The Ultimate Grateful Dead Gift Guide for Deadhead Dads
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The Deadhead fandom lives on, if not in an intergenerational obsession with the iconic rock band but in ongoing collaborations and products that celebrate their legacy.
The newest Grateful Dead merch on the lineup is a new limited-edition cooler from Igloo, donning colorful Dancing Bears. The Little Playmate cooler is the latest product added to the company’s Grateful Dead collection, which includes insulating backpacks and tumblers outfitted in Grateful Dead imagery.
The band’s iconic dancing bears also march across luxurious Nixon watches and atop Hedley & Bennett aprons, while their famous skull-and-roses imagery is splashed across everything from luxe sweaters and fine china.
Here are the best, most unique Grateful Dead merch to gift the Deadheads in your life this year.
Igloo Cooler
Keep your whole 2022 hippie vibe flowing all the way to the beach or the park with this cute Igloo collab. The vintage-styled coolers have returned with a playful dancing bear in a gorgeous pastel pink, surrounded by the band’s iconic rose and skulls and bones imagery.
Grateful Dead Nixon Timepiece
While most Deadheads are content rocking their Birks year-round (we don’t blame them!), you can’t go wrong with helping them add some elegance to their style. This brand new Sentry Chrono from Nixon is the perfect choice, marrying technical functionality and Grateful Dead style in a rugged timepiece. Three 3D Steal Your Face subdials are individually applied to the custom etched psychedelic texture on the face to create a six-hand chronograph enclosed in a 42mm case. Plus, the custom stainless steel band can be swapped out for its embossed leather counterpart in a snap to unleash a new look. Here, check out more watches from the Nixon x Grateful Dead collection.
Grateful Dead Sweater Jacket
Grateful Dead’s iconic bears dance across this heavyweight wool-blend sweater, designed with other festive elements for the holidays. The cozy zip-up is also lined with fiberfill for extra warmth, and is topped off with a standing collar for some extra pizzazz.
Grateful Dead Tie Dye Beanie
Parks Project bring rock n’ roll and conservation together in this chunky ribbed beanie, featuring a cozy cuff and intricate Grateful Dead patch. Like all of Parks Projects’ pieces, a percent of all profits made will help fund vital projects dedicated to the conservation of national parks.
Grateful Dead String Lights
Add some psychedelic feng-shui to your space with these groovy Grateful Dead bear string lights that offer a tinted glow for colorful ambience. Stretching out three feet, they’re perfect for stringing along headboards or around window frames.
Grateful Dead Truffle Collection
Go on tour with the iconic ’60s band…through chocolate. Vosges Haut-Chocolat, famous nationwide for their truffles, have made a special 16-piece package for Deadheads, with each candy inspired by a specific Grateful Dead album or show. From the Yeah Dave, made with ceylon cinnamon and ancho chili powder, to the Dusty Delilah, packed with reishi mushrooms, rum tincture and coconut, the bundle has a diverse range of offerings for every type of Deadhead and sweet tooth.
Steal Your Face Backpack
This special Daytripper Backpack from Igloo will make the perfect companion for everything from the hiking trail to the beach to an outdoor concert. Tagged with the legendary “Steal Your Face” album artwork, the limited edition backpack also features MaxCold insulation, padded straps, two divided compartments to keep items organized and even a built-in bottle opener.
Hedley & Bennett x Grateful Dead Apron
Dancing bears carry whisks and pans in Hedley & Bennett’s recent collaboration with the Grateful Dead, which is made up of two funky aprons inspired by the band’s psychedelic imagery. The louder option of the two features blue and purple tie dye, in addition to dancing bears holding culinary tools such as cutting knives and whisks. Both aprons are made out of 90% Cotton, 8% Polyester, 2% Spandex. Plus, you can personalize the gift by adding custom embroidered letters on the right chest for an additional $15.
Limited-Edition Grateful Dead Dancing Bear Bobbleheads
You’ll have to act fast if you want to get your hands on these psychedelic collectible items. Only 400 of the ultra-popular 24-inch hand painted bobbleheads were re-released today on Etsy. They come in four bright primary colors reminiscent of the band’s favorite tie-dye combos: red, orange, yellow, green and blue. But if you prefer Jerry over the bears, we don’t blame you: snag a Funk Pop! of the iconic guitarist instead.
Grateful Dead Tie-Dye Playing Cards
These make the best addition to any camping trip or long car ride. The full pack comes with different funky images, all featuring the band’s classic skull imagery and tie-dye patterns.
Buy: Grateful Dead Playing Cards $9.99
Beary Good & Sunshine Daydream Mineral Soak
From Wild Yonder Botanicals, these all natural, hand-blended, honey-infused mineral soaks can also be used as a body scrub (depending on how you prefer to spend your bath time). The collaboration began in 2018 and has since expanded to a whole Grateful Dead collection with air fresheners and roll-on oils.
Slowtide Blanket
Started by three friends, Slowtide creates comfort for outdoor hangouts. The brands whole vibe is basically creating various blankets and towels to keep your beach hangs both comfortable and stylish. You’ll spot their towels at trendy places including the Los Angeles, Portland and Palm Springs Ace Hotels. However, it’s their recent Grateful Dead collaboration that keeps selling out. This line includes over 12 different Grateful Dead-inspired blankets, towels and robes. There’s also a little California quick-dry towel and this white “Truckin” towel.
Grateful Dead Warner Bros. Studio Albums Vinyl Box Set
In the period of four years (1967 to 1970), Grateful Dead put out five studio albums (and one live album) that would establish their jam band ethos. That collection has been bundled together in a vinyl box set and includes the albums: “The Grateful Dead,” “Anthem Of The Sun,” “Aoxomoxoa,” “Workingman’s Dead” and “American Beauty.” If you’re just looking for one, simple Dead album to add to your collection, we recommend “Aoxomoxoa.” “American Beauty” is by far and away their most popular studio album, but the “St. Stephen” track on Aoxomoxoa will literally change your life. If you’re looking for a live vinyl, we normally don’t plug “best” albums but this live compilation from ’69 to ’77 is pretty great.
‘Ripple Junction’ T-Shirt
If you’re looking for something with a vintage feel, the cotton t-shits of Ripple Junction have a faded vibe and a “been there” look, despite probably not being old enough to have lived through this show at all.
Buy: Ripple Junction Vintage T-Shirt $19.95
Guitar Strap
If you’re a true deadhead, it’s time to represent on your guitar while you slowly pick through the opening of “Uncle John’s Band.” If you’re looking for something a little less dancing bear, we love this steal your face strap with the bands name printed across. And while you’re at it, pick up a few guitar picks as well.
Buy: Grateful Dead Guitar Strap $22.95
Stickers
Let’s not even pretend for a second that you’re not into stickers. If you’ve made it this far in the “Best Grateful Dead Merchandise” list, you definitely have a steal your face sticker on something or another in your life. What’s a few more?
Buy: 50-Piece Grateful Dead Sticker Set $13.99
Tubbs Frontier Snowshoe
If you’re not going to go the traditional snowshoe route, then best to lean all the way in and go full deadhead snow bunny. This collaboration between the Dead and Tubbs is using the best-selling model from their whole snowshoe line. The limited edition shoes has EZ binding with a single buckle it makes getting in and out of the shoe simple.
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