4 Top-Tier Off The Beaten Path Valentine Gifts That Aren’t Candy

I’ve got nothing against chocolate and roses…as long as that’s what your Valentine is actually looking for.

The best Valentine’s Day gifts are those that show you know your partner, that you care enough to get them something that they actually like. Not just some compulsory gift that says “this is what everyone else gets so you’re getting it too.” Or worse, something that only telegraphs that the other stuff is just pretense.

So, then, if chocolate, roses, and themed underwear are out, what are your options? Well, literally anything but here are a few items I’ve come across recently that will show your Valentine that you put some thought into their gift and are looking for something that lasts longer than a box of candy.

Base Camp F11 Electric Skateboard

Am I really starting off a list of Valentine’s Day gifts with an electric skateboard? Yes. Yes I am. Why? Because it’s fun. The Base Camp F11 Electric Skateboard is a “mini” deck that can get up to 10 MPH in expert mode and has a 9-mile range. The deck is spacious and handles easily on 90mm wheels. It’s beginner-friendly enough that an aged tech journalist can hop on it and not kill themselves, but also has advanced modes so that said journalist’s college-aged son can hop on and zip out of view in about two seconds flat. The handheld remote is intuitive to use and the regenerative braking is extremely responsive. There’s also a great kickstand for quick turning and maneuverability.

The 300W hub motor can accommodate riders up to 220lbs. and power up a 10° incline without impacting range or speed. The deck itself is made from eight layers of maple and has grip tape applied to the top. With the wide wheels, spacious deck, and long range, it’s a fantastic board for cruising. It even comes with a handy backpack so that you can carry it with you when you arrive at your destination (like maybe your Valentine’s dinner date?) The F11 Electric Skateboard is $299 on the Base Camp website. There are also fun upgrades like glow wheels available.

Vandal Expandable Cargo Pack

How about a gift that says “let’s get away for the weekend?” The Vandal Expandable Cargo Pack from Mission Workshop is a versatile, go-anywhere pack that expands from a voluminous 1,800 cu. in. of space to an astounding 4,000 cu. in. The main compartment is water resistant and has several weatherproof compartments for your gear. It can fit a 15-in laptop in the main pack or a 17-in laptop in the roll-top flap. And at just under 4 and a half pounds when empty, it’s not going to weigh you down. The carbon fiber-reinforced frame keeps things light while giving you the structure you need.

And, honestly, it’s just nicer looking than most of the packs out there. It keeps its messenger bag roots while still being an attractive bag that doesn’t look like you stole your kid’s backpack. I’m partial to the orange pack, but there are also classy charcoal, gray, and black options as well. Grab on for $415 on the Mission Workshop site.

Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition

Reading is an aphrodisiac. Anyone who says differently…well, maybe they shouldn’t be your Valentine. If your Valentine is a book-lover, then they absolutely must have a Kindle.

Amazon has recently added two gorgeous new colorways to their Kindle Paperwhite lineup—Agave Green and Denim. These have a luxurious 6.8-inch, 300 ppi screen that’s honestly just as good as reading on paper. I’m a fan of the Signature Edition that adds auto-adjusting lighting (so that the lights dim automatically when you’re reading in a dark room), Qi wireless charging (in addition to the USB-C port), and an expanded 32GB of storage space.

You can match or complement the new Kindle colors with fabric and leather colors in Agave Green and Denim. The Denim fabric cover is especially nice while I think that the Agave Green is super-sharp in leather. Even better? Amazon is having a Valentine’s Day sale right now that drops the price of the Signature Edition down to $139, that’s the same as the base price for the standard Paperwhite!

Jolie Shower Head

You might think this is a shameless plug for an expensive shower head. But I’m here to tell you that if you hand your Valentine the key to softer hair and better skin, they’re going to absolutely love you.

Water in the US is treated so that it’s potable. To do that, utilities load it up with things like chlorine to kill bacteria. Fun fact, chlorine is awful for hair and skin. It strips oils and leaves your hair dull. The issue is compounded when you live in a place with high mineral content in the water.

Here in Florida, where water comes from limestone aquifers, we’ve got the chalkiest, heaviest water around. Keeping bathrooms and sinks clean and faucets unclogged is a never-ending chore. When all of those dissolved minerals end up on your skin, it’s not good.

Long story short, hard, treated water is good for your gut and washing your dishes, but bad for washing you. Jolie is fixing that with a fancy filtered shower head that has a quarterly filter subscription so that, once you fix the problem, it stays fixed.

To start off, Jolie looks minimalistic and lux. The design is simple and easy to install. Even the placement of the holes in the shower head are based on the Fibonacci sequence so that it looks satisfying even when it’s just sitting in your shower. It comes in Chrome, Brushed Steel, and Matte Black finishes to match your decor.

The filter is where the real action happens, though. Using a combination of KDF-55 to remove chlorine and heavy metals and Calcium Sulfate balls (to remove even more chlorine) the one-two combo means that flow rate isn’t reduced as a result of filtering your water. So you get great pressure and softer water. As anyone who’s showered with a sub-par filtered shower head can tell you, maintaining water pressure is a big deal.

Giving your Valentine the gift of a lifetime of better, cleaner hair and skin is a pretty big flex.

You can grab the Jolie shower head for $148 with a quarterly $33 filter subscription (important to keep the water pressure high) or on its own without a filter subscription for $165.