# Fire Starters



## DallanC (Jan 13, 2009)

What do people use for fire starting in their packs / camping equipment?

As the hunts wind down I'm sortof brainstorming present ideas for my boy (upcoming birthday / christmas etc). We had a "fun" evening this year where he didnt have anything to make a fire and could have. I keep a cheap bic lighter in my pack... but really, I'd like to get something quality he can use long term, waterproof etc etc.

In my ATV / snowmobiles we keep a couple road flares, those always light but are too heavy to pack around.


-DallanC


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## utahgolf (Sep 8, 2007)

I carry a bic lighter, some any strike matches in a waterproof container. I think a good one would be a striker and some steel wool just in case the rest fail somehow.


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## LostLouisianian (Oct 11, 2010)

DallanC said:


> What do people use for fire starting in their packs / camping equipment?
> 
> As the hunts wind down I'm sortof brainstorming present ideas for my boy (upcoming birthday / christmas etc). We had a "fun" evening this year where he didnt have anything to make a fire and could have. I keep a cheap bic lighter in my pack... but really, I'd like to get something quality he can use long term, waterproof etc etc.
> 
> ...


Not sexy or he-man but I keep several bic's. They're so lightweight it doesn't make sense not to. Oh yeah I also have a couple of waterproof containers with several dozen kitchen type matches too, then add a small container of cotton balls that are saturated with vaseline and a few of those birthday cake candles that won't blow out and I am pretty well set and probably less than a pound of total weight. I know it's not a quality type set up but it's reliable and works.


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## DallanC (Jan 13, 2009)

Huh, I just saw a youtube video where a guy used duck tape as firestarting material. Always a good idea to have some ducktape, but I was surprised how flameable the sticky side was. He scrapped a little magnesium onto it and 1 spark from a firesteel and it lit right up in a big flame. Cool.


-DallanC


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## utahgolf (Sep 8, 2007)

DallanC said:


> Huh, I just saw a youtube video where a guy used duck tape as firestarting material. Always a good idea to have some ducktape, but I was surprised how flameable the sticky side was. He scrapped a little magnesium onto it and 1 spark from a firesteel and it lit right up in a big flame. Cool.
> 
> -DallanC


have you seen how good steel wool is for tinder/kindling bundle?


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## DallanC (Jan 13, 2009)

utahgolf said:


> have you seen how good steel wool is for tinder/kindling bundle?


Oh yea, its cool. Have you seen how you can start a fire with a AA battery and a chewing gum wrapper (has to have aluminum on 1 side). Tried it, works great.

-DallanC


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## mtnrunner260 (Feb 15, 2010)

I use trioxane tabs I get from the military surplus store. Dirt cheap and burn hot for a couple minutes. I keep a lighter in my pack and pants pocket.
I purchased a windproof lighter from Cabelas 5 or so years ago. Ended up taking it back because I wasn't very impressed with it.


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