Not Just Kids’ Play: 3 Manly Hobbies for Men

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Every guy needs at least one hobby that will help him unwind and relax in a world that’s always on, where to-do-lists are long and everyone’s addicted to their screens. Your hobby can give you an outlet for the stress and help you become a well-rounded and happier person in these tough times. When it comes to hobbies, it’s all about enjoyment and passion and finding the right one can help you foster the good kind of stress, improve your creativity and connect you with a community sharing the same interests.

Unfortunately, many adults consider hobbies to be activities that are only appealing to kids. But that’s not true. Many hobbies, particularly the ones where you build or create things can challenge the adult mind and body in a good way. There are some hobbies that especially appeal to men and allow them to connect even more to their manly side. That being said, here are three of the most popular hobbies for men and how to get started.

Get into the World of RC Vehicles

picture of RC vehicles on sand
source: rcgeeks.co.uk

RC stands for radio-controlled cars and while there’s a tendency to think of an RC car as something for a kid, the truth is that there are many adults who indulge in collecting these vehicles and racing them in various competitions. You can find an online hobby shop and discover the world of RC vehicles and all the cool stuff to choose from, from cars to trucks to aircraft and boats.

When you visit an online hobby shop, you’ll notice that there are toy and hobby grade RC vehicles available. Toy cars may be a good option if you’re a beginner or if you want to share this activity with your children, while hobby RC grade cars are more powerful and faster, and preferred by RC enthusiasts. You can decide whether you want to purchase a kit and build your own RC vehicle or buy a ready-to-run model. It depends on your personal preferences, so if you want to start as soon as possible, it’s better to go for a ready to run model, but if you enjoy tinkering with models and assembling them, then an RC kit is the right choice for you.

Also, you can opt for an electric or fuel-powered ride as handling the speed and the power of RC hobby models is the most exciting part of the activity, for both beginners and experts. You’ll need to practice your driving skills to ensure you’re on track and avoid crashing or spinning out. However, these cars are not indestructible and may break at some point.

Keeping your car in excellent running order is part of the hobby, so it’s important to keep a small stock of spares that will allow for a quick fix to get you back on the road. Same as a full-scale car, an RC car has wear and tear parts, such as spur and pinion gears, tires and wheels, that should be checked regularly. Replacing and upgrading them is part of the fun and is crucial to ensure your hobby RC vehicle runs smoothly.

Eventually, you may take your hobby from your backyard to professional RC hobby competitions, where you will be looking at the chances to win prizes and trophies and be a part of a serious sport that has rules and entry fees.

Start Homebrewing

picture of homebrewing in the backyard
source: 55places.com

Homebrewing is a social and fun activity, a popular hobby with a beautiful purpose – to create your own beer in your favored craft beer style. You can use the ingredients you prefer and brew tasty beers based on your ideas and wishes. The best thing about homebrewing is that you can explore various craft styles, flavors and techniques. The fun is in experimenting and learning throughout the entire process.

Before you begin it’s good to know that this is a hobby that can get messy at times. For that reason, it’s important to find the right home brewing equipment and follow the instructions. There are four basic steps that you’ll need to follow – prepare, brew, ferment and bottle. Get your beer recipe and all your home brewing equipment including the brewing pot and kettle, fermenter, sanitizer, burner, thermometer, tubing, filler, capper, bottles, bottle caps, bottle labels, chillers, glasses and a maintenance and cleaning kit.

It’s important to always sanities the equipment before you start brewing. Keep in mind that the process can take a couple of hours and requires a lot of mixing. When you get to the fermenting stage, that’s the time when all the magic happens. When the fermenting is done, you’ll need to sterilize all the bottles, bottle caps and glasses you’re going to use.

In case you don’t get it quite right the first time, it’s not a big deal. Consider it part of the fun and keep trying. One of the greatest benefits of homebrewing is the freedom you get in making beer up to your taste, and over time you’ll realize how simple it is and enjoy it even more. That’s where your hobby can get a bit therapeutic as you get yourself into it, let yourself enjoy every step and forget about your everyday worries while cracking open a cold one with the guys.

Go Fishing

picture of a man fishing on a lake
source: menshaircuts.com

Fishing is a fun, yet relaxing hobby that gives you a sense of self-fulfillment. When you go fishing, you respect the environment, enjoy the water, learn skills, learn to be patient and set a goal for the day. Some choose this hobby because it’s challenging, others go for it to find a peace of mind connecting with nature. Whatever your reason is, you can’t go fishing without the right equipment and fishing accessories.

The gear used for fishing is also known as fishing tackle. Choosing your fishing equipment can be a daunting task as there are numerous options out there for rods and reels. For the first time anglers, the key is to keep it simple and make sure to purchase the types of fishing rod and reel designed for your style of fishing. To fully enjoy your fishing experience, you’ll need to select quality fishing accessories as well, such as tools, devices and containers you’ll need to enhance and maintain your tackle, land and process fish and store your equipment.

You’ll need to stock up on additional items including lines, hooks, floats and baits. It’s important to select the line that’s suitable to your rod’s weight and the type of fish you’re planning to catch. Keep in mind that the type of fish you’re targeting may help you select the hook as well. Also, you can get soft plastic lures, frozen or live bait – anything to get the fish to bite.

Depending on the fishing spot of your choice, you may need a recreational fishing license. That’s why don’t forget to do your research before you head to your fishing journey.