Camping Can Opener

Camping Can Opener That Also Opens Bottles

There's nothing worse than getting to the campsite, unpacking dinner and realizing nobody brought a can opener. This camping can opener is small enough that you can leave one in every bag, glove box and emergency kit and never think about it again.

It's a flat, one-piece metal can opener. The hooked tip cuts into the can lid, and there's a bottle opener built in. A hole at the end lets you hang it on a keychain or clip it to a carabiner on your pack. Tiny, tough and always there when you need it.

How to use a camp can opener

It works a little differently from a kitchen opener, so it's worth knowing before you're out in the woods:

1. Hook the tip over the rim of the can, just inside the edge.
2. Press down to pierce the lid.
3. Rock the tool forward a little, then move it along the rim and repeat.
4. Work your way around, then lift the lid carefully. The edge will be sharp.

The first can takes a minute. After that, short rocking motions along the rim become second nature.

Why a small can opener makes sense outdoors

There are no gears, wheels or hinges, so there's nothing to jam with sand or rust shut after a rainy trip. It weighs next to nothing, and it costs little enough that you can keep a spare in the car.

How do you open a can without a can opener?

You can do it with a spoon or by rubbing the lid on rough concrete, but both are slow, messy and easy to cut yourself on. That's the whole reason to keep a small can opener on your keys or in your kit. It weighs almost nothing until the day you need it.

Good places to keep one

• Camping and hiking packs
• The car glove box and emergency kit
• Hurricane or earthquake supply kits
• RVs, boats and fishing tackle boxes
• A dorm room or office drawer

Care

Wipe it off and let it dry after each use, especially after a wet weekend.

Shipping: delivery to the US takes about 8 to 20 days. To the rest of the world, up to 35 days.

It costs less than a camp breakfast, so it's worth ordering two: one for the pack and one for the car. Browse more can and jar openers and camping utensils.