Upgrade Dad for Father's Day

Ever take a look at your dad's sneakers? There's a good chance they're practically falling apart, that is, unless he had a birthday recently and you already took it upon yourself to replace them. Dads are notorious for refusing to replace their favorite items, and when it comes to technology, they can be even more stubborn.

Luckily for you, Father's Day is almost here. It's the one day of the year where you get to tell dad what's best for him, instead of the other way around. Here are a bunch of great gadget gifts for every kind of dad, to help him upgrade his life right now.

UPGRADE HIS HEALTH

If the most high-tech piece of Dad's workout gear is a first-generation iPod with a cracked screen, it's time to give the man some gear that will truly up his game. OMsignal's form fitting fitness apparel (starting at $100) is not only sleek and modern, but also ridiculously smart. With styles ranging from long sleeve to entirely sleeveless, OM's shirts are packed with sensors that keep track of heart rate, breathing, calories burned, steps taken, and a ton of other useful data.

All that valuable information gets sent straight to Dad's smartphone, where he can keep track of his exertion and track his workout trends. OM's apparel is like no other wearable Dad's ever seen, and if he's not keen on a potentially clunky fitness band hanging from his wrist, it's the perfect solution.

UPGRADE HIS MUSIC

If Dad's sound system is stuck in the 80s — you know, old faux wood grain and aluminum dials — it's time to tap his love of music and let him rock out like someone who lives in the 21st century. For great sound in any room, the Bluetooth ready Hex XS by 808 ($59.99) is a great, affordable option that features a pocket-size cabinet with a high-end look. It delivers full stereo sound, an enhanced bass radiator, and a whopping 12 hours of battery life on a single charge.

Great for a workshop, attic, basement or anywhere that Dad needs to take his tunes without worrying about wires.

If your pops is a bit more of an audiophile, and you have some serious spare cash, you can really go all-out with the Artcht One ($599). This beast of an audio system might look a bit like a lava lamp, but its sound will absolutely blow Dad away. Bassy, room-filling sound, Bluetooth compatibility, and a gorgeous form factor are the highlights, but Dad's favorite part will probably be rocking out to his favorite hits from yesteryear in a whole new way.

For a more private listening experience, hook Dad up with a pair of Blue Mo-Fi headphones ($349). Also lasting up to 12 hours on a single charge, these wireless cans are in a class of their own. They make any music from any device sound an order of magnitude better, with multiple amp modes and a unique design that keeps the earcups perfectly positioned on your ears so his tunes will sound predictably awesome every time.

UPGRADE HIS SAFETY

Dad's evening bike rides are his chance to decompress and let the day's worries slide right off, but making sure he's safe on the road might still give you pause. The Fly6 camera by Cycliq ($169) is a serious gadget that will give you some serious peace of mind.

It's a rear-facing cam that records crisp 720p video and audio, so you can pitch it to dad as a way to show the world where he's been, but it's also a super-bright rear tail light that reaches output of up to 30 Lumens. That's bright enough to cut through the night and get any driver's attention, keeping Dad safe while he enjoys his two-wheel cruise. Dad gets a cool new cycling accessory and you'll feel better knowing drivers will see him from a mile away. It can even handle an unexpected rain shower, no problem.

UPGRADE HIS ENTERTAINMENT

If your dad is less about puddle jumping and more about cable cutting, the Terk Omni-directional Flat Antenna (starting at $59) delivers a ton of local HD and Digital TV for absolutely free. He can get all his news, sports, and weather, while breaking free of the monthly cable crunch or satellite snag. Specific features include an extremely low noise (ELN) amplifier that enhances reception and it's super flexible — he can lay it flat, hang it, or stand it up with an included easel stand. The best part? You get to retire his old tinfoil coat hanger antenna for good.

A bottle of booze is one of the old standby gifts, but rather than pickup a six-pack of suds, why not go the extra step and let the Medea's LED-equipped vodka bottle ($40) say Happy Father's Day for you? Medea's multiple award-winning vodka is a treat on its own, but it's the insanely creative packaging — an LED strip that can be programmed to say whatever you want — that will make you the favorite child this year.

Lastly, if your pops is a grilling enthusiast — it seems like they almost all are, doesn't it? — you can give him a secret culinary weapon called the iGrill 2 ($99). Somewhat silly name aside, the iGrill 2 is a dream come true for chefs who want the perfectly grilled slab of meat every time. With a pair of highly durable meat probes, the crafty little gadget gives Dad a real-time temperature readout on its LCD display as well as his smartphone, via the iGrill app.

See? Once you get started, there's no stopping the potential of gifts for Dad. Just take a look around at what he already loves and give him a souped-up replacement upgrade. But maybe let him hold onto those holey kicks for keepsakes.

Happy Father's Day!

Jennifer Jolly is an Emmy Award-winning consumer tech contributor and host of USA TODAY's digital video show TECH NOW. E-mail her at techcomments@usatoday.com. Follow her on Twitter @JenniferJolly.