There’s no doubt that the best multitools make excellent Father’s Day gifts. A good one will last years, and if your dad’s even a little handy or outdoorsy, he’ll find that it’s a practical, everyday companion. But this Father’s Day, I’m proposing something similar but ultimately more personalized, elegant and (frankly) affordable: the Opinel No.08 Stainless Steel Folding Knife.
I know it makes a great gift because I received the French-made knife from my grandmother more than five years ago. There are weeks when it sits unused, but it’s never far from my side on backpacking excursions and camping trips, and it’s probably the chicest box opener you can buy. Here’s why you should consider gifting it to the father figure in your life.
Measuring slightly over 4 inches in length when closed and weighing just 1.6 ounces, the Opinel No.08 is the perfect size for everyday excursions and outdoor adventures. On a 38-mile backpacking trip across Catalina Island, I used it to carve up and eat prickly pear cacti, stir my oatmeal and open freeze-dried meals. Even after such heavy use, the 3-inch Sandvik stainless steel blade remains sharp — though if it ever dulls, sharpening is certainly possible with a whetstone.
