What’s everyone using for fire lighting this winter?

[Inochig]

With the cold and damp properly setting in, curious what you lot are relying on to get fires going reliably in this weather.

I’m still using ferro rod, but I’ve heard good things about UCO Stormproof matches and some of the newer plasma lighters.

 

[Bhod]

Tinder, Magnesium block and ferro rod.

 

[Chris]

Lighter and twisty firelighter things.

Birch bark and ferro rod if being more ‘bushcrafty’. Pretty much the same as I use in the other seasons to be honest!

 

[Broch]

Are we talking about 'camp fires' or log burners? I use the fastest and most reliable method available to me no matter where I am. At home, in the log burner, that's a firelighter, softwood kindling, and a long cook's match. At camp, if we're wet, cold, and hungry, I use a firelighter, kindling, and a turbo lighter. After over 60 years of lighting fires I no longer feel I need to prove I can do it

Edit: OK, I do demonstrate bow drill and ferro rod. I like the fact I can send sparks from the ferro rod 50cm into the centre of the tinder even if it's pouring with rain

 

[Pattree]

Home or away, fireplace or Kelly Kettle all the same:

Ferro, cotton wool and if the weather is rough, a bush candle (tea light with big cardboard wick and cotton wool fuse.)

Edited to add:
I don’t mess with little ferro; I’ve been using the same 12mm dia one for a very long time. Works every time. I do have other ferro rods including one in the handle of my Explore but a fat ferro = a fat spark.

 

[John Fenna]

On camp I still prefer Flint, Steel, charcloth and sulfur matches used with old Hay as primary tinder then softwood kindling.

 

[Toddy]

Flint, steel, amadou or chaga and then blown into a firenest in one of my tinder bundles.

 

[C_Claycomb]

Depends how much I want to show off!
I tend to have some form of lighter with me, either gas/piezo or a sealed liquid fuel/wick version. I have ferro rods, and have used in damp, but something that makes a flame is nice and shortens the prep work a lot. I have not used purchased or prepared fire lighters, but do have fat wood and inner tube.

 

[slowworm]

With the weather we've had recently, even if I managed to get a firelighter going with a blow torch chances are it would float off in the squally rain.

 

[MikeLA]

Still like a small box of matches but do carry a firesteel.

 

[Woody girl]

I like my ferro rod and either birch bark or home made waxed cotton pads.
Always have a lighter in case I can't be bothered to mess about and need my cuppa NOW!

 

[Ozmundo]

Quite often ration pack matches as I have a fair few. Long matches for the house wood burner or alcohol stove.

Bic lighter in the shirt pocket for back up.
Ferro rod and tinder with the field twig burner.

I have mini ferro rod (not very ergonomic but works) packed with some fire dragon blocks. The blocks light so easily that rod being suboptimal isn’t an issue.

 

[Ducks]

The UCO matches in general are excellent and their Titan version is nothing short of amazing. They burn for 20+ seconds and are waterproof. You can dunk one in a puddle, pull it out and it will still burn brightly.

 

[demented dale]

after five years living in a bell tent using only a ferro rod everyday. I now have a caravan and a gas lighter. I am having a break from full time bush craft and woodland living. I've got an oven, a grill and a hot shower. I feel a bit soft but I am treating it just like a holiday after working hard. xxxx

 

[Umbra88]

Camp… trusty collected Scot’s pine fat wood and fire steel. While i usually have a lighter in the EDC bag, feels wrong to light the fire any other way when adventuring

At home usually fire lighters, although some times I enjoy making a feather stick or two. Usually when the fire lighters have run out tbf…

 

[Longstrider]

Same as ever .. a cheap, bought in bulk on E-bay, disposable lighter. As said, cheap, but also light and a guaranteed flame every time. I smoke so I'll not be found outdoors without at least a couple in my pockets.
Tinder tends to be gathered dead nettles, RBW Herb or similar. When things get tough and I just want to be sure of it all working first time a good splodge of alcohol based hand sanitiser does the trick
Much like JF after 'playing at it' and proving to myself that I can do it with flint-n-steel, bow-drill, hand-drill, fireplough, feather sticks and ferro rods I'm much of a mind these days to stop dicking about and get the ruddy fire lit. No fire = no brew and we can't be having that can we chaps ? !