When slumming it in the outdoors, plenty of things go through your mind. Sometimes, you wish you brought a stronger tent. Other times, you wish you packed just a bit more food. Apparently, some people wish they brought along a tick remover somewhere in their gear stash. At least, that would be a sensible explanation for the Opinel No. 12 Outdoor Explore with Tick Remover.
That’s right, Opinel is making a new version of their popular No. 12 outdoor knife that’s reinforced with a detachable tool for removing ticks, giving you a way to safely pluck those tiny arachnids and other bugs on your skin and clothing with ease. Sure, getting bitten by critters is part of the charm of roughing it up in the boondocks, but you have to admit, disease-transmitting ticks can be a serious concern and this offers a way to mitigate some of the risk.
The Opinel No. 12 Outdoor Explore with Tick Remover is, basically, a standard version of the outfit’s survival knife, albeit with the removable fire starter replaced with a tick remover. If you already have the standard version, you can just purchase the tick remover accessory and swap that in with the fire starter, in case you find removing ticks to be a more pressing need around camp. So yeah, this thing will let you remove ticks from both your dog companion and yourself, although you’ll have to rely on a separate tool to get a fire going if you want to keep toasty around camp.
Like the original version, it comes with a fold-out four-inch stainless steel blade that should allow for some serious cutting tasks in the backcountry, as well as a fiberglass-reinforced multi-material handle that’s designed to withstand impact, water, and extreme temperatures. Suffice to say, that handle isn’t likely to damage or corrode when exposed to the elements.
The Opinel No. 12 Outdoor Explore with Tick Remover retains all the accessory features of the original. The butt of the handle, for instance, can serve as a 110-decibel whistle for those times you need to make a loud sound to scare off birds, call for help, or summon the Loch Ness monster to come out of the lake. It works even when the handle is completely wet, too, so you can make your mating call to the Loch Ness creature while in the middle of the water. Or something.
It also retains the steel cutting hook that you can use to slice ropes, lines, and other similar uses in the wild right on the bottom side of the handle. You can use it by simply pushing the ring part inwards to expose the bladed hook or remove the whole thing for use on its own. It also retains the same Virobloc locking ring that keeps the blade in place, whether it’s opened or closed, all while allowing you to use accessories like the Opinel Picnic+ with the knife for even more versatile function.
The Opinel No. 12 Outdoor Explore with Tick Remover is available now, priced at $55.