help with a gift idea

[Nick87]

I'm getting married in september and I'm having trouble figuring out what to get for my groomsman. I've been in weddings before and gotten the usual cheesy gifts, flask etc. I don't want that if I'm buying something I'd like to get something someone will actually use. Three of the five are hunters so I could get those three something different then the other two. I figured some of you might have some unique ideas. I'm wanting to keep it under $200 each or hopefully less, thanks in advance everyone.

 

[MJE2083]

I had a "destination" wedding so in lieu of a gift my wife and I simply paid for their hotel room. We also bought everyone matching ties for the ceremony. Some friends of mine, instead of having everyone rent a tux or buying a gift, bought the groomsmen's matching outfits which consisted of dress pants, shirt, and tie which could easily be worn to work or any other "dressy" event.

 

[NoWiser]

For my wedding I got my groomsmen extra small Kifaru duffels and had Kifaru sew their names onto them. They are the perfect size for a shaving kit and whenever I go on a trip with any of them I see them using them, still. Another buddy of mine did the same thing with larger Carhartt duffel bags for a wedding I was just in. Other good ones I've gotten were an Rtic soft sided cooler and an engraved leatherman multi-tool.

I must have about 3 flasks and 4 barbecue grill utensil sets from other weddings I've been in so I hear you on avoiding them.

 

[SFC B]

I am a fan good knives (the kind most wouldn't buy for themselves).....you could get them etched or engraved as well. Or, along those same lines, a Work Sharp knife and tool sharpener.

 

[tim629]

are your groomsmen friends with each other? or just friends with you from a few circles?

do the 2 that don't hunt enjoy shooting?

just thinking it could be more fun for me to go out a day shooting clays or pheasants vs getting a dedicated gift

 

[duckhunt]

If they all like spending time in the outdoors (not just hunting )you could do gift cards to cabelas.

 

[6mm Remington]

I am a fan good knives (the kind most wouldn't buy for themselves).....you could get them etched or engraved as well. Or, along those same lines, a Work Sharp knife and tool sharpener.

http://www.benchmade.com/catalogsearch/result/?q=mini+barrage Benchmade mini-barrage

Perfect gift as everyone needs a really good pocket knife to carry every day!! They show them being a bit under $150.00, but in stores they are typically a little less. I just bought one for a friend not too long ago and it was $120.00. With engraving it was right around $160.00 for the knife and engraving. Unique gift that will actually see use all the time and will be very much appreciated. Have their names engraved and it will just add that personal touch.

The mini-barrage has a blade just shy of 3". Perfect size and blade shape for just about any task you can think of to include dressing out a deer or antelope. These have a spring assist opening which opens the blade very quickly, and it has two locks on the blade so you don't have to worry about closing it on your fingers!! If you can find the blades that are coated in black, the engraving really pops out and I think it's only about $10.00 more to get the coated blades.

David

 

[Nick87]

That mini barrage looks like a nice knife, a knife was was my go to gift in my mind I may look in to that one it looks like a good one.

 

[Eric.MN]

I gave out soft sided coolers full of beer. Still see my buds using the cooler so it seems like a practicle gift

 

[Elite7]

I gave each of my groomsmen the Ozark trail tumblers and had my wife vinyl something that personally makes them unique. An example of a couple that I wanted to keep was an old ford tractor logo and one with a flock of ducks cupped and landing. I was lucky because she does that type of stuff for side money, so the cups only cost me $10.00 at Walmart. I then gave them all a gift card to cabelas. I have been in too many wedding that gave out knives, flasks, or shot glasses. I couldn't tell you where any of those items are at anymore. The knives are actually useful for me but I always end up losing them or breaking them on the farm. The most useful groomsmen gift that I received was actually a joke. My buddy gave us all dress socks and I use them all the time. My budget doesn't have any money for dress clothes. It's all for hunting clothes!

 

[LopeHunter]

For my wedding I got my groomsmen extra small Kifaru duffels and had Kifaru sew their names onto them. They are the perfect size for a shaving kit and whenever I go on a trip with any of them I see them using them, still. Another buddy of mine did the same thing with larger Carhartt duffel bags for a wedding I was just in."

This. Can be a duffle with name or initials or nickname. Land's End, LL Bean, or the two brands mentioned above will have solid zippers and tension bands so will last through some abuse. I use a large rolling duffle when fly to a hunt since need lots of volume for sleeping bag, pad, pillow, game bags, camp shoes, etc and still can stay under 50# for that duffle. I toss my gun case on top of the rolling duffle as wheel towards the rental car bus. The name or nickname embroidered is key and makes it easy to know is your duffle as rolls down the baggage claim carousel.

 

[rtraverdavis]

Second on a Benchmade knife. Awesome knives that will last forever. Also, congratulations!

 

[Gellar]

I really wanted to get my groomsmen a real shave from a barber shop. With the hot towel, straight blade and the whole nine yards the morning of the wedding, but my fiance read on the internet that some people get bad razor burn from a straight shave and was worried about it for pictures. So I contemplated between a personalized knife and a travel kit. Went with the knife and dress socks for the day. It seems like every wedding I have been in it is a scramble for dress socks by the groomsman.

 

[1_pointer]

A pard of mine, got all of his groomsmen a knife from Buck with some engraving on it. One small enough to also be carried everyday would be a worthwhile gift to all men, regardless if they hunt or not. I rarely if ever don't have a pocketknife on me and am shocked at the number of grown men who don't regularly carry one.

 

[MJE2083]

Knives are great and all but personally I have too many already. Doesn't anyone else have this problem? Being a hunter it seems like the only gift I get from people is a knife. My friend gave me one when I was his best man, big old fixed blade buck knife with my name engraved. I've got cheap ones, expensive ones, useless ones, all kinds. Xmas, birthday, weddings, door prizes, you name it. Honestly a year or two ago I told my wife that if anyone asked her about a gift for me to tell them "no more knives".

 

[MJE2083]

For our wedding favors (we had a small wedding) we got knock off nalgene bottles and had a design and our wedding date printed on them. Then we filled the bottles with stuff almost like a survival kit but with stuff that virtually anyone could use. A flashlight, trail mix, packs of matches(with our names and wedding date on them), fire starters, etc...

 

[Steiny]

Raise the budget a little and you could get them all a nice .22 pistol.
I did this for my business partners one Christmas, was very well received.

Or rather than a physical gift, consider paying for a guided fishing trip or similar for the group.

Trinkets like pocket knives and flasks wind up gathering dust on a shelf somewhere.

 

[huntid73]

+1 on the knives. I got my groomsmen engraved knives, didn't have a ton to spend, but I found some nice knives that had a seatbelt cutter and a window punchout too. Two of my groomsmen are county deputies and they have told me the knives came in handy for a few car extractions. I will say that the actual steel in the knife might not be the greatest, since I didn't have a lot to spend, but the gents loved them.

 

[noharleyyet]

Knives..EDC folders or Fixed for the hunters....nice floral bouquets for the non hunters.

 

[teej89]

I like the knives idea, but one gift that I got a couple years ago that I still use is a backpack cooler. It gets used all the time especially in the summer for toting my beers and keeping em cool. He got em with our names on them and then filled it with our favorite brews.

http://www.exclusivelyweddings.com/...-Barware-Groomsmen-Gift/Black-Backpack-Cooler