Three of the Best Fire Starters, The Zippo Has to Be The Best?

The ability to create fire is hugely important in a survival situation. In fact, the very act of creating fire is a massive morale booster in a survival situation. In a way, fire is nature’s version of a TV. Just as you can watch TV on the couch at home, in the wilderness you can watch the fire burn (and be just as entertained too, I might add).

With fire, you have the ability to do the following:

• Get warm
• See in darkness
• Cook food
• Boil water
• Ward off hungry predators
• Cauterize an open, bleeding wound

 

The ability to create fire is hugely important in a survival situation.

The very first fire-related survival item you are going to need is…

1) UCO Stormproof Match Kit With Waterproof Case (25 Matches and 3 Strikers)

Each match in this kit will burn for up to fifteen seconds or more and will still work even after it has been fully submerged in water.

Matches aren’t the only fire-starting device that you will want to have in your kit; but at the same time, no survival kit is complete without at least a few matches and a striker.

Camping matches

Matches are a very quick and easy way to get a fire going, and each match can essentially serve as a small miniature torch if needs be.

Features of the kit:

• Contains 25 waterproof and windproof matches and 3 strikers
• Waterproof case (40-match capacity)
• The case is made out of ABS plastic and will float
• The total weight is 1.7 ounces

Stormproof matches

 

2) Texsport Magnesium Flint Striker

This flint striker is my personal favorite fire-starting device.

What I love about the magnesium flint striker is how reliable it is. You can submerge it totally in water and it will still strike a spark afterwards. The same can’t always be said about matches or lighters.

A flint striker

It consists of two pieces: a strip of flint and a block of magnesium. All you will additionally need is a knife. How it works is simple:

1. Gather your kindling and fuel
2. Use your knife to shave a small pile of magnesium (around the size of a dime)
3. Strike the knife against the flint to create a spark
4. If the spark lands on the magnesium, it will catch fire
5. Add kindling to your flame, and then add more fuel to build a larger fire

3) Zippo Matte Lighter

Every survival kit should have at least three fire-starting devices in it. The first two, as we have already seen, should be matches and a magnesium flint striker.

Zippo fuel

The third should be a lighter; specifically, I recommend the Zippo Matte Lighter.

The Zippo Matte lighter has a number of cool features:

• A windproof design
• It is refillable
• Accepts genuine Zippo premium lighter fluid, wick, and flint
• Built in the United States;
• All metal construction.

Zippo Matte Lighter – Author: Jonathan Mauer – CC BY-SA 4.0

The Zippo is nothing special, it’s just a cheap but simple and effective lighter that you can easily carry around in your pocket.