relying on fire ?

[Gasparo]

WOOL CLOTHING !!!
and I carry a hobo stove/Trangia set up so you have options, alcohol burning from the Trangia or throw some wood in the hobo stove. A large Trangia will fit nice and snug in the bottom of a 'Swiss Ranger/Volcano' stove like it was meant to be there : )

 

[Thoth]

I always have my HoneyStove with me when I'm out in the woods. It can be a bit difficult to get it going sometimes if it is really wet, cold and windy but you can always find fuel in my experiance. Remember that you can always split wood larger than you are going to burn in a HoneyStove (or hobo stove) down to size and find dry wood in the middle of wood that is wet/damp on the outside. Be opportunistic and gather fuel before you need it. Keep back some fuel/kindling that you prepped before bed for use first thing in the morning. Practice making feather sticks too. Have some good tinder with you and maybe some hexi you can use for instant gratification. But nothing motivates you to get good at fire starting like the knowledge that you won't get hot food and a brew unless you do. A fall back plan is a good idea if you are not confident though and of course you don't want to get hyperthermic. The ability to make fire is a key outdoor survival skill. After all it makes your water safe, makes food more digestible/safe, provides heat and boosts morale. You won't get good at this over night, none of us did, so practice, practice, practice. But keep safe!

 

[Big Stu 12]

I always cary a Hexi stove or a meths stove for those times when you need a back up, but for the first morning cuppa...

Take one flask, boil some water and pour into flask let it to stand for a few mins, boil some more water, then tip the warm water out of the flask make the drink in the hot flask with water that is boiling ( the idea is not to lose too much heat because the flask is cold), put lid on, and use in the morning ( also handy for a night when you need a warm drink half way through), one Hot/warm drink while your waiting for the kettle to boil for everyone else's first cuppa... I do it every time...

 

[ged]

You didn't say if you're thinking of fire for cooking, or fire for warmth, or fire for signalling, or...

It's rare that I don't set fire to something when I'm out overnight -- that's a big part of the fun -- but I would never want to rely on it.

I often heat water for a hot water bottle. That's almost always in my Ghillie. But with an arctic-rated sleeping system, I can manage without for warmth.

I often cook a meal. That's almost always on a liquid-fuelled pressure stove, such as one of my (er, blush, many) Optimus stoves, or a Trangia (I only have three or four of those ). But I can just eat a bit of flapjack, or a sandwich or something, and drink water.

Unfortunately I'm usually under some time pressure, but if I'm not, then an open camp fire or at least something like my Emberlit suits very well. But sometimes I don't want anyone to know I'm there.

 

[presterjohn]

Just slip a Hexi stove in your pocket and you will be covered.