team of geeks and gamers who thought that online retail was missing the sense of community, interactivity and mystery that we fell in love with at shows like Comic-Con and PAX. Loot Crate delivers curated monthly subscription boxes that include exclusive licensed merchandise from top global entertainment and consumer product companies. With phenomenal support and content curation at its core, Loot Crate’s mission is to deliver mystery and delight every month. LootGaming, LootAnime, specialty franchise specific boxes like FIREFLY or HALO and LVLUP Mystery Apparel Boxes are also available! Available in single, 3, 6 & 12 month subscriptions delivered right to your door! It’s a GREAT VALUE 4-6 items over $45 of retail value in every crate for a saw buck ($20) and a chance to win a monthly Mega Crate worth over $2,000 in value!! You can’t afford NOT to subscribe!
Order a new Lootcrate subscription using this link for the ultimate in geek gifts for your Pop Culture lovin’ Geek Dad!
AMAZON ECHO
Me: Alexa. Play Audiobook
Alexa: Playing Audiobook Star Wars – Lost Stars
literally two seconds later-
Boy child: Alexa. Play “Kaboom Pow” by Nikki Yanofsky!
Girl child: Alexa. Play “Follow Your Arrow” by Kacey Musgraves!
Wife: Alexa. Play I Heart Radio “Blues station”… We all listen to the Blues.
This is a typical morning in my household now that Amazon Echo has assimilated us.. er, is part of the family. It’s a truly remarkable device! AMAZON ECHO is a Bluetooth enabled speaker you control with your voice. The “Alexa” Voice Service provides hands-free voice control for Amazon Music, Prime Music, Spotify, Pandora, iHeartRadio, and TuneIn. Plus, Echo is Bluetooth enabled so you can stream other popular music services like iTunes from your phone or tablet. One Button Shop on Amazon, ask for a weather report, make to do lists, find recipes and pretty much anything else you can think of with this amazing little machine. SIRI who?
Echo has been fine-tuned to deliver crisp vocals with dynamic bass response. Its dual downward-firing speakers produce 360° omni-directional audio to fill any room with immersive sound. Not only that, ECHO can serve as the hub of a Smart Home set up using The free Alexa App. Like the innovative Caséta WIRELESS Lamp Dimmer Kit from Lutron, you can tell Alexa to turn your lights on/off along with other commands. I got to test the Smart Home Kit along with the ECHO. An intrepid Geek Dad can imagine he’s a Lt. Commander on the bridge of the USS Defiant, simultaneously ordering STAR TREK DS9 on Blu Ray, listening to Klingon Opera while opening and closing the docking port (garage door) and dimming the lights! (Don’t judge me…)
price $179.99
Order Amazon Echo here for your Techie Dad before Alexa becomes self aware and grows weary of your petty human nonsense. Resistance is futile.
THE OFFICIAL DC SUPER HERO COOKBOOK DELUXE EDITION
An ideal gift for the Geek dad. Why?
Because it features the fabulous DC Comics retro art that he grew up with.
Because there are fun ideas for cooking, grilling, goofy food styling, and packing silly lunches. Dad will keep cooking from it long after Father’s Day.
Because breakfast in bed is a fantastic way to start the day. The kids (with or without an assist from the spouse) can choose from some hilarious recipes, such as “Gone in a Flash” Pancakes, Out-of-this-World Spinach Omelette with Martian Buttered Toast, Gotham City Egg Bread, Green Arrow Fruit Kebobs, and more! This deluxe edition is packaged with a 128-page, wir-o bound (lay-flat) cookbook along with 4 cookie cutters, logo stencils, and character cut-outs for awesome food styling. Foodies will thank you!
Price $20.56
Get one here!
THE ONE:12 COLLECTIVE PUNISHER FIGURE
Available now from Collective body, the figure has impressive details. The final product creates a “real world” look reflecting the characters severity .
The One:12 Collective Punisher features:
-1:12 scaled, accurate real fabric uniform with Death’s head insignia
-Hyper-realistic portraits
-Super articulated body with over 32 points of articulation
-Intricately detailed weapons
Packaged in a deluxe, fifth panel window box with a character specific slipcover. Designed for collector convenience, the packaging allows for both maximum protection as well as ease of removal for display.
The Punisher joins the Collective in November/ December and is available for pre-order here! Check out all of thier awesome high end collectables at www.mezcotoyz.com
ENCLAVE AUDIO CINEHOME HD WIRELESS HOME THEATER SYSTEM
If your Geek Dad is like me he loves music, movies & games! This game changing system from ENCLAVE AUDIO boasts-
No AVR. No wires. No foolin’!
This is true 5.1 wireless surround sound folks! plug n play, no tricky configurations, set them up anywhere and these speakers kick! They blow pricer systems (cough SONOS) completely away!
If your Geek Dad is looking to upgrade and wants an affordable, versitle 5.1 system, the CineHome HD offers 14 distinct drivers in 6 individual speaker enclosures that sound as good as systems three times the price! 24 bit wire-free audio with HD quality tottaly immersive sound and all you do is plug each component in to power and the components find and optimize eachother!
I was up and running in ten minutes flat! Plus, it’s Bluetooth enabled to synchronize with any Bluetooth device with the Free Enclave Audio app you can have full on theater quality sound anywhere for deck parties, BBQ’s or outdoor movie nights!
Best thing is it’s only $1119! So what are you waiting for? Order one here!
APOCRYPHA NOW!
I recently interviewed New Yorker cartoonist & two-time Eisner winner Shannon Wheeler & DC comics creator Mark Russell about this follow up to their highly successful GOD IS DISAPPOINTED IN YOU, APOCRYPHA NOW! It’s a totally irreverent, whip smart and surprisingly well researched look at the best stuff left out of The Bible! APOCRYPHA NOW! features a foil-stamped cover, gilded edges, and a satin ribbon suitable for hipster boutique hotel night stands everywhere!
Price $19.99 available from Top Shelf Comix here!
Well, there you have it! Any one of these items will have your Geek Dad feel like he’s King in the North!!!…..Pre-Red Wedding. Let me know how they liked thier gifts by posting a picture of the JOY-JOY feelings you spread on social media along with the hashtag #AllThingsGeekDad. Follow me thatalexyarde @ Twitter!
Art- author/ respective manufactures approvals