by Matt Konkle
Managing Editor
An adventurous spirit. An outdoor passion. It doesn’t really matter what kind of thing drives your father to enjoy life beyond a house’s walls — only that his excitement and love for his Jeep Gladiator is second only to the way he feels about you.
So as time inches towards another June Father’s Day, you are no doubt looking for a gift to match that passion. To enhance it, even. To make the days he spends with you camping, trail riding, or simply back and forth to wherever either of you need to be each day, just a bit better.
And there are plenty of options starting from the front of the vehicle all the way to its tailgate.
But like any good gift, there is always the notion that it is the thought that really counts. And some gift products offer a bit more thoughtfulness than others.
So here are some top Father’s Day gift ideas you can use to find the ideal gift for your intrepid dad.
Bike Racks
While Father’s Day may mark the unofficial start of summer, it also can mark the annual opening of fun season. And by that, we mean you and your dad breaking out the bikes and having some serious enjoyment out in nature.
A Jeep Gladiator can be many things, but one of the best is being able to snatch up mountain bikes and lock them down behind the tailgate. It makes camping adventures that much more fun, and just provides a different type of enjoyment beyond the average trail ride.
Whether it is a pad that goes over the rear tailgate, or a mount that attaches into the bed, either makes for a great Father’s Day gift that your dad (and you) will hopefully find plenty of enjoyment after installing.
Jeep Covers
As we said earlier, open-air summer driving is a mantra for nearly all Jeep Gladiator owners. But the flip side to all that freedom is the simple possibility your dad’s vehicle may not have a top installed when a rainstorm decides to make a visit. Or, when parked in a high-pollen area or somewhere dust and dirt can easily enter the vehicle.
So, to protect against those issues, an easy on/easy off protective Jeep cover is highly recommended as a Father’s Day gift.
These water-resistant fabric covers quickly secure down with straps and keep the cabin dirt and water-free during topless season, and can be neatly stowed away when not needed.
Dead Pedal
Put this one down in the comfort category for your dad — especially if he daily drives his Jeep Gladiator. That is because this thoughtful gift will totally change his driving enjoyment. Almost to the point where he’ll make a comment about how much he misses this product when he has to drive another vehicle.
A Jeep dead pedal quickly installs on the right-hand side of the driver's footwell and provides a great, comfortable spot for him to plant his left foot and reduce fatigue while driving around town or on trail days. Plus, it installs easily with no drilling or additional modifications — getting him on his way faster to wherever his adventures lead for the day.
Additionally, while they only work on automatic transmissions, these dead pedals play nicely with most floor liners or carpeting systems.
Floor Liners
The carpeting inside your dad’s Jeep, whether it is factory or aftermarket, does its job pretty well and can handle a lot of traffic —as well as whatever Mother Nature can throw at it when the Jeep top is off.
It also can absorb water and dry out, and normally is mildew resistant. But just because that carpeting has those features doesn’t mean your dad should consistently subject the carpet to all that foot traffic.
Enter Jeep Gladiator Floor Liners.
Floor liners simply fit over the existing carpet in the driver and passenger foot area, and are also available for back passenger footwell coverage as well as cargo area protection. What that means is most exposed carpeting areas now will have a ‘shield’ designed to really keep just about anything off it; rain, mud, dirt, gum. Anything. Not to mention, liners will also keep active feet from rubbing against the carpeting and prematurely wearing out the material.
Also, floor liners these days are not just some generic overlay that sits in place and covers the carpeting. Most liners are now custom-designed to exactly fit your specific vehicle’s footwells and are available in a multitude of materials like rubber, thermoplastic, and high-density tri-extruded—as well as carpeting—that all are able to trap and hold water or debris in place.
Plus, they are simple to remove and clean when needed, which makes things so much easier than continually removing drain plugs to get water out of the vehicle.
Seat Covers
Why does your dad need covers for his Jeep Gladiator seats? Well, mainly because those seats are affected by the elements more than just about any other type of vehicle seating.
In winter, it means continuous exposure to moisture every time either you or your dad climbs into the Jeep. In summer, well, once that top goes down, those seats can be attacked by weather and sun, not to mention the usual water, mud or other debris.
This is why Jeep seat covers are a serious and popular Father’s Day gift year after year.
Whether it is snug-fitting neoprene, vinyl, ballistic nylon, polycotton, or some other material, seat covers will give your dad’s Jeep seats the shield they need to increase their overall longevity, while offering a good bit of comfort as well. Plus, covers can hide seat imperfections or discolorations. And with all kinds of color combinations, they can also provide a nice way to change the vehicle's interior look.
Bed Tent
Any dad who loves adventure, especially ones who love the outdoors, usually also loves to set up shop and build a campsite as a center for those adventures.
Whether that means just exploring the forest, or spending a weekend on the trails, having a nice campsite makes for a stress-free experience. And a simple-to-build Gladiator Bed Tent definitely enhances that experience and makes for a perfect Father’s Day gift.
These tents are exclusively engineered to fit a Jeep Gladiator bed and utilize high-quality fabric to stand up to whatever conditions happen on an outdoor adventure. Plus, many include a USB-powered light strip for illumination as well as gear pockets to store valuables.
Recovery Kits
Whether your dad takes his Jeep Gladiator off-roading, or just uses it as a daily driver, providing an all-purpose recovery kit in the vehicle makes for an excellent Father’s Day gift.
Just like in scouting, one of the key tenets any driver should employ is to always be prepared. That means carrying proper recovery gear pretty much every time they climb in the Jeep. This is even more important when your dad (and hopefully you) head out into the wild. With no stores, gas stations, or repair shops in the wilderness, it simply makes sense.
Most of these kits are packed with all the recovery essentials needed — like tow straps, gloves, shackles, winch line dampeners, snatch block and more. Great stuff that is often overlooked by many who think they'll never be in a recovery situation. Plus, these kits usually come with a storage bag or backpack which makes it easy to have everything in one spot.
Air Compressor
When that bracketed yellow exclamation point appears on the instrument cluster, your dad (or you) probably check the tire pressure and at some point take the Jeep to the nearest gas station to fill them to the proper PSI.
And while it isn’t always a bad thing if you guys don’t refill right away, driving too long on a low-pressure tire is bad for gas mileage, and it could cause a flat (or worse) if left unattended for too long.
Plus, that trip to the local gas station can air up a tire, but what if your dad (and you) are out on the trail? Or on some other adventure where there aren’t any stations around. Or even if you have a flat, no spare, and can’t drive the thing anywhere until the tire is refilled.
Additionally, what if you both aired down the tires for a day of off-roading but then realized the trailhead has no air station?
A great way to eliminate all those problems is to utilize a portable or onboard air compressor. That way you can easily fill up when needed and ensure all those tires are right at the pressure your dad requires.
These can run from units that cable to the Jeep’s battery and have hoses that attach to individual tires, to pressurized air tanks that quickly refill rubber, all the way to onboard air systems that not only assist tires, but can also power air tools during trail repairs.
LED Lighting
Aftermarket lighting options have been around for a while now, so it may not be news, but there are still many Jeep dads out there relying on the factory halogen lights for nighttime visibility.
So if yours has never considered replacing the weak factory lighting, here are some facts to help him come in from the dark.
Not only are LED headlights much brighter than halogen, but they also have less battery draw and throw a more accurate beam. All this helps keep him safer, reduces stress on the Jeep's battery in cold weather and makes for less driver-eye strain. Plus, LED headlights have an almost unlimited lifespan.
Additionally, LED headlights these days are more affordable than ever, and most brands out there utilize plug-and-play installation, so simply remove the front grille, pull out the current lights and replace with superior LED versions.
And it is not only headlights, either. Auxiliary lighting options have become increasingly important to off-road drivers who want the best visibility. Most of these come in a flood or spot beam, and will provide years of trouble-free use while featuring weather-tight seals designed to shield against whatever Mother Nature can devise.
Lifestyle
Chances are your dad, like most Jeep enthusiasts, really loves his vehicle. Well, besides love, there is also pride in ownership and that’s why things like hats, clothing, books, keychains, decals — lifestyle stuff — makes for great Father’s Day gifts.
Sure, modifications on the vehicle are nice and helpful, but displaying that brand loyalty by wearing a hat or hoodie, as well placing decals on the Jeep during that next off-roading trip, simply enhance that Jeep pride.
Additionally, things like Jeep-hued drinking glasses, insulated water bottles, bottle openers and Jeep RC models all can make tailgating around the campfire more fun as well.
