Gift cards have a reputation as the default 'I did not know what to get' gift. The reputation is half-deserved; gift cards have real strengths and real weaknesses.
When gift cards win. Last-minute timing (digital gift cards arrive in seconds). Recipients who have a specific store they shop at often. Recipients who have explicitly said they do not want gifts. Long-distance recipients where shipping is hard.
When picked gifts win. Recipients who do not buy themselves nice things. First Father's Days, milestone birthdays, anniversaries. Anyone who has signaled they want to be thought about, not just compensated for.
The math. A $100 gift card from Amazon reads as $100 of utility. A $100 wireless meat thermometer plus a handwritten card reads as $200 of thoughtfulness in most surveys, even though the dollar value is the same. The 'thoughtfulness premium' is real and consistent across age groups.
The hybrid. A $50 gift card plus a $30 picked gift (a small-batch BBQ rub flight, a chocolate flight, a single nice book) outperforms either alone. The picked gift signals you put thought into something; the gift card signals you trust him to pick the rest. This combination is underused.
When the hybrid does not work. New dad on his first Father's Day. Grandpa in assisted living. Anyone who has explicitly said 'no gift cards.' In all three cases, pick a specific gift instead.
A useful rule. If you can name three specific things he has mentioned in the last six months, pick one and skip the gift card. If you cannot, the hybrid is the safer move than a stand-alone gift card or a stand-alone guess.