Fire Starter

[JohnyRingo]

What is the best, lightweight fire starter that you can recommend? I thought I had a good setup until this year. Twice I got caught in some very wet weather and couldn't get a good fire to take off. I don't remember the brand, but I had some fuel cubes (that look like sugar cubes) that come in individual compartments. You are supposed to break the cubes up to release the fuel. On the rainy day, they worked okay, but on the snowy day, I couldn't get them to take-off. As a result, my day of hunting was cut short. The buddy that I was with one day said that even though they aren't real lightweight, he usually packs a flare with him and has no problem with it getting a fire going when everything is wet. I don't know if I want to go to that extreme, but maybe, if there isn't something better out there.

 

[Desk Jockey]

Lighter. Needs to stay in a pocket to be warm enough to work. Carry two. Back it up with life boot matches and. A striker it you like.

Hexamine, trioxine nad a few other tablets are good. Cotton balls soaked in vasoline are good. Keep them in your first aid kit and the TSA won't steal them unlike fuel tablets.

 

[fngTony]

Good point, never thought about flying with flammables.

 

[justinspicher]

Trioxine is awesome!

 

[camping1601]

I carry half a piece of a Coleman strike a fire and a Trioxane tablet.

Last week my wife was able to start a fire with these with soaking wet wood and snow on the ground.

 

[Akicita]

1. Birds nest, feather shavings and feather boards - for the weight and efficiency

2. Black powder and fingernail polish remover combo - for the expediency

3. Pack Stove - for the reliability. . .although there is no more reliable fire starter than practice and experience. . .

4. Sterno Can - for longevity

 

[Backpack Hunter]

Trioxane will light most anything. Vaseline soaked cotton balls work very well too.

 

[AdamW]

Vaseline and 100% cotton balls, a couple Mini Bics and a small ferro rod as a backup. They weight next to nothing and work great.

 

[rayporter]

trioxane is best by far. esbit fuel tablets are great. you can buy a bunch [ 24 in a box] cheap enough. i have had my fuel tabs confiscated so it does happen. the last time i packed them on top in a zip loc along with some food items, i guess they though it was salt cause they were still there.

i make coffee every day in the field and in 25 years they have not let me down no matter the weather.

cotton balls are ok in a mild rain but will let you down in a real storm. they are just not hot enough to dry wood.

 

[Pm1176]

0000 fine steel wool. Burns hot when wet. The fine oil in the steel wool making process helps it burn good.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[beachbunny]

wax soaked jute twine,fluff the fibers apart and light. wax soaked cotton pads work well also. same thing fluff them apart and spark or light.

 

[duchntr]

Vaseline soaked cotton balls and bic lighter. I always keep my fire kit in a totally waterproof kit as well as a spare lighter. This is the best economical setup Ive found that is 100% reliable.

 

[justinspicher]

So many options. I need to expand my capabilities!

 

[charvey9]

Vaseline soaked cotton balls. Can cram quite a few into an old film canister and they weigh just about nothing.

Vaseline-soaked Cotton Balls - Backpacking Light

 

[Elkfitness]

Vaseline soaked cotton balls. Can cram quite a few into an old film canister and they weigh just about nothing.

Vaseline-soaked Cotton Balls - Backpacking Light

This is what I've done for years.

 

[mtnwrunner]

If you want lightweight and a really good CHEAP firestarter----dryer lint. A small ziplock baggie with it will last you a long time and it works great.

Randy

 

[Beendare]

I use the vaseline/cotton balls....the lightest might be crinkled up wax paper...it works good too.

 

[mrgreen]

When I'm out I keep a loksak with two fastfire (SOLKOA) tabs with a bunch of Tinder Quik firestarters and Spark Lite in my pocket. With a least one Bic lighter on me. The setup weighs a couple of ounces, and will work in almost all conditions. For those extremely crappy conditions, I carry a short highway flare designed for pilots in my pack with my larger firekit.

 

[gelton]

Wetfire and a bic lighter work for me. Believe it or not I found wetfire to be lighter than vaseline soaked cotton balls if you look at efficiency vs weight - Amazon.com : Ultimate Survival Technologies Wetfire Tinder : Camping Stove Fire Starters : Sports & Outdoors

Add in Titan stormproof matches and fire is certain - titan stormproof matches - YouTube

 

[ssssnake529]

This is what I use. Tinder tabs work well. Sparker is reliable. Whole thing is tiny and weighs next to nothing.

Amazon.com : Spark-Lite Fire Starter Hunter Orange : Camping Stove Fire Starters : Sports & Outdoors