Every product was carefully curated by an Esquire editor. We may earn a commission from these links.
Nike
Best Slippers for Teens
UGG Tasman Slippers
Perfect for lounging at home or loitering in a parking lot. Teens wear these Uggs literally everywhere. (Cool Uncle Luke might splurge on the sold-out Palace x Ugg collab pair.)
Best Tech Gift for Teens
Apple AirPods Max
Buy him the ultimate Gen Z status symbol.
Best Bluetooth Speaker
Marshall Middleton Portable Bluetooth Speaker
It’s a good-looking speaker for his backpack or his dorm room, and it’s got IP67 weather resistance for when he forgets it outside.
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Best Sneakers to Gift
Nike Dunks
Dunks are back. You might have missed this, but every kid in high school owns a pair. The Panda Dunks are obviously the most popular pair.
Best Lighting Gift for Teen Boys
Philips Hue Smart Floor Lamp
Now 18% Off
As an adult, you always try to steer teenage boys away from two things. Number one is prison. Self-explanatory, and easy if you’ve done everything else right. Number two is the epidemic that is LED string lights. That’s difficult, as there’s a lot of social pressure for him to have a light strip in his dorm room. A fancy, and surprisingly tasteful, LED floor lamp is the answer.
Best Summer Shirt to Gift
Abercrombie & Fitch Camp Collar Linen-Blend Shirt
The A&F look has changed a lot since you rocked it, but it’s still tapped into what the kids want to wear. This linen camp-collar shirt will be a bit more buttoned-up than whatever tee he’s rocking.
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Best Cross-Body Bag Gift
Carhartt Jake Canvas Shoulder Pouch
It’s not a purse, okay? It’s a shoulder pouch that’s going to come in handy when he wants hands-free mobility. Chill.
Best Fancy Wallet to Gift
Loewe Puzzle Bifold Wallet
He might not have a lot of money, but that doesn’t mean he won’t need one of these. Made with smooth calfskin, this sleek wallet has four card slots and two larger pockets.
Best Jewelry Gift
AllSaints Colton Beaded Necklace
He is finding his sense of personal style, and you’re here to help him. A cool beaded necklace from AllSaints is a great first good necklace for ya boy.
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Best Active Sneaker Gift
On Cloudmonster
Whether he’s a runner or not, On’s sneakers are going to get him moving and grooving.
Best Sweatshirt for Teen Boys
Percival Sour Fruits Sweatshirt
A simple sweatshirt is his uniform. This one is extra cool, with a graphic print on the back that will have all his friends talking.
Best Stuffed Animal Gift
Hugimals Sam The Sloth
This is not your ordinary stuffed animal. It’s a weighted stuffed animal, aimed at reducing anxiety and stress. He’ll act too cool for it, but we guarantee he’ll love it.
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Best Cap
Overland Suede Baseball Cap
His classic baseball cap is getting an upgrade. Overland’s suede style is ultra chic.
Best Watch
Timex Expedition North Watch
A guy’s watch says a lot about him. This one says, “I’m ready to get my hands dirty” but in a sophisticated way.
Best Gift Under $20
Chronicle Books The Book of Building Fires
Now 28% Off
Even if he’s not a camper, learning how to build a fire is an essential skill. It’s survival 101.
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Coolest Tie
GOLF Le Fleur* Fleur Camo Tie Black
He’s not going to roll his eyes when he receives this tie. It’s cool, it’s camo, and it’s got Tyler, the Creator’s stamp of approval.
For the Vintage Shopper
Mastercard $100 Gift Card
Grailed and Depop don’t sell gift cards, so give him a Mastercard that will buy him one vintage NASCAR tee.
Best Gift for a Gamer
Xbox Game Pass Ultimate
Now 24% Off
With a massive catalog of games and the ability to stream them to any Game Pass–enabled PC, Xbox, or TV, this is the best deal in video games. Drop $200 on a yearlong subscription and he’ll love you forever.
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Best Gift for the Movie Buff
Enno Vatti 100 Movies Scratch Off Poster
If he’s going to watch too many movies, they might as well be the greats. He’ll be a classic-film buff with a broadened worldview by this time next year.
Best Bathroom Gift
SoundBot Shower Speaker
Not that teens need an excuse to take any longer to get ready, but this suction-cupped, Bluetooth-enabled, waterproof shower speaker makes the whole thing fun.
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