Product Review: Park Tool BO-2 Bottle Opener
Working in the Bicycle Industry has its perks. As loyal readers know, the BicycleNorthwest crew took a trip to Las Vegas this year for the annual Interbike trade show. If you've ever been, you likely know two things: 1) Las Vegas is perhaps the most awful place in America (on Earth?) and; 2) You come home with lots of free stuff, like catalogues, bike-oriented trinkets and other items of little use. However, once in a while a vendor gives out something useful like a handy-dandy multi-tool, or a set of tire levers, or as Park Tool doled out this year, a bottle opener. Far be it for us to turn down such a useful offering.
Like most of the cyclists we know, Interbike is no stranger to beer. Many vendor's booths offer free draught or bottled beer during the later hours of each day's floor show, and we at BicycleNorthwest were thankful. Nothing tastes or makes one better than cold bubbly muscles after eight hours of walking a concrete floor carrying a backpack full of bike catalogues and schmoozing industry reps. But, as overjoyed as we were for those four o'clock oat sodas, we were more thankful that Park Tool wanted to help us better enjoy our beer at home. So grab a twelve-ouncer (or a twelver, we're not going to judge) and join us in some elbow bends as BNW and our drinking buddy - who lucky for us, is also our wife - review the Park Tool BO-2 bottle opener.
Straight away, one can see that the BO-2 is solidly constructed of some type of metal. It is probably some type of space-age, aero-space grade titanium, or possibly platinum. It's definitely too shiny to be steel.
Actually, we've just been told that it is in fact made of steel. Stainless steel to be exact, so it's dishwasher safe. Huh. Who would've guessed?
Moving on.
The soft blue rubber coating on the opener's handle makes for a comfortably grippy grab, and overall this opener is as ergonomically friendly as your average cone wrench or butter knife. Overall, the device is a light-weight, evenly-balanced lever capable of opening even the most stubbornly capped bottles.
Our test began with an 18.7-ounce bottle of Samuel Smith's Oatmeal Stout. At first we thought we may have gotten the BO-2 in over its head, as this brew featured a tin foil cap wrap that appeared impervious to even the most unkempt fingernails. However, much to our surprise the BO-2 ripped right through the foil and popped off the cap without a shudder. We split the brew between two pint glasses and enjoyed.
Next came a more traditional 12 ounce bottle of Green Valley Brewery's Organic Wild Hop Lager. We figured that after tearing through the tin foil on the last bottle, the BO-2 would have no trouble with the cap on this container. We were proven correct as we placed the church key on top of the bottle, hooked it under the cap's lip and lifted the handle. The cap popped off with a satisfying fisk and within seconds we had opened another and were each enjoying a second barley pop.
Overall, the Park Tool BO-2 is an excellently crafted bottle opener featuring an ergonomic construction that feels solid in the hand and is capable of easily removing the barrier that stands between you and the solution to all your problems. We think it'd be right at home on a shop bench hanging at the end of a line of cone or box wrenches. For when closing time comes, nothing tastes better than beer. And while there are a variety of bike tools that may do the trick in a pinch, any bicycle mechanic worth her malt knows that she needs the proper tools to get the job done right.
| Park Tool | Maker of our friend the BO-2 |
| Boundary Bay Brewery | Brewery and bistro in Bellingham... fantastic food and fantastic beers. |
| Fish Tale Ales | Brewery and pub in Olympia. Some of the best organic beers you'll find, and their Mudshark Porter... mmmmmmm. |
| Deschutes Brewery | Inversion IPA, Black Butte Porter, Obsidian Stout... out of Bend, Oregon...need we say more? |
| Bridgeport Brewery | Fantastic beers and great food in Portland, OR. |
| Seattle Brewing and Malting Co. | While Rainier is no longer brewed in the Northwest... we still wanted to pay homage... here is their history (with pictures!). |
| Beer Northwest | Links to an interactive NW Brewery Directory. |
