Good outdoor lighter recomendations

NetFrog

Forager
Jul 17, 2011
189
0
Scotland
I am after a nice new shiny lighter :) Having bought 3 butane jet flame ones in the past I have been sorely disappointed in them but I spotted this one today which is VERY pricey but ticks all the boxes for shiny new kit syndrome.

http://www.heinnie.com/product.asp?P_ID=7120&strPageHistory=related

I have been surviving on bics for around a year which are fine unless it is windy, and as a smoker it can be quite annoying having to get under your jacket to light a cig and with numb wet hands near impossible.

The 3 butane lighters I had in the past lasted no time at all before giving up the ghost. The most expensive one of the 3 lasted some 2 days before dieing and the company refused to respond to my emails.... Having researched it I found a ton of complaints about them.

I do have a zippo, but I like the jet flame of the butane ones. I really do not want to fork out the best part of 50 bucks for something which will die on me within a few weeks though. Saying that, it comes from a good maker (wenger). 9 cm in length seems excessive but It is waterproof, sturdy and holds a lot of fuel.

Any thoughts on butane lighters in general or has anyone got one of these? Or a decent recommendation of a lighter which has lasted the years would be most welcome.

Cheers
 

Andy BB

Full Member
Apr 19, 2010
3,290
3
Hampshire
Buy an IMCO - on ebay for about a fiver or less,, lighter element can be removed to use as a long match, good in wind and will last for decades!
 

Shewie

Mod
Dec 15, 2005
24,259
26
49
Yorkshire
I'm back on cheap Clippers these days, I spent stupid money on all sorts and they all failed at some point. If I know it's going to be fairly gruesome weather for a trip I'll pack the Zippo, otherwise I just carry a couple of Clippers and keep them topped up and a spare flint to hand.
 
i use either a cheap clipper or disposable lighter or my zippo or if feeling retro i use a WWI style trench lighter. the clipper and disposables run on gas the others on lighter fluid
i have never been a fan of jet lighters personally
EDIT great minds think alike Shewie!
 
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youngbushcrafter

Tenderfoot
Jun 16, 2011
97
0
Scotland
i had the same situation, bit of a hit and miss if you ask me, i have bought lighters that worked great for everyone who has posted a review, but stopped lighting after 2 days but i bought a small Honest jet lighter and it has lasted for years, the nozzle has been clogged with mud and even the variable, jet size alternator has stood up to everything, but as i said, hit and miss
 
Jan 15, 2012
467
0
essex
zippo and a twin jet ligher i got from ebay for about £7 still going a year later, if gas drops so 3mm it stops lighting, fill it up works ok, sometimes needs dust blowing out the top.
 

NetFrog

Forager
Jul 17, 2011
189
0
Scotland

NetFrog

Forager
Jul 17, 2011
189
0
Scotland
For a fiver I will be buying one in the next 30 mins! I'll still be buying a butane one but be good to compare the two, and at that price why not....

Cheers, great link and recommendation.

Buy an IMCO - on ebay for about a fiver or less,, lighter element can be removed to use as a long match, good in wind and will last for decades!
 

NetFrog

Forager
Jul 17, 2011
189
0
Scotland
Yes I have considered this, 50 lighters at a buck each would last many years...... However it is the jet flame I am after. I could go for cheap and cheerful but I have done this for a long time now. I want a bit of kit in my pocket which is the same bit of kit that I have owned for ten years and never fails me. I can replace and replace and replace, but I have no real ownership about it. I did have my zippo for 5 years before the hinge broke, I can get it repaired for free and will do sometime, however the jet flame is what I really want.

Nice link - a few bucks only. I do worry it might explode with those cheap parts though!
 

Elines

Full Member
Oct 4, 2008
1,590
1
Leicestershire
Buy an IMCO - on ebay for about a fiver or less,, lighter element can be removed to use as a long match, good in wind and will last for decades!

Hi Andy - I got an IMCO but I found that it needed refuelling every few days even when not in use - or maybe I just got a bad one?
 

rik_uk3

Banned
Jun 10, 2006
13,320
28
70
south wales
Yes I have considered this, 50 lighters at a buck each would last many years...... However it is the jet flame I am after. I could go for cheap and cheerful but I have done this for a long time now. I want a bit of kit in my pocket which is the same bit of kit that I have owned for ten years and never fails me. I can replace and replace and replace, but I have no real ownership about it. I did have my zippo for 5 years before the hinge broke, I can get it repaired for free and will do sometime, however the jet flame is what I really want.

Nice link - a few bucks only. I do worry it might explode with those cheap parts though!

Be warned, regardless of price, these lighters are not renowned for reliability, never ever just take this as you fire source, put a bic in your pocket too.
 

johnboy

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Oct 2, 2003
2,258
5
Hamilton NZ
www.facebook.com
Hi Andy - I got an IMCO but I found that it needed refuelling every few days even when not in use - or maybe I just got a bad one?

Same experience here.... A good bit of kit but the fuel dries out rapidly. I'm a Bic user... Cheap and they work.. Not as much 'fun' to use as the IMPCO though...
 
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Jinsin456

Settler
Nov 14, 2010
725
0
Maybole, Scotland
These are very hard to beat for the price mate.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Butane-Je...les_Tobacciana_Smoking_LE&hash=item20bb53db50

They do generally break at the ignition button after about 6 months but at the price the are amazing. The tank is quite big so for normal smoking and general firelighting etc they should last between 3 weeks and a month. Also you can see exactly how much fuel you have left, that was the big selling point for me.

The Wenger one will be good and probably bombproof but I would give this a go first after all it's only £3.49.

I have no connection to seller etc etc just a happy customer.
 

steve a

Settler
Oct 2, 2003
821
14
south bedfordshire
I've used an imco for a few years now, what you need to do is pack it with extra cotton wool until its quite tight. You'll find they last a lot longer on one refill then, mine lasts at least a week and is used 20 times a day
 

swright81076

Tinkerer
Apr 7, 2012
1,702
1
Castleford, West Yorkshire
I bought a couple turbo flame jobbies from go outdoors. One to use and one for para cord ends. They were rubbish. One wouldn't work after a refill. The other stopped sparking after a short time.
Now I'm back to throw aways for cigs and a zippo blu (jet flame) for everything else. They are dear but work everytime.:)
They need refilling quite often though.:(

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 2
 

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