Stuff I Like - Father's Day Edition

a shoe guide for the dad in your life.

True to form we are less than a week out from Father’s Day and here I am writing a gift guide for it. In my defense we only just celebrated Mother’s Day yesterday as we are finally all healthy-ish and for the last four weeks I’ve thought every day was Tuesday. We are where we are but the good news is most brands offer expedited shipping should you feel so inclined to spoil the Dad in your life with some fancy new footwear you might still be in luck!

Or perhaps you’d like to simply spoil yourself instead? In which case I say ‘have at it!’ and save the $$$ on fast shipping and treat yourself to a fancy coffee (or three) instead.

As for us, covid is (almost) a distant memory. I’m still dealing with some not-so-pleasant lingering side effects involving shortness of breath and anxiety, and I’m not 100% sure which is the actual root issue as one triggers the other which triggers the other. Luckily I have an amazing acupuncturist who’s been helping and I have a doctors appointment where they will hopefully reassure me it isn’t all in my head and be able to provide me with something (anything) that will help.

Needless to say I’m not running at the moment although I’ve run with both anxiety and shortness of breath in the past so perhaps now is the universe telling me it’s time to figure out both of these issues while I embrace podcasts and walking for a bit. I’m also reminding me that ‘this is a season’ and eventually I’ll be back to running and God forbid I ever take it for granted again. I’ve only been off running for 15 days (but who’s counting) so not to be dramatic but it feels like forever and like something I may never get back to in my current state.

*Deep breath. This is a season.*

Back to shoes. Runners love gear and gadgets and from what the internet tells me (and my own husband who is also a dad and currently debating which meat thermometer to buy) SO. DO. DADS. Running shoes can be an incredibly personal decision however I don’t know anyone who wouldn’t be wowed by a new pair to try out so for today we’re going to highlight some shiny new shoes for the Dad in your life. Let it also be worth noting said ‘Dad’ (or you) doesn’t need to be a runner either. My husband / Dougie’s dad isn’t a runner but I would 100% purchase him a new pair of trail shoes for all the hikes we like to do with + without toddler in tow. We went for a 4.5 mile Mother’s Day hike this morning and my husband got the job of carrying a 35lb Dougie in the hiking pack. Based on how his legs are feeling right now it might be awhile before we have toddler in tow again.

There are a lot of statistics to comb through when it comes to choosing running shoes: heel drop, shoe stack height, foam density, etc and honestly it can all be really overwhelming. Possible controversial opinion (esp for someone in the process of opening a specialty run store) but I think the best way to choose a running shoe is based on end use but bonus points if you are able to remember + recite back all the statistical information of whatever shoe you decide to gift because what I’ve also learned about Dads is that they love this stuff. Yes, my husband thinks about the Roman Empire once a day and my father can recite pretty much any basketball or baseball related statistic from memory between present day and 1965.

So without further delay, a non-technical (slightly unconventional) shoe guide for the Dad in your life who…

1. wants to run more trails

   …or isn’t a runner but loves hiking…or does none or all of these things but dresses head to toe in gorpcore. You get the picture.

   Nnormal, a brand founded by world-renowned trail runner Kilian Jornet, focuses specifically on trail running and I can attest the shoes are fantastic as I have a pair of the Kjerag that I run and hike in and love. They’re a bit light on cushioning (which is the only real negative review I’ve seen of this shoe) so if the Dad in your life is into running longer distances go with the Tormir 2.0.

   

   Kjerag in the background + Tormir 2.0 in the foreground. Both fantastic looking shoes. Not a shoe but bonus points if you also get them a hydration vest because trail running and road running occupy two different sides of the brain. as a road runner who occasionally runs trails i can attest road runners are terrible about packing for things that won’t just fit in our shorts like multiple hydration flasks.

2. loves to run fast + buy expensive things

   I warned you this gift guide was unconventional. This shoe is for the Dad in your life who shows up on race day to race. Diadora collabed with Ducati to create the carbon plate for their top-of-the-line super shoe. It’s also made in Italy, another fun fact sure to impress the Dad in your life with high end taste.

   

   these guys look like they mean business. with a $300 price tag this is a high end super shoe guaranteed to impress.

3. who worries about the environmental impact of all the running shoes he consumes

   I came across this brand via the comment section of this substack and I’m impressed. Aesthetically the product looks amazing but even better is that it’s all being designed using eco-friendly materials. One of the reasons why I love supporting these smaller brands is because they’re creating products built around sustainability without being concerned whether or not the consumer wants it (real conversations I’ve with several billion dollar brands). They are just genuinely concerned about creating yet another product and the impact it’ll have on the environment. B corp certified, this relatively new brand just launched their innovative running shoe featuring a wool based upper, castor bean based foam sole and is fully recyclable.

   

   enjoy this lovely visual that says the upper is merino wool + tencel and the base is PLNT-FOAM and recyclable. in french.

4. who believes in the church of the long run

   Another fantastic DTC brand which doesn’t take itself (or running) too seriously but makes seriously good running shoes. The style I’m highlighting is the Sundays, which is designed for long, slow runs but the Weekdays would also be a wonderful choice if the Dad in your life just wants a really great, well rounded shoe for running…or not.

   

   also a great alternative everyday style for the dad who wears hokas to the airport.

5. who is a fan of the avengers + a good comeback story

   Over a year ago, Avengers star Jeremy Renner was seriously injured in a freak snow plow accident and told he might never walk again. Not only can he walk, but he’s back running and has partnered with Brooks in a recent campaign to share his story. I don’t know what running shoe he prefers, but might I suggest the Glycerin for said Dad in your life? An excellent well rounded shoe great for long or short runs featuring significant cushion and fantastic return.

   

   jeremy renner, if you’re reading this feel free to drop me a line and lmk what shoe you like to wear. also if you’re ever passing through SF stop in and say hi!

6. who can’t make up his mind

   Trails or road? Road or trails? Maybe the Dad in your life runs on roads to get to trails?

   If any of the above sounds familiar, perhaps the best shoe to gift is a hybrid running shoe! Inspired by the versatility of mountain bike tires, Craft partnered with Vitorria, a world class bike tire manufacturer to create an outsole that feels at home on both the road and the trail. Another fun fact for the Dad in your life to geek out over…especially if he also likes to bike.

   

   as someone who runs to trails this is a shoe i find very intriguing and would be far too jealous to gift unless i also purchased a pair for myself.

7. who wears running shoes for everything.

   Work meetings, park hangs, date nights…dressed up with jeans or down with sweats. I mean everything everything. Maybe they’ve even tried to Murdoch it and wear them to a wedding no matter how liberal their voting habits might be.

   In which case might I suggest you save your energy (and the $$$) and buy some cute non-running shoes for yourself instead? For this Dad, I’d suggest a pair of running shoes that not only function but also look cool in a very hypebeast kind of way.

   Have no fear if the only ‘beast’ said Dad is aware of goes with ‘mode’ because these will look cool without even trying and even better yet it’ll save you the mental energy of trying to figure out which neon trainers look the best while also trying to get yourself dressed, the babysitter briefed, dinner prepped and out the door in time for that 5:30pm reso.

   

   take some fit advice from olympic athlete + diadora sponsored track + field runner rob napolitano. top right : the diadora atomo, another made in italy option from the brand

So there you have it, a wide range of shoes just waiting to be gifted. If you hurry expedited shipping will also ensure an on-time delivery for the big Dad’s day next weekend.

To all the Dad’s reading this runner or not, Happy Father’s Day. May it be filled with sports, barbecues, powertools, podcasts about the Roman Empire and all the other things the internet tells us you like. And if you’re lucky, may it also be filled with some new running shoes.

*k