Maybe an obvious question but - fire starting....

[Quixoticgeek]

I carry two means of fire lighting (3 in winter), one is an EDC fire kit from Polymath Products (highly recommended), the second is a set of windproof lightboat matches taken from Nato rat packs (courtesy of a kind person on this forum). In winter, I carry a "Fire Starter Aviation Survival Spark-Lite" (NSN 1680-01-233-0061). Between these 3, I've no issue lighting a fire.

I've given up on "lighters", be it zippo or bic or any other.

Julia

 

[Caerleon]

Some very interesting comments - I was trawling tinternet/youtube and came across/bought something called wetfire blocks along with a blastmatch both by UST - will try them out when they arrive but given the weather is turning for the better I suspect they wont be tested under fire until the back end of the year. The EDC fire kit looks interesting too (thanks Julia) so I grabbed one off of Amazon along with some windproof matches - I think I've covered all basis now.
Cheers
DF

 

[mrcharly]

I've not bothered carrying it when camping but have used my butane soldering iron/blowtorch outside. It has a mesh that heats up very fast, even if wind blows out the flame it reignites. I believe there are smaller lighters that do the same. These would be a good choice. Ordinary lighters just blow out straight away.

 

[Red Panda]

My favourite method is a ferro rod & waxed jute tinder tube. It's worked for me down to about -35C.

I've used wetfire blocks & they really are spectacular. I like to vary what's in my fire kit, so I have a bunch of different ignition sources & tinders. Currently, I'm in love with the flint/steel method.

I'm a smoker & I have a zippo that belonged to my father-in-law. I prefer it for subzero temps, but wouldn't consider carrying it on a trip. Lately, I've been tucking a BIC into the finger pocket of my mitts. It's worked pretty well, this winter, but we never really dipped below -25C for any extended period.

 

[Johnnyboy1971]

I carry two means of fire lighting (3 in winter), one is an EDC fire kit from Polymath Products (highly recommended), the second is a set of windproof lightboat matches taken from Nato rat packs (courtesy of a kind person on this forum). In winter, I carry a "Fire Starter Aviation Survival Spark-Lite" (NSN 1680-01-233-0061). Between these 3, I've no issue lighting a fire.

I've given up on "lighters", be it zippo or bic or any other.

Julia

+1 for the Polymath EDC Fire kit, along side this I have in my pocket at all times a Ferro rod and lighter. In my bag I have some of the old style lifeboat matches. The ones in the rat packs are poor compared to these.

 

[Johnnyboy1971]

The matches on the right are pretty fierce compared to the rat pack ones on the left.

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[cbr6fs]

I just carry a mini BIC lighter, even if it's run out of gas the spark is usually enough to start my gas burner, if it doesn't i eat cold food that night, no real worry.

 

[UncleGoo]

I can't tell how many times my Zippo has evaporated to dry. It's still dry, and still in my pocket, but now I have a small tin of fluid in my bag, for when I need it.

 

[forrestdweller]

addition to my last post: just be aware that ferro rods (and everything what uses small ferro rods (=lighters etc.)) can oxidize VERY quick in wet conditions- so if you carry them make sure they always dry and carry a backup!

 

[rg598]

I'm not a fan of ferro rods in cold weather. Too much prep and care required for use in very cold, windy, or otherwise bad conditions. (My opinion). For very bad weather I like storm matches. For milder weather (less windy), a BIC lighter.

There is no reason why all four of your lighters should have failed. There was something else going on there that we are missing other than just cold weather.

 

[Chris the Cat]

I agree with Ross,
I have used Zippos down to -30
( I carry matches as a back up. )

Best.

 

[Gray]

Storm proof matches for me, after that its a ferro rod. I've carried all kinds of lighters over the years and they all have failed me in one way or another. Even if its just down to not being able to put the flame where I want it because of the wind etc etc, its a fail.

 

[cranmere]

If it's important that I can make fire or light a stove I carry several ways of doing so. I have never liked Zippo lighters, the cheap Bic ones are surprisingly good and reliable. I've had various sorts of stormproof matches over the years, some are better than others but they will all give you a decent hot flame for several seconds. A ferro rod gives a shower of really hot sparks provided you keep the rod dry.

Also, carry a small amount of really good tinder. Charcloth, shredded birch bark or fatwood, waxed jute, vaselined cotton wool, whichever is your favourite. Wrap it well and be paranoid about keeping it dry because that is the key to getting a fire started in difficult conditions.

 

[brambles]

Avtur is basically paraffin with an icing inhibitor - so my guess would be that it either evaporated (if you kept them in a pocket next to a warm leg) or became too viscose to vaporize efficiently (if they got too cold). Though if you said it flared up, probably the former.

You seem to have read his post as the lighter having failed to work - I read it as the lighter burned very well and hot - like a jet engine on reheat