What lighter for backpack hunt?

[taggart_lumpy]

i start my stove with an exotac nanospark flint wheel and have a few mini bics as well.

 

[Owenst7]

My Bics work fine even if they get wet. All I have to do is blow on it.

Every torch lighter I've owned would quit working randomly at times.

I have a hard time believing a steel requires less dexterity from cold hands than a Bic.

 

[Thelostabbey]

multiple bic lighters

 

[jeffpg]

I keep several mini Bics stashed in various places, all with a few wraps of duct tape around around them. I prefer the full size too and normally keep one for regularly duty use.

My favorite firestarter is dryer lint soaked in hot Vaseline that I’ve microwaved.

 

[William Hanson (live2hunt)]

I keep several mini Bics stashed in various places, all with a few wraps of duct tape around around them. I prefer the full size too and normally keep one for regularly duty use.

My favorite firestarter is dryer lint soaked in hot Vaseline that I’ve microwaved.

^^^this

Cotton balls with Vaseline work too

Live2hunt custom shelters

 

[William Hanson (live2hunt)]

After reading through the comments, I would say BIC needs to come on as a sponsor for RS

Live2hunt custom shelters

 

[camping1601]

Another mini bic here. One in my pocket and one in my possibles.
My Jetboil is my third fire starter.
I remember watching an episode of Survivor Man where he said how reliable they were.

 

[Kevin Dill]

How many guys here love that flash-flame?.... You know...the one that singes off your knuckle hairs because of that little BIC mini?

I bring a couple regular size BICs with me. My main in-camp lighter is a BIC trigger lighter. Perfect for lighting gas stove or the woodburner. No singed knuckles. I sometimes miss the smell of a good sulfur match in the early morning darkness though.

 

[AustinL911]

I don't know if anyone else has thought about it, or even heard of them, but my local gas station (I'm in Central Ohio) has these fantastic little fire starters. I buy them in bulk because I can get them so cheap. They come in a few different sizes as well, which can be really handy. And they weigh next to nothing. I tend to take a few with me on backpacking trips; one in my bino harness, one in my pocket, and one in my possibles pouch. I wrap one or two of them with Flo-Orange duct tape, should I need it. They are so simple in their design; it's amazing. They have this little wheel that you spin with your thumb, creating a shower of sparks, and then, almost simultaneously, it presses down this button that must release some sort of stored flammable gas, and you end up with this super reliable flame. And they are so cheap, I just take a new one with me on every trip, so they're always full.

The rest of the country might not have them, but I'd bet you could do a Google search and be able to find some fairly easily. Amazon probably even has them. They are made by some company out of France. I'll see if I can find a link to them. I'm sure some other RSers would love to carry a some of these on their next trip into the backcountry.


















***EDIT - Found them! MAGICAL FIRE STARTERS
***

 

[Owenst7]

How many guys here love that flash-flame?.... You know...the one that singes off your knuckle hairs because of that little BIC mini?

I bring a couple regular size BICs with me. My main in-camp lighter is a BIC trigger lighter. Perfect for lighting gas stove or the woodburner. No singed knuckles. I sometimes miss the smell of a good sulfur match in the early morning darkness though.

I don't light lighters with my thumb. I hold them between my thumb and middle finger and flick them with my index finger. Never burned myself using one that way.

 

[boom]

I don't know if anyone else has thought about it, or even heard of them, but my local gas station (I'm in Central Ohio) has these fantastic little fire starters. I buy them in bulk because I can get them so cheap. They come in a few different sizes as well, which can be really handy. And they weigh next to nothing. I tend to take a few with me on backpacking trips; one in my bino harness, one in my pocket, and one in my possibles pouch. I wrap one or two of them with Flo-Orange duct tape, should I need it. They are so simple in their design; it's amazing. They have this little wheel that you spin with your thumb, creating a shower of sparks, and then, almost simultaneously, it presses down this button that must release some sort of stored flammable gas, and you end up with this super reliable flame. And they are so cheap, I just take a new one with me on every trip, so they're always full.

The rest of the country might not have them, but I'd bet you could do a Google search and be able to find some fairly easily. Amazon probably even has them. They are made by some company out of France. I'll see if I can find a link to them. I'm sure some other RSers would love to carry a some of these on their next trip into the backcountry.


















***EDIT - Found them! MAGICAL FIRE STARTERS
***

hahaha...you almost had me googling "French lighter" super funny..super super funny, descroption. hahhaha

 

[wymtnpounder]

2-3 regular bic's. I will take the child safety metal band off too, tears off with pliers and makes it easier to start with cold hands.

 

[Brendan]

Last year for the first time I had trouble with my Bics. Lots of rain and snow, and they don't work great if you get them wet.

 

[mcseal2]

I'm probably overboard on my fire kit.

I have a Bic mini in a zippered pants pocket at all times. I may leave my pack, maybe even my bino harness for some reason. I have not yet been on a hunt where I've left my pants.

I also have a bag inside my pack that's basically my "possibles" bag. I keep the weight down on it, even for my Alaska trip this fall it's only about 10oz including the waterproof bag. One of the things in there is another Bic mini attached to the cord of a small (but not to small to use efficiently) firesteel and striker. I also have 4 wetfire cubes and a small Mentos bottle of Vaseline coated cotton balls. My electrical tape is around the Mentos bottle keeping the lid closed.

I have not yet had a time when the lighters wouldn't work but I often use the firesteel instead of the Bic. With the tinder I pack it's really easy but I use it without at times too so I know what it takes. I guess I just feel it's a skill worth having. That said I'd never stop carrying the Bic's I'm not against convenience!

On a side note the possibles bag always contains a factory boot lace also. Paracord works but when I break a boot lace in the dark, wet, and cold it's way easier to re-thread a factory boot lace with the slender plastic covered ends through eyelets than it is to burn the ends of paracord and try to get it through. My boot laces never break at a convenient time, and not always where a simple knot fixes the problem. Maybe someday I'll get smart and just replace them at home every season.

 

[Trout bum]

A couple of regular bic lighters in exotac firesleeves

 

[Davebuech]

I always carry a couple of full sized Bics. One in my pocket the other in my fire starting kit. (wrapped with some Gorilla tape). I also keep a ferro rod, some vaseline cotton balls, a chuck of trioxane along with some wind/waterproof matches in that kit. That usually stays in my pack, in my possibles pouch. I keep a few wind/waterproof matches and a trioxide tab in my bino harness in the event I am without my pack. If I drop my pack and am without my bono harness, which is rarely, on my person I always have a small ferro rod w my knife, plus that trusty Bic in my pocket. Can never have too many ways to start a fire!
I like to light my stove with a small ferro rod as it throws a spark down deep into the gas burner, plus that makes my lighter last longer! To start my wood stove, I mostly just use my Bic. An outdoor fire though, if I have one, I will usually start from gathering natural tinder and use a ferro rod to light it just for practice/fun.
Bic Lighters,IMO, are the the King for easy/dependable/quick flame and access to fire! Get the full size, they seem more dependable.

 

[Mule3006Elk]

Bic with dryer lint.
Tried vaseline impregnated cotton balls. Didn't have great luck with them when I really needed them. They did eventually light but it took A LOT longer than I thought.

 

[TradLife406]

Whatever is at the checkout at Town Pump! And a metal match. When all else fails the Soto Windmaster makes a great torch!

Sent from my Moto Z (2) using Tapatalk

 

[muddydogs]

I too carry a couple Bic's, a mini in my pocket all day every day, couple mini's stashed around the pack and a full sized Bic in my fire kit. I also carry a couple Trioxane bars as well as a chunk of candle. The candle can be cut down to what ever length needed, light the wick then start adding fuel to the flame, works good to dry out wet tender.

 

[Lawnboi]

Bics and wet fire tabs for fires.

If I really need a fire that bad and conditions suck I'm using my cooking stove to get it started

Not the smartest move but I have a white gas stove fires are even easier.