Your favorite backcountry fire starters

[groundhog]

Nra4life,
Ill bite. Whats the trick?? Once a lighter has been submerged in water I thought you had to stick it in a warm dry pocket for about 30 minutes until the sparker dries out.

[NRA4LIFE]

Forgot about the fritos.  Those things are like lighting gasoline.

[Miles]

Nra4life,
Ill bite. Whats the trick?? Once a lighter has been submerged in water I thought you had to stick it in a warm dry pocket for about 30 minutes until the sparker dries out.

I'm not Nra4life, but I can tell you from experience that if you take off the metal shield, blow the water off the area with the flint, and slowly roll the sparker wheel down your pant leg it will dry and light.  You may have to roll it down your leg a few times, but it will dry out and light.   Just don't get too aggressive or you'll dick it up.

[NRA4LIFE]

Yup, what Miles said.

[hirshey]

I carry a few matches in a baggy as well as a lighter... Fire Paste is a nice "fire enhancer" if you are someplace where it may be difficult to get a fire going; eyeguard and our friend used it in Idaho when it snowed 6 inches on them overnight; they were never without a fire when they wanted one.

[bradslam]

I carry matches in a very nice aluminum waterproof match container made by Silva, a magnesium fire starter, and vaseline-impregnated cotton balls.  I live on the West Side where starting a fire can be an interesting endeavor.  Usually, one can find dry wood on the underside of an old rotten stump or downed log.  Also, the lower branches of fir trees are usually dead and will burn good once they get going.

[Jayfire83]

Brunton Firestorm Stormproof Lighter! Never done me wrong

[pianoman9701]

I made a bunch of the paraffin and lint cups. They work great and start right up with a steel match.

[Miles]

Another thing for you fellow backpackers who insist on having multiple fire starting methods...   You're backpacking stove could be used.  Same thing as a torch really.

I carry a snow peak giga stove with the push button ignition.  1 quick click and the stove is lit.   Between that and my bic lighter I should be good to swim across the creek.   

[halflife65]

I did a little experiment a couple of years ago with:
1.  cottonballs and vaseline
2.  commercial firestarter sawdust ball things
3.  papertowel and sticks (the old fashioned way.  Apparently, people wanted to cheat death back then.)
4.  another type of commercial firestarter - sticks

Firestarting devices included matches, a lighter and a magnesium stick and flint striker.  I tried all three on the different tinder listed above.

I got fires lit but I really struggled with paper towels and sticks.  I'm probably not going to carry an entire roll of paper towels in case I need a fire.  Far and away, the cotton balls and vaseline worked best.  Plus, if someone doesn't know what they're for and raids your pack it looks a little freaky.   

The magnesium stick and flint striker worked ok but, if you stick it in your pack, make sure you practice with it first.  Until I learned to pull BACK with the flint part and leave the metal striker static I just blew magnesium shavings all over the place without any danger of starting an actual fire.

I purposely chose spring because everything was really damp and hard to start (simulating nearly worst case) and, when I did get something started, I wouldn't start an inferno on accident.

[Miles]

Ok, just did a little experiment for you "wet Bic" paranoids (my wife said "what the heck are you doing with that lighter?"  ).

I may make a video later to show you doubters.

I took the lighter and completely submerged it in a glass of water for 10 seconds.
I then took off the silver shield and child proof metal band with my hunting knife.
I put the lighter up to my lips (red button/wheel side) and blew two long breaths through.
Next I ran the wheel down my bare arm once (I knew there might be some who said "what if a bear attacked you and shredded your clothing?").
I then attempted to light it....
In three flicks I had a flame.


Try it, or you can continue packing around a bag full of extra crap.

[bobcat]

Or you can keep your disposable lighter in a plastic zip lock bag so it doesn't get wet. 

That's what I do.

Except the last few years I haven't even hunted anywhere that I felt it necessary to carry a lighter. If I get wet and cold, I'll walk to my truck and go home. If I can't walk out for some reason, I'll pull the cell phone out of my pack, and call someone for help.

[CementFinisher]

Magnesium and trioxane

[jackmaster]

i always have a couple of small candles, matches and a lighter, no matter where your at you can always find something to burn, ya just gotta look

[hike2hunt]

Storm matches and vasonline on the body, Strikemaster P60 in the pack.