Hand-Picked Gift Ideas for Men

Whether he enjoys a couple of brews on the couch during the game or hangs out in a bar he built in the basement, barware is the gift that keeps on giving (at least until the beer runs out). The Personalized Garage Bar Themed Two Pint and Pitcher Set sports an etched image of a classic muscle car framed by three lines of up to 16 characters each that you can dictate, such as “Don's Lube and Tap” or “Never Running on Empty”. Custom-made glasses and accessories make a manly gift more meaningful, and also keeps his buddies from swiping any.

That's not to say that you can't indulge the tastes of classier chaps. Men who enjoy their vintages and cordials will speak at length about the proper shape of the glass to enjoy each type of drink, but if you can't tell a snifter from a highball you can skip the barware for other ritzy accessories such as the Four-Bottle Avignon French Wine Carrier. This French tote is forged with classic style that combines the rustic sturdiness of riveted steel with wooden accents for a comfortable, balanced grip.

Similar, old-world elegance can be found with Tabletop 16th Century Italian Replica Globe Bar, which opens to reveal an ice bucket for chilling a bottle of wine or liquor and eight pieces of stemware. Posh gifts of these sorts will always be graciously received by fellows who appreciate the finer things.

Hobbies are always better when they open up new worlds to explore, and one can never know enough about potent potables. If you're shopping for a beer geek (or one in training), books on the subject are great gifts that will broaden and deepen his understanding. The Drunken Botanist, for example, offers a lighthearted but knowledgeable insight into the biological basis of brewing as it covers topics from the science behind fermentation to the best plants for garnishing cocktails.

Of course, a bartending bible such as The Ultimate Bar Book may be the best gift for home bar completionists. Stuffed with over 1,000 mixed drink recipes, your guy will never be stumped by a guest ordering an obscure martini or exotic cocktail. Having a set of comprehensive instructions gets progressively a little more important after each expertly-made beverage.

If business takes him abroad, being stuck in a convention hall or a hotel room can put a damper on the prospects of a good time. Help him out and he'll raise a toast to you whenever he's abroad. A flask might be the first thing that comes to mind, and with good reason; it's portable, customizable, and one of the manliest accessories a guy can carry. But if you want to step his game up a notch, outfit him with a full kit. Carrying cases such as the Travel Martini Shaker Set, which contains a full complement of stainless steel tools to make a professional concoction, can ensure that he imbibes with panache whether he's in a dry county or a lonely highway flophouse.

Avoiding trouble with the authorities, however, just may be the greatest gift of all. No one wants to end a lively evening behind bars, so champion responsibility with a Mini Key Chain Personal Breathalyzer. This multi-functional tool has a bright LED flashlight and a timer in addition to an accurate, FDA-approved breathalyzer that will warn which side of safety the user is on. Make sure all his wild stories have happy endings.

If you know a guy who collects speeding tickets like baseball cards, help him exorcise his demons with track trips like theRace a Ferrari Driving Experience or the 60-Mile Supercar Driving Adventure. There he can unshackle himself from the constraints of speed limits as he puts some of the world's fastest cars to the test on professional circuits. Be warned, however; once he gets the taste of triple-digit speeds, trips to the grocery store will never be the same.

Professional Bull Riding Lessons provide a more exotic option for those who might suffer flashbacks of the morning commute. Trade horsepower for torque when you send him to a three-day class complete with equipment and daily video analysis. He'll stand a little taller whenever he hears country music.

The rush of speed doesn't have to be limited to asphalt. Feel free to explore other modes of excitation, like America's Cup Sailing in San Diego. He'll feel like the king of the world as he cuts through the water in one of the fastest sailing yachts on the seven seas. Of course, a simpler range of personal accessories offer a fantastic place to focus your gift search. A pair of Waterproof Socks lined with fleece and military-certified up to -30 degrees Fahrenheit is one such example.

If he prefers to look for adventure under the water rather than on it, consider giving him tools and toys that divers find useful. The Invicta Automatic Grand Diver Black Dial Watch is sharp looking in and out of the drink and is water resistant up to 300 meters.

Thrillseekers thrive on novelty, and love creative gifts such as Trapeze Classes. Professional aerialists teach the basics of tumbling to students who then get to practice on a real-life trapeze rig. (Not to worry - harnesses and nets ensure that the excitement isn't dangerous.) Promising students are even offered the opportunity to perform a circus-level catch with a seasoned pro.

If you think he's ready for a little more altitude, send him on a Tandem Skydive. An introductory lesson prepares him for a 120 m.p.h. plunge through the sky. Throughout his experience, he will be safely secured to an instructor who is specially trained to ignore screams of terror. The freefall lasts approximately 60 seconds before the ripcord is pulled; he can then spend the next four to six minutes regaining his composure as he drifts earthward with a breathtaking view.

Some fellows can relax anywhere, but that doesn't mean you can't make it even easier with gifts like the Ergonomic Beach Lounger. Far superior to the vinyl-and-aluminum contraptions held over from the Spanish Inquisition, the chair boasts three individual cushions designed to lift and separate vertebrae for optimum comfort.

A hole in the headrest will cradle his head if he lies on his back and give him breathing room if he rolls over to sun his shoulders. A pair of air-injected Indoor and Outdoor Men's Slippers will wrap his feet in ease as the podiatrist-created insoles support the corresponding pressure points; he could go from couch to outdoor lounger and back without ever taking a strenuous step.

Even guys who bring the pain in the gym enjoy a relaxing steam afterward. A high-quality cotton Turkish Shower Wrap will keep him comfortable and modest in the sauna, during a massage, or after a thorough scrubbing in the locker room. An elastic band and four snaps guarantee a fuss-free fit and a sewn-in pocket helps secure his gym membership identification.

If he considers the great outdoors to be his oversized living room, consider helping him furnish it with comfort. A Personalized Fishing and Camping Cooler Chair is just the sort of implement to do that, containing an insulated compartment that will hold up to 24 cans and a padded seat that will comfortably support up to 200 lbs. Monogramming adds an affectionate touch that will remind him to eventually come back home.

The Saddle Piel Leather Golf Travel Bag is perfect for guys who enjoy fresh air but keep the alfresco enjoyment on the golf course. This supple naked leather bag holds up to ten clubs and plenty of golf balls. The slim profile, comfort shoulder strap, and attached hood enable it to be taken on trips as easily as to the local greens.

If he's old enough to have kids, chances are that as a child he or one of his closest friends spent hours in front of a Sega Genesis Classic Game Console. He can share his gaming heritage with the next generation as he peruses all time arcade favorites such as Golden Axe and Streets of Rage. The machine includes up to 80 games, from Ecco the Dolphin to the always-popular Sonic the Hedgehog, so everyone in the family will find something to enjoy.

You can take the gaming to the nth degree for his home rec room with the 30th Anniversary Authentic Pac-Man Arcade Game. The full-size stand-up cabinet will reenact the arcade glory days as the family crowds around the screen to see who will top the high score. Even better, the console includes twelve more classic games - including legends Galaga and Dig Dug - so the challenges for first place will never stop coming.

Any typical techie loves small and slick accessories that hide one tool inside of another tool. One example of this sort of juxtaposition is the Personalized 2 GB Flash Drive Keychain, which secrets a memory stick inside of a silver keyring engraved with the recipient's initials. But he'll be the very definition of “stylish and functional” with the WiFi Hotspot Cufflinks. Of the pair, one is a 2 GB flash drive and the other plugs into any internet-connected computer to create a tether for other portable devices.

The best gadgets are the ones that go over and above the merely practical and ascend unto the epic. The Touch-Activated Bluetooth Headphones represent the state of the art with easy wireless synchronization, smooth tactile operation, and digital noise cancellation for optimal sound.

The computer savvy will tell you that only a fool would store all of his passwords on his hard drive. A Password Vault is a darn handy device to keep in a desk or pocket that will keep track of access codes for bank accounts, e-mail, and dating websites. Over 400 passwords can be stored in this sealed safe, which isn't accessible by any means wired or wireless.

For the technologically replete, few things are more inconvenient than rushing out of the house in the mornings with a dead device (or devices). But you'll save him from the need to triage plugs if he receives the Six-Device-Charging Clock Radio. Tablets, phones, mp3 players, and any other USB chargeable swag will be ready to go when he is when the alarm goes off. Music and video can be played through the speakers from any connected apparatus. A surprisingly slim profile and efficient surge protection make this the ideal appliance for iBuffs.

Let’s face it - it’s not manly being cold. Men are supposed to be pillars of strength and unwavering in their toughness. But it is winter, and sometimes the chill gets to be too much. How can one maintain their manliness without freezing his bum off in the winter chill? The Personalized Zippo Hand Warmer is your ticket to saving face! It’s small, discrete, produces 10x the heat of other warmers, and has enough fuel to last 24 hours. It’s perfect for various manly outdoor activities like hunting, chopping firewood, ice fishing, and figure skating.

Combine this with the Presentation Master Flight Biometric Flash Drive, a secure 8 GB storage medium with encryption that can only be circumvented with a fingerprint, and he'll have a hard time convincing onlookers that he isn't from the future.

Boxee is every guy's answer to organizing all of those pesky streaming accounts like Netflix or Vudu, songs, music, and movies all in one place! It’s a be-all end-all media center at a price point that’s very hard to match. It can be hooked up to your HDTV or computer, and doubles as backup storage in the event your hard drive crashes.