Everyday Carry

10 Travel-Friendly Box Opener Tools

Authored by:
Jonathan Tayag
Reviewed by:
Bernard Capulong
Founder and Editor-in-Chief
14+ Years Reviewing EDC Products
10 Travel-Friendly Box Opener Tools

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Whether it's part of your job or you end up unboxing new gear you get in the mail more than you'd like to admit, opening up cardboard boxes ranks high on our list of daily tasks. Naturally you'd want to reach for your trusty EDC knife, but sometimes it isn't the best tool for the job. Cardboard can dull an edge all too quickly, not to mention the packing tape residue gunking up the blade, rendering your knife less useful for making precise, sharp cuts. And sometimes, you might end up in a place where carrying a blade isn't even allowed. It's times like these when a non-bladed opener tool can come in handy. In this guide, we're highlighting some tools that can tackle tacky tape and much more to complement your EDC.


Lansky Roadie

The Roadie integrates eight different essential functions into its small design, and there's enough pointed edges at the tip of the tool to help you get through most packaging. But if you still prefer a knife to open up packaging, the Roadie can help you sharpen it after it gets dull because it comes with a carbide pull-through sharpener at the top near the carabiner swing gate for your keys.

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CRKT Pryma

The Pryma is a compact 3.2” multitool designed in collaboration with Jesper Voxnaes. At its tip is a beveled pry bar that can also work as a box opener, scraper, and screwdriver. A hex wrench with three different sizes and a bottle opener are also found built into the frame.

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MecArmy FL10

The FL10 is a combination EDC multitool and LED flashlight that helps you consolidate your carry. It features a rugged TC4 titanium design that's easy to carry thanks to the swing-gate carabiner and lanyard attachment point built into the design. And at the tip, near the business end of the flashlight, there's an angled strike bezel that you can use to break through packaging.

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Gerber Shard

The Gerber Shard is one of the most popular tools in this category. It has a useful design that mixes a bottle opener, pry bar, and screwdriver in a small keychain-sized tool. The pointed parts of the tool also make for easy opening of cardboard boxes and packaging.

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Leatherman Brewzer

You can tell by its very name and the beer bottle lanyard hole built into the design that the primary function of this keychain tool is to help you crack open a cold one. But the mini pry bar at the top really does excel at breaking through tape when it's time to work instead of play.

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Tactica M100

Unlike the rest of the tools in this list, the Tactica M100 features a non-bladed design made mostly of lightweight composite material. And on one of the edges is a dedicated hook for opening up tape and packaging. There's a plethora of additional uses for this tool, which explains why its initial crowdfunding run ended up one of the most successful EDC projects upon delivery.

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Keyport MOCA

The MOCA fits 10 different functions into a small shape that's compatible with Keyport's own minimalist key holder. But most pertinent for us is the hooked box opener at the tip that is designed entirely for helping you cut through packages. It's made of hardened 420 stainless steel and is TSA-friendly so you should be able to take it with you when you're traveling.

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KnifeGuys Impact

If you're looking for a tool that inspires confidence, the Knifeguys Impact Tool does the job well. It's a solid piece of 6Al4V titanium built into a wrench-like shape. At the tip there's a prybar and nail puller that you can also use to open boxes. The tip can drive flathead screws, rounding out its utility.

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Prometheus Episilon EKO

For more discreet carry, the key-shaped design of the EKO is ideal. It's a one-piece tool built to the same dimensions as an everyday house key, but made entirely of grade 5 titanium. It has a beveled edge that helps you open boxes and cut through tape, but it isn't actually sharp to the touch, making it safe for pocket carry and travel.

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EOS Mini Ti Shark

True to its name the Mini Ti Shark features a set of jagged teeth guarded within a mouth shape that also serves as a bottle opener. That, paired with the combination screwdriver and pry bar tip, should get your through most packaging with ease. It's a one-piece titanium design that has a vague face structure, complete  with a small hex wrench near the tip that serves as the eyes. For ease of carry, there's a clip on the side, and a lanyard hole at the bottom.

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If you'd still rather open boxes the old fashioned way, check out our guide to EDC-worthy utility blades for more gear options.

Jonathan Tayag

Senior Contributor


About the Author
Jonathan Tayag is secretly an information technology and corporate security expert who prefers to moonlight as a creative event and commercial photographer whenever possible. His varied experience and substantial travels have led him to seek, without even thinking about it at first, the best gear for the best use at the best price available. Before the concept of EDC (everyday carry) firmly took hold, Jonathan already spent untold amounts of time optimizing for the best-in-slot pieces of gear, from cameras and lenses to pocket knives, pens, and bags and packs. In November 2015, Jonathan joined EverydayCarry.com and has since written numerous articles and guides to help impart his knowledge to the community as a whole.

Jonathan's photographic works have appeared on numerous online websites, print, video, and television outlets for over a decade. Jonathan's previous clients include Blizzard Entertainment, Red Bull, ESL, Razer, and several other endemic and non-endemic esports sponsors and brands. His work also features heavily in online competitive gaming communities, especially those of the StarCraft and Fighting Game genres. You've likely seen his work if you've spent time in a stream or in-game chat over the years.

Bernard Capulong

Founder and Editor-in-Chief


About the Reviewer
Bernard Capulong is an everyday carry (EDC) gear expert, entrepreneur, all-around nerd, and the founder and editor-in-chief of EverydayCarry.com—the largest online community for EDC gear enthusiasts. Since founding Everyday Carry in 2009, he’s built over a decade of experience in the industry, reviewing and highlighting brands and products, including pocket knives, flashlights, wallets, watches, bags, pens, and much more.

Bernard is known for bringing everyday carry out of obscurity and into the mainstream, having been published or featured in various publications such as GQ, TIME Magazine, The New York Times, VICE, HYPEBEAST, Outside, and many others. He has also played a part in curating, designing, and developing digital and physical products, resulting in successful crowdfunding projects or limited edition collaboration products with established softgoods brands. He stays on the pulse of the EDC industry by attending trade shows, participating in online interest communities, and actively engaging with fellow gear enthusiasts on social media.

In addition to being the editor-in-chief and main social media personality for EverydayCarry.com, Bernard is an avid gearhead and collector in general. His personal collections span technical bags, fountain pens, digital cameras, retro gaming hardware, personal hi-fi audio gear, and mechanical wristwatches, to name a few. Bernard Capulong is a prominent figure and trusted authority in the everyday carry industry with a career dedicated to helping people discover this hobby and stay prepared with quality gear.

Discussion (6 total)

Tony ·
I think the TPT by bigidesign should be on this list too. It accepts standard utility razor blades, but the regular dual function insert is made for opening boxes and since it isn't a blade it's also travel-friendly if you're in an area where you're not allowed to have a blade on you.
Billy ·
Definitely add MultiGrip multitool to this list!
BJ ·
I own the Leatherman Brewzer and the Gerber Shard. Neither are good for opening boxes. In fact, the Gerber is not good for anything. It doesn't screw or unscrew anything, as the driver grooves are poorly designed. It doesn't offer proper leverage for opening bottles or prying anything open. It's maybe the worst multi-tool I ever owned.
33ww ·
All of these look pretty useless to me, just trendy overpriced doo-dads
2 more comments