Gifts for the Guy Who Has Everything

Gifts for the Guy Who Has Everything

If you've scrolled this far, you've probably given up on the usual suspects — another tie, another wallet, another box of golf balls. The men this collection is built for are the ones who buy whatever they decide they need the moment they decide they need it, which means by the time December rolls around they already own the obvious. What McGuire sells is less obvious.

Military surplus isn't a profession-exclusive category. It's gear engineered to high quality and meant to last. The guy who seems to have everything usually doesn't have THIS — a woobie, an ammo can stocked with his glovebox essentials, a wool blanket that outlasts the couch it sits on, and other unique military items.

Under $25 covers the stocking-stuffer category that actually gets used: a military camo flask, a shemagh (pronounced sheh-mahg — a scarf that works as a neck gaiter, dust cover, or improvised sling), an empty ammo can for tool or glovebox storage. Mid-range ($25-$75) is where the cult-classic surplus items live: the woobie (Army poncho liner, the most-requested piece of military gear in civilian life), a camping wool blanket, Genuine Issue military gear, or a boonie hat. Over $75 is the big stuff: an ECWCS parka, an authentic field jacket, or a military rucksack built to last two decades of weekends.

McGuire has been in the surplus trade for three generations. Everything here is either genuine issue (the actual military-contracted item), MIL-SPEC (manufactured to the exact military specification) or practical everyday gear that holds up. No themed souvenirs, no eagle-and-flag novelty.

Also worth checking, depending on his preferences: Gifts for Campers & Backpackers if his idea of a vacation involves a tent, or Gifts for Veterans if he served.

Free shipping on contiguous US orders, no minimum; expedited shipping and Alaska/Hawaii options at checkout. Weekday orders placed before 1pm Eastern go out the same day; everything else ships the next business day. 30-day returns if the fit or the item isn't right.

Frequently Asked Questions

What do you get a man who literally has everything?

Something he doesn't even know exists. The whole premise of this collection is that McGuire sells gear that regular retailers don't carry — the woobie (a cult-favorite Army blanket), the shemagh (a scarf more useful than any scarf has a right to be), the ammo can (great tool organizer), the entrenching tool, the real mil-spec paracord. These aren't items a person browses for at a department store; they're items you only find once someone hands you one.

Is military surplus a good gift for a guy who isn't military?

Usually a great one. Military gear is built to a rough-use standard and made to last. A woobie works on a cold couch as well as on a cold hillside. A shemagh works as a scarf, a dust mask, a picnic blanket, or a camera wrap. An ammo can keeps batteries, tools, or holiday lights dry in a garage. 'Tactical' is a design standard, not a profession — none of this requires a service record to use.

What's the woobie, and why does everyone talk about it?

Officially: the Poncho Liner, developed in the mid-1960s and used ever since. Technically: a quilted nylon blanket roughly the size of a twin bedsheet, insulated with polyester fill, with tie-tabs at the corners. In practice: the single most-beloved piece of military gear in American civilian life. GIs have been sleeping with their woobies for sixty years. Non-military owners keep them on a couch, in a truck, at a campsite, or packed into a car emergency kit. Lightweight, warm, packs small, costs less than a chain-store throw blanket. If you only remember one item from this whole guide, make it the woobie.

What's a 'wow, where did you find THAT?' kind of gift?

The surplus trade produces a lot of items civilians rarely see. Some favorites: a USGI rain poncho (the actual military poncho — water-shedding, with grommets at the corners so it doubles as an emergency shelter or ground cloth). The entrenching tool mentioned above — folds down to the size of a book, doubles as a camp spade, snow shovel, or trail clearer. A USGI mess kit (the folding stove-and-pan combo that's been standard issue since WWII). An ammo can painted with its original contract markings. Hand one of these to a guy who has everything and the first words are usually some version of 'where did you find this.'

What's the right budget?

Whatever makes sense. Under $25 gets real items, not just placeholders: an ammo can, a canteen cup. Mid-range ($25-$75) is where the cult classics sit: the woobie, a surplus wool blanket, a boonie hat, cold-weather layers. Over $75 is for the serious stuff — an ECWCS parka, an authentic field jacket, a military rucksack. The best gifts in this collection tend to cost less than people expect, because, well, surplus.

Can you ship it directly to him so it doesn't sit under my tree?

Yes. Enter a different shipping address at checkout and the package ships straight to him. Our shipments don't include gift notes, so if you want him to know the gift came from you, send a text when the tracking pings. If you want to wrap it yourself, ship it to your own address first.

Do you sell gift cards if I can't decide?

Yes — both physical and digital. Digital gift cards deliver by email instantly, which helps when you're down to the wire. Physical gift cards ship on our normal schedule. Either way, the recipient picks exactly what he wants from the full catalog.