I second a blast match with a film vial of cotton balls treated with vaseline.
An alcohol stove works well as a fire starting aid too. On very little fuel.
you can also use dryer lint with vasoline. it will cause a nice spark in it and it is free and you can make alot of them. the blast match comes with instructions and how to use it, my daughter can do it and she is 6 y/o. and my son is trying at it and he is 3y/o. very simple.
another great fire starter is the strike force. it is the same as the blast match. when you buy, look at the thickness of the rod or flint bar. the thicker it is the more strikes you can get from it. strike force is somewhat thicker than some that i have seen.
but both brands are great at starting a fire......
One should have several fire starting methods- ferrous rod, flint and steel, waterproof matches and Bic lighter. I have all those plus two compression pistons.
For EDC I have a few strike anywhere matches in my wallet and a BIC lighter. I know that matches get wet and a lighter runs out of butane, but for EDC situation, I need to weigh the benifits vs portability issue.
For short term(less than 2 nights)/EDC emergency situations, I dont see why I am going to need more than a BIC lighter and a few matches. I am not planning on bugging out, just something for an emergency night to keep me warm or something.
EDC isn't a BOB in my opinion and you only need enough that will keep you warm or light a few smokes. If you plan on being out longer than that, you should have a kit with a steel in it.
If you go with firesteel for EDC, you have to think about tinder, next thing you know you have a firesteel, cottonballs, vaseline etc. To me this is not EDC worthy. Might as well carry a bic and get the job done in one step instead of 5. Now going on a dayhike? that is another situation. Going to work and back and to the store in town? Gotta balance practicallity with preparedness.
Read up on how to start a fire from scratch, (ie finding tinder + dry kindling during a rain storm, striking with steel or quarts you can find all over, making a simple bow-starter from some sticks and a shoelace). Get one or more of those down, and everything else is cake.
Sort of like purifying water is a pain on the move, but if you know how then you'll see every water bottle as a nice luxery. Keeps stress Way down
I have matches, lighters, and a magnesium striker, I also carry dryer lint and a small tube of modeling glue for aid in starting fires in damp conditions. The blast match is on my list of toys. It is a good idea to have several fire starting devices as well as an understanding of primitive methods of fire starting.
Light My Fire Sweedish Firesteel, I payed $25NZ for one and I've just been practising with it and I can start a fire with a small amount of toilet paper that I have in my pack in 2 mins.
After you decide on your starter, consider carrying hand sanitizer. read the labels, but most of it has a high alcohol content and is kind of like a gel.
You can squirt a strip of it in or under your tender, hit it with a firesteel, matches, lighter, whatever you want. The stuff burns steady and will help get your fire going.
It also helps keep your hands clean:thumb:
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