Can be a pain in the “fill in the blank”
I don’t know about you but shopping for my husband is not always fun. I used to think I was being thoughtful and picked out great gifts but then my husband told me how he really felt. The one and only thing he still has and loves are the King Ranch boots he picked out himself.
If your man likes leather, boots, ranching and expensive taste, King Ranch is the place to go. The quality is amazing and they have something for every cowboy or girl on your list: Books like Wildlife on King Ranch, bright bandanas for women and girls, wine glasses, there’s even a leather mousepad. They have though of almost everything.
If this isn’t your or your man’s things, have you tried the Man Crates that seem to be really popular right now? My husband actually said to me while searching this site, “don’t get me any of that junk.” To be fair, it wasn’t all junk. I love the concept and idea, but, like most things I come across in my life, I think I can do it better.
Sooo… without further a do here are my three personalized man crate boxes that are sure to impress at least one man in your life.
“That Guy” Crate
That Guy in your life who is always on the go, rarely sits still for too long, likes to do everything himself and is almost impossible to shop for, will find at least one thing in this crate useful. For That Guy, this is a a good a ratio as you are going to get.
That Guy doesn’t usually have a lot of time or patience to sit down and read so if you are going to buy him a book it better be something useful, like “How to Stay Alive in the Woods” a complete guide to food, shelter and self-preservation. This book will come in handy when he’s ridden your ever loving last nerve and needs to commune with nature… or at least get out of your personal space for a few hours.
This guy doesn’t wear a jacket because he is That Guy wearing a vest no matter how cold it is outside. The Drake Waterfowl Vest is great because it has a magnetic and zipper chest pocket to hold his pocket knife. That Guy never leaves the house without his pocket knife, which is why he needs more than one because inevitable he is going to walk through a metal detector somewhere and forget that he has a “weapon” on him and have to hand it over. I found this Opinel No. 6 Carbon Steel Folding Knife on Amazon for just $14 and over 3,000 reviews so it must be good!
That Guy will need something to drink to help keep him warm while standing outside in 10 degree weather wearing just his vest, I recommend a good whiskey for That Guy, like this Larceny Very Small Batch Whiskey with 94 Ultimate Spirit points on Total Wine. Don’t ask me what that means, I’m not really a whiskey girl.
Since That Guy isn’t really known for wearing gloves in public, he will need an insulated tumbler similar to this 30 oz. Yeti to drink his favorite whiskey out of. He could also use his bandana that he keeps in his back pocket for blowing his nose, wearing as a mask, or as koozie, this Carolina Paisley Bandana from REI has so many uses!
Now That Guy doesn’t always remember to shower. It’s not that he doesn’t like be clean, he does, he just prioritizes everything else he needs to do before bed and taking a shower ranks last, by that time he usually just wants to go to bed. That Guy will typically shower 1-3 times a week so he needs a good, no nonsense soap to get every inch of dirt and oil off his body as efficiently as possible. I got this bar of Big Ass Lump of Coal Soap as joke for my That Guy last year but he actually really liked it. Also, these Dude Wipes are perfect for That Guy’s glove box on those weeks he might only get one real shower in.
You can’t forget to feed That Guy or else he will get “Hangry” even if he swears he’s not. That Guy is pretty easy to please in this department, give him meat and he’s happy. One way to ensure you will never run of meat for your That Guy is to sign up for a meat of the month club like this one from the Carnivore Club.
“This Guy” Crate
This Guy likes to step his crate up a bit over That Guy because he is THIS GUY. This Guy enjoys reading but he probably isn’t going to find himself in the wilderness when his girl needs her space. You are more likely to find This Guy in a hotel room reading about other guys surviving impossible odds he will never encounter, sipping on his favorite craft IPA out of his Yeti Koozie, and snacking on some nuts from his nut of the month club subscription.
When it comes to stories of surviving impossible odds, it doesn’t get much better than Lone Survivor. I have personally given this book as a gift on several occasions and it is always well received. If your This Guy hasn’t read it yet, he will love this book. Of course this also coming from someone who still hasn’t read it yet but any way…
I am not well versed in the world of IPA Craft beers, too bitter for me, but This Guy likes his IPA’s. After a little internet searching, I recommend Saranac’s Legacy IPA mostly because I think you will have the best chance of locating it in a store near you. But, if you are ever in Stowe, VT, you need to take This Man to Alchemist Brewery and try Heady Topper. Just when he thought you couldn’t get any cooler, you blow This Guy’s mind with that move. Now This Guy typically likes to drink out of a bottle so he is going to need a bottle opener, and nothing screams This Guy like a Vineyard Vines Bottle Opener.
This Guy takes a little more care in his appearance than That Guy. He is more likely to shower everyday and go a little above and beyond to keep all parts of him smelling fresh and clean. The Jolly Jewels Sack Pack is sure to make your This Guy happy because This Guy knows how much you appreciate great smelling balls. He’s Ballsy like that. A good cologne is another staple for This Guy. If you want to try Jimmy Choo Man and let me know how your This Guy likes it, I’d really appreciate it. I have a That Guy but he does like wearing cologne every now and than.
While I would normally advise against buying This Guy any article of clothing, if you are determined to get him something he will like and wear, try this Blue Checked Button Down Shirt. If he doesn’t like it, he is even pickier than my That Guy and, at least you tried. Lastly, in this day and age, he is going to need a mask, and whether he works out or not, This Guy likes to look the part. Under Armour makes an exceptional mask just for the This Guy.
“The Other Guy” Crate
Last, but definitely not least, is The Other Guy. The Other Guy can be the most difficult to shop for, for two reasons: One, he has really particular ($$) tastes and two, he usually just buys what he wants as soon as it’s available, leaving you little left to choose from. Well, I am here to help… I hope.
The Other Guy used to love to read but now he finds his time more efficiently spent listening to audiobooks or his favorite podcasts while working out or during his morning commute, if he still has one longer than the one to his in home office. I hear that the The Power of Now is something every Other Guy has on their list to listen to. Hopefully, yours hasn’t already downloaded it for himself. The Other Guy also doesn’t have a whole of time for things like breakfast and lunch. He saves that for a nice dinner with you. (Awww) All The Other Guy needs is a nondairy, gluten free, super food, plant based protein powder and a good blender for smoothies to keep him fueled.
Of all The Guys, The Other Guy takes exceptional pride in his appearance and hygiene. He wants EVERYTHING looking and smelling good. Now’s the time to show him how much you appreciate that with this custom Manscaping Kit. He probably won’t wear the boxers, no he definitely won’t, but he will use (or at least re-gift at a white elephant exchange to try and embarrass someone else, he is the The Other Guy after all) everything else.
If you are daring enough, you could try to impress him with this unisex scent by Le Labo: Rose 31 de Parfum. Assuming he hasn’t already tried it, he could be pleasantly surprised by your knowledge that the dominate Rose note only enhances the more manly undertone of cedar, olibanum, and cumin. I have no idea what I just said but your The Other Guy will translate for me.
Do not try to buy The Other Guy clothes, more than likely he already has a stylist and/or a tailor. The Other Guy knows what he likes and what fits him best. Besides, if you already like the way he dresses, why mess with a good thing? Instead go for a statement watch. He probably already has 10 but it’s never enough for The Other Guy. He likes to have a watch for every occasion, just make sure he doesn’t already have the watch you want to get him. Also, The Other Guy doesn’t love wearing a mask. He’s not an anti-masker by any means, he is just a little vain. Get him a super trendy mask like this Sid Mashburn Face Mask and hope for the best.
When it comes to his drink of choice, The Other Guy can’t resist a good Moscow Mule and, for that, he is going to need a classic mug and the perfect vodka. Now, I do not know enough about making Moscow Mules but I did a Google search on the best vodkas for Moscow Mules and Crystal Head Vodka Aurora was at the top. It was Googled so it can’t but wrong but the bottle also makes a good Halloween decoration so you have that to fall back on if it’s turns out not to be any good.
Whether you have a That, This, The Other, or some combination of all three, I hope I was able to help you shop for the pain in the “fill in the blank” on your list this year. The saying is right, it is more fun to give than to receive but, it is even more fun when your receiver actually likes what you give.
Good luck and Godspeed, I truly understand how daunting this task can feel. In the voice of Rob Schneider in Waterboy “You Can Do It!”
Muddy Mommy Runs 