The ExerSaucer. What an amazing invention.

My brother and his wife called it “The Office” and we’ve been lucky enough to get it from them second-hand.

Why do we call it “The Office” too? Because that’s where babies go to work. They can stay busy at their “desk” for about twenty blissful minutes, which gives their parents invaluable time to get stuff done. It’s far more interesting to kids than the simple Johnny Jump Up that only offers a couple of distractions. This thing has almost a dozen pieces of plastic for our baby to put into his mouth.

But does calling it “The Office” mean we’re violating some child labor law?

What child’s toy do you find indispensable for maintaining your sanity?

by regular contributor Rob Curtis, our gear expert

When it comes time for the holidays, I think of that unsung hero: Dad. The guy who assembles complicated toys late into the night (totally avoiding the directions). The guy who makes last minute runs to the store (for batteries that he thought were included). The guys whose only sustenance is some stale cookies left for Santa.

So I wanted to present our readers with some great, relatively easy gift ideas. Send a subtle “hint” to your partner (in the form of a link and an “ahem”). Or maybe there are some gals who’ve wondered onto the site looking for hints. This list is designed to give you a few gift ideas that blend urban style, mountain cool, and gadget geek.

The Spot – A satellite GPS text messaging device: for the adventure that tends to roam where the wireless network does not.

Patagonia Slingshot Down Vest- a vintage western look with some pop. Low bulk and high warmth.

Starbucks VIA- best trail coffee there is as your only instruction is to add hot water. A perfect addition to the stocking.

iPod Classic- sure, the Nano is super small and has an FM tuner, but the storage capability of the 160GB iPod Classic is irresistible for those with large digital music collections.

Ibex Shak Hoodie- a close cousin to the full zip Shak with an amazing temperature range amongst all many of the benefits of merino wool.

Icebreaker Mayfair Jacket- For nights out when the storm shell doesn’t quite fit over that sport coat. This well-tailored jacket is perfect for the guy who wears a trench when it rains (and it’s made of New Zealand wool).

Gorilla Pod- great stocking stuffer that can be used as a personal headlamp or to light up a room. It has the gorilla pod legs that tuck up on the inside and can be pulled out as needed to hang and point wherever.

Motorola Bluetooth Headset- SAVINGS ALERT $30 from $99 for this pair of  bluetooth stereo headphones. I don’t ski all that much with music but might if it weren’t for the wires and uncomfortable ear buds. For those sick of wires and earbuds and wanting to listen to music and send/receive calls. If you have to go with a  bluetooth set at all,  this is the way.

Cheers and happy hinting.

Any bad-ass gifts that you’ve gotten you want to recommend?

from contributor Mike Rehfus

kids.woot.com

Why does kids.woot rule? Because, like grown-up woot!.com, the kids version generally features high-quality items (one item per day) at stupidly cheap prices, all for just $5 shipping no matter the size and quantity (limit 3). Today’s kids.woot-off features all the above plus items changing throughout the day as they sell out. You can shop ahead for ages/stages/occasions, too. We have a hidden stash of potty-training and good behavior rewards and oops-we-have-a-kids-party-to-go-to-but-don’t-have-a-present presents.

I sh*t you not. There is such a thing as the “Pillow Tie.”

What an amazing improvement on the typical, crummy tie for Father’s Day. For worn-out dads who want to look sharp and be able to snooze anytime, anywhere.

I actually like their site copy, “Because most functions that require a necktie deserve to be slept through.”

pillowtie.com

Is it wrong to be giving out gift ideas for ourselves? Gear expert and regular contributor Rob Curtis starts off with the first of what we hope are many Father’s Day gift-related posts…

The Trek Light Double Hammock

For dad’s everywhere summer is a time for rest and relaxation—at least, that’s our fervent hope. If you’re anything like me you enjoy having places to go to reflect, think about your future, or just close your eyes for a few minutes.

What better than a strategically placed hammock where you can hear the birds chirp, the waves crash, or the wind rustle the leaves? Every Dad should have a hammock at the ready in the trunk or the backpack for that perfect bit of tranquility.

My portable hammock of choice is the Trek Light Double made of a super lightweight, quick dry, anti-mildew parachute material. A few years ago, my wife and I actually met the founder of this company (Seth Haber) selling these at the Pearl Street Mall in Boulder, CO—and afterwards, I kept kicking myself for not picking one up. Well wouldn’t you know that my wonderful wife, Leigh, had one for me to unwrap on my birthday a few months later? (Maybe my habit of constantly pointing out the perfect hammock spots just made her want to shut me up.)

There are many hammocks out there, but the ones from Trek Light are so easy to set up, and more important, pack-down. It’s a welcome addition to any weekend, whether you’re alone on the trail or in the backyard with the family.

Cons:

• No cons here

What Father’s Day gifts do you want (or have you gotten), besides, of course, the World’s Greatest Dad mug?

Some men do not have to attend the modern North American baby shower. But I know many who’ve tried valiantly to evade them, but have fallen prey. Let’s take a moment to remember our fallen father brothers…

I somehow managed to kaibosh a plan to have a “couples” baby shower by asking a multi-dude focus group if they’d want to attend. Like me, they had less than zero interest. After all, what’s more emasculating than opening up onesie after onesie and attempting to sound sincere in your thank-yous?

Dads do, however, have to unload/store all the loot that comes from a baby shower. And it can get cumbersome. So it was refreshing to see an article in Yahoo Finance refuting the status quo by listing just the necessary items for taking care of an infant.

And no, a $50 baby bottle drying rack is not on the list.

1. Clothes

2. Diapers

3. Car Seat

4. Crib

5. Stroller

6. Bouncie Seat

7. Baby Bottle(s)

That’s it. All the rest is superfluous and designed to prey on new parent’s insecurities—and to make companies rich. Like the baby safety helmet…

What’s the most ridiculously useless thing you got at a baby shower?

Via The High Definite

The coolest dads will no doubt be getting their kids this “sleeping bag” that makes any week Shark Week. (However, it’s more of a stuffed animal that’s getting stuffed feeding on your kid.)

The shark is cool and all, but for Star Wars fans—hell, for anyone—this Tauntaun bag wins.

Being an expecting dad has freaked me out, for sure. But really, the biggest test for me thus far has been “The Registry.”

Even though I don’t have to be in attendance for the baby shower (thank god), the registry has me totally losing my sh*t.

It’s mostly because I’m just now realizing the amount of stuff we will be accumulating (plus the fact that we don’t have any extra space to speak of here in NYC). But I’m sure on a deeper level, it’s more because this baby is going to change our lives fully/irrevocably/forever.

As far as practicality goes, I understand the need for registries. The hens are going to buy you stuff either way. And if you don’t register, your weird Aunt is going to buy you something so horrible and embarrassing that you’ll have to dispose of it in a dumpster the next town over.

Really, how much stuff does this little person need (beyond a breast and protection from the elements/wolves)? Didn’t it feel like we got by with FAR less when were kids way back when? I don’t recall having half the items I’m seeing on the Target or Giggle registries.

Some men are totally hands-off, and I’m sure that’s the right move to preserve one’s sanity. But I can’t seem to stay out of it. For some reason, this item really got my ire up and I had to put my foot down.

A baby bottle/nipple drying rack? For crying out loud, we already HAVE a dish rack! Our current one may not be “clever” or “innovative”, but it’s a dish rack nonetheless.

How about you? Did you distance yourself from this process, become enraged by it, or go all zen-like?