Windproof Lighter & Hot Tent Fire Starter

treillw

WKR
Joined
Mar 31, 2017
Messages
1,933
Location
MT
Any suggestions for a good wind/water proof lighter? I have had two of the cabelas lighters. I lost the first one. I carried them both around for hundreds of miles and I think I tried to use them twice. Pretty sure that both times I tried to use them they didn't work and I had to go with plan b - glad I always carry multiple ways of starting a fire.

Anyway, what would you suggest?

Also, any suggestions for an easy way to light up a titanium hot tent stove?

Thanks!
 

iflyils

FNG
Joined
Mar 13, 2016
Messages
8
So far the best I’ve found is the Exotac titanlight. Just used it at 9500 ft on a sheep hunt worked great


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
 

Swift

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Jun 23, 2015
Messages
284
Best stove starter I've found is a 4oz flip top squeeze bottle from colagans (sp) filled with a purple gel from Sterno ! That will get me 10ish days of starts and super light 😉
 
Joined
Jul 9, 2019
Messages
337
Location
Washington State
I like the SOL all weather fire cubes, and a Bic lighter. A whole cube burns for 8-10 minutes, but you can easily cut them down and just use a corner to get the stove going. They burn hot enough to get damp tinder dried out. There are all kinds of similar products under different brand names that can be found cheaper.
 

OneRingTrTa

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Dec 8, 2018
Messages
105
Location
Pennsylvania
It makes sense to carry a spare in a pocket where you'll always have it.

Years ago there was a group of hunters floating a remote river in Alaska. Here's the story to the best of my memory... They came around a corner with a heavily loaded raft and hit a sweeper which flipped the boat and dumped them into the cold water. In an instant their trip went from a fun time to the very definition of life and death. I think there were about four guys. Luckily no one was "pinned." Some were swept far downstream. They ran up and down the bank yelling and frantically trying to find each other. Miraculously, all survived. But they were out there, tent long gone, tarps long gone, sleeping bags swept downstream. They had nothing but what they were wearing. At least one didn't even have shoes. They were soaked and shivering. Matches and lighters gone with their gear. This was before sat. phones and Spot.

Just about when they thought they were out of luck, one guy remembered he had a lighter in his shirt pocket. His wife had given it to him and made him promise to keep it there. They got it working and started a fire. It was days from the time they flipped until they were rescued. At some point another group of hunters came downstream and gave them a tarp and some food. That one lighter saved their lives.

On trips of moderate lengths I carry two lighters. I try to never depend on fire to save my life. In other words, carry what I need to carry and do what I need to do to avoid getting too cold without outside heat.

For really long, remote trips where I can't resupply I'll carry at least three ways to start fire. Redundancy makes sense when firestarting tools are so light.
 

slim23

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Feb 28, 2012
Messages
265
Location
Butte Montana
i bought a windmill after seeing great reviews. Found out it docent work at 11k. my stormproof matches would just smolder, unless i used 3 at a time. The wet fire cubes did not work well at altitude either. I am glad that i found all of this out when i was just cold with great conditions. If it was dire i would have been in trouble
 

Mosby

WKR
Joined
Jan 1, 2015
Messages
1,910
I am in the process of building a new fire kit for next year and experimenting with fire starters. Just bought some Zip fire starter to try. Zip is kerosine based, easy to find and relatively cheap. Trying it on some wet wood in snow tomorrow.

Attached is an article I found reviewing lighters at high altitude. I might try another lighter but probably staying with Bic.

going-the-distance-8-lighters-take-the-high-altitude-challenge-pGnYBlWJ2TI4CAv5
 

rayporter

WKR
Joined
Jul 3, 2014
Messages
4,251
Location
arkansas or ohio
trioxane is best of all -but getting harder to find.

if you can get a good spark on it you have fire. a bic don't produce enough spark but if it gets a flame for a half second the trioxane will light. a metal match or blast fire will light it.

I test my set up on every trip in rain or snow by making coffee.
 

87TT

WKR
Joined
Mar 13, 2019
Messages
3,431
Location
Idaho
Used to backpack above 11,000 feet. Best thing is an old fashioned Zippo lighter. Runs on just about any liquid fuel. I carry extra flints in the bottom and have used just the striker to light a fire with the right tinder.
 

Wrench

WKR
Joined
Aug 23, 2018
Messages
5,596
Location
WA
A travel size tube of vaseline is a multi use dream. Chapped lips, rash....fire starter....it's the ticket. I carry a cheap lighter and a mag stick. If mag stick and vaseline wont make a fire......you're in deep trouble because God clearly wants you dead.
 

Wrench

WKR
Joined
Aug 23, 2018
Messages
5,596
Location
WA
That's why the tube of vaseline is suggested. It's not just for Bill Cosby.
 

Mosby

WKR
Joined
Jan 1, 2015
Messages
1,910
There are so many different things that will burn, I came up a simple rule for my fire starter. Whatever I use has too easily light with a ferro rod. If I can light it with a ferro rod, I can light it with a Bic or match. The zip fire starter is loaded with kerosine and seems to work well but I need to do more testing.

I like Murray's pomade better than straight vaseline when I make my own. It has mineral oil in it, so it seems to burn a bit longer than pure petroleum. It also comes in a metal container, which you can use to melt it for dipping. I am going to add some melted bees wax to it this year and see if there are any benefits. I only normally use this for camping and playing around at home but I could take it in a pinch.

I also just bought a new gel fuel. I will put it in a smaller bottle for hunting. One of the things I like about it is that I can use it in my alcohol stove for cooking. Dual purpose. I like to have at least two different fire starters with me that I know work.

1573747210069.png
 

bmf0713

WKR
Joined
Jan 25, 2017
Messages
319
Webber fire cubes. They are like $4 for 24 of them. They are light and one will burn for over 10 mins. Doesnt matter if they get wet.
 

Mosby

WKR
Joined
Jan 1, 2015
Messages
1,910
Webber fire cubes. They are like $4 for 24 of them. They are light and one will burn for over 10 mins. Doesnt matter if they get wet.
They also will light with a ferro rod, which I think is important. Works as well as wet fire and others and as you pointed out, a really good buy.
 
OP
treillw

treillw

WKR
Joined
Mar 31, 2017
Messages
1,933
Location
MT
Has anybody tried out the pyroputty yet compared to the above methods? (new sponsor)
 

Mosby

WKR
Joined
Jan 1, 2015
Messages
1,910
Has anybody tried out the pyroputty yet compared to the above methods? (new sponsor)
I have not. I did read some reviews and it seems to work well with a lighter but I read that it does not work with a ferro rod, so I didn't go any further.
 
Top