Growing up, Dad was our number one hero. He was strong, cool and embodied everything we wanted to be. The pride we had in our father as children has remained until this day, a pride we celebrate once a year on the Father’s Day holiday. While he deserves more than just one day a year, only one day is recognized nationally as the day of the father. In preparing for Father’s Day, we’ve put together a list of the top ten Father’s Day gifts for this year, plus some handy tips on making sure your dad feels appreciated on his day. Continue reading, GearCravers, for the 2008 Father’s Day Buyer’s Guide.

There is no drink more masculine than good scotch whisky. If your dad is the type of guy who appreciates the finer things, a nice bottle of whisky can be a gracious gift. Selecting a good bottle, however, is not an easy task. For those that are new to whisky, we’ve got two guides that’ll give you a good primer. First, check out the Beginners Guide to Whisky as Art, as well as Part II of that series. For those who prefer instant gratification, here are a few suggestions: you can’t go wrong with a Glenfiddich, a Macallan or a Glenlivet. Bear in mind that whiskys tend to smooth out as they age, but some of the younger whiskys retain a different character. If your dad has a whisky preference, find out what he likes. Otherwise, we suggest you aim for a middle-aged bottle of the brands above. They won’t do you wrong!

Whether or not your dad is a regular reader, a book can be an ideal gift. Even if your dad avoids books at all costs, coffee table picture books could treat him nicely. If he’s of the more visual variety, we suggest coffee table books with cars, landscape, architecture or otherwise. For example, check out our coverage of a few coffee table books on Steve McQueen and his cars– for Dad, these may be perfect. If your dad is a reader, he’ll love these three telling expose’s on the history of the CIA. If he’s a fiction kind of guy, there’s always James Bond, the wild works of authors like Tom Robbins and Kurt Vonnegut, or GearCrave favorite Snow Crash, shown above.

As men, grilling is coded deep into the fibers of our existence. Flame, smoke and sizzling meat are our heritage, and nothing celebrates this more than the experience of grilling. For Father’s Day, you reward your dad with just such an experience– with a new grill, meat to throw on it, or accessories for the ultimate griller dad. If Dad needs a new grill, check out our guide on How to Buy a Grill. If you need something to throw on said grill, check out the excellent meats of Omaha Steaks, who’ll mail a package of steaks to Dad’s doorstep. Last, there are a world of grilling accessories that could make great gifts. Check out these political party steak branding irons, this great premium grill tool set, this tailgate party in a bag, and this night time grill lamp. The possibilities are endless.

The archetypal father is a tinkerer, by nature. He’s a handyman, a fixer and a builder at heart. If this describes your dad, we suggest the gift of tools for Father’s Day. That beauty above is the Leatherman Skeletool, which we reviewed and gave away back in March. The Skeletool is a very cool, handy multi-tool that is likely to stay in your dad’s pocket at all times. It includes a screwdriver, a blade, a bottle opener, a carabiner and a set of pliers with a few different types of teeth. For those who want something a little larger, head to Lowes, Menards, Home Depot or even Walmart in your town and pick up a nice set of tools for Dad. If he has a good set now, take a look at his current toolbox to see what he’s missing. Either way, you can’t go wrong with a Leatherman.

Rudyard Kipling once said, “a woman is only a woman, but a good cigar is a smoke”. We still don’t know what the hell he meant, but we salute the effort. When it comes to buying cigars for Dad, you can head to Famous Smoke Shop, a Pennsylvania-based cigar shop with a great selection of cigars. Famous Smoke Shop carries a wide selection of cigars, cigar packs and samplers, humidors and cigar accessories. If your dad is a cigar afficionado or you think he might enjoy this gift, give Famous Smoke Shop a try. We suggest trying the Famous 20 Bundled Cigar Sampler, which includes 20 of Famous’s favorite cigars from around the world, priced just under $50.

We men are also collectors, tech fiends and gadget lovers by nature. If your dad is one of these, give him the gift of gadgetry. Our first suggestion here is to check out GearCrave’s own coverage on gadgets. Every day, GearCrave covers the latest and greatest in gadgets that matter most. Scrolling through that list, you’ll see some great gift ideas for Dad. If you need ideas now, we suggest that you can’t go wrong with an iPod or a nice set of headphones. A digital picture frame is a great idea, especially since you can load it with memorable pictures about his fatherhood. Otherwise, you can aim for GPS, a digital camera, a USB flash drive or otherwise.

Get your dad out of his comfort zone and into an adventure for this Father’s Day. Check out some exciting escapes in his local area. Do a local google search to find out what the adventurous are doing in your dad’s area. Look for options like hiking, camping, mountain biking, scuba diving, kayaking and more. Even if Dad is in the middle of the city, he’s likely no more than an hour or two away from adventure. You know your dad best, so figure out something you think he’d enjoy in his area or yours. Make sure to set up the adventure beforehand, and get your dad all the tools he’ll need. If camping, scuba or kayaking is his speed, be sure to set up the rentals and pay in advance so he doesn’t wind up footing a bill you forgot to cover…

While we don’t expect you to shell out THIS kind of money on Father’s Day, you can still put your dad behind the wheel of his dream car using a premium rental service. While we aren’t certain what is available in your town, dream car rentals are typically available in every major city. For example, Las Vegas is home to DreamCarRentals.com, a premium rental service with everything from a Lamborghini Gallardo to a Ferrari Spider to a Shelby Cobra. The rates are steep, as you’d expect, but you can pull of a dream car for your dad for around $250 for a 5 hour drive.

Among the greatest gifts you can give your dad is to share your pride with the rest of the world. Your dad could use recognition for the great things he’s done in life. Whether that’s a lifetime of hard work and service, an accomplishment in business, or an achievement with a hobby, you can get your dad the recognition he deserves with a little bit of hard work.

One example would be to create a Wikipedia entry biographing your father. Talk about his life, his work, his hobbies and his achievements. Another would be to research the trade publications and convention events in his industry. If nominations are open, suggest him for recognition. Introduce his story to the media, especially blogs. Hell, if your dad has a cool story, you can even share it with us at GearCrave for our Dream Job features, like this one for Astronaut Clayton C. Anderson. The point is, you might want to spend some time thinking about your Dad’s life and ways that you can share your pride in him with others.

The best gift you can give to any dad is to spend some time with the old man on Father’s Day. If dad is a short drive away, pay him a visit on Father’s Day. If your dad is across the country, schedule a surprise trip (just clear it with Mom!). The point being, no matter the relationship you currently have with dear old Dad, spending time with him on this day could likely make his week, month, even year. Take a look back at the list of things we’ve suggested for Father’s Day and instead of just sending the gift, share it with him. Have a few glasses of whisky with the old man and reminisce. Grill out with Dad. Work on a project with him and the tools you got him. Have a cigar. Go on that adventure with him. Take a spin with him in his dream car. No matter what you get your dad on Father’s Day, you can make a difference if share that gift with him on his day.

Here’s to Dad. That guy who taught us how to throw a baseball, told us how to talk to women, scolded us in high school and maybe even bailed us out of jail. Point is, the old man has been there for the good times and the bad, and we all owe it to him to celebrate him on Father’s Day. And don’t forget about the other fathers in your life– your brother, uncle, friends, maybe even yourself. A quick phone call, card or even an email can make all the difference. And if you know others that need some help on giving a gift this Father’s Day, be sure to share this article with them. Here’s to a very happy Father’s Day 2008.