What type of "fire starter" do you carry in Backpack?

[Shakes.602]

Vaseline Soaked Cotton Balls..... Who'd A Thunk It? Other than Not Me.     FirePiston Work Well with the Cotton Balls?? Or just Carry Some Matches in a Small Container  IN  The Same Bag? Fire Rookie here!  :rolleyes:  
  Being the "Smoker" that I am, I  ALWAYS  have a Zippo on Me.      

[Friends call me Pac]

Magnesium and dryer lint for me.  Been carring it since I learned about it while stationed in Fairbanks Alaska back in '85.

 

[Earthdog]

I go to the supermarket an buy these things called "firestarters".
I then apply flame from a ciggarette lighter,,,also available from most supermarkets.
Once I've applied the flame,the whole lot gets going real strong.
Best thing since sliced bread,,,,,,an a darn sight better than all this other stuff.
Don't you guys have supermarkets ?

[wihill]

Frassettor was nice enough to gift me with a small kit that has the firesticks and waxed cottonballs.  I usually use a firesteel to ignite either, but I also add in a small container of hand sanitizer.

That stuff will ignite with no effort at all, and can be applied in many different ways.

[LKH]

Sliced up inner tube.  Burns hot and long.  

You can take the package your freeze dried meals come in, slice up and it really burns for a long time.  Don't even have to really dry it off from your meal.

[LKH]

I should have added that I used "inner tube rubber bands" to hold my gamebags, etc. in compact bundles so I always have some fire starter, even if I didn't pack some just for fires.

[Bill Carlsen]

Bic lighter

[chinook907]

Bug dope.  Burns real well as a starter and does double duty in the bug months.

[Buckeye Trad Hunter]

Dryer lint and matches in a waterproof container

[Jerry Wald]

Three or four bic lighters - Water proof matches - firesticks if I am walking or hiking. Use the dry twigs under the spruce bows.

NOW if I am on horse back - A small plastic bottle (coke - whatever) fill half full of DIESEL FUEL. My machete.

I have been out in some nasty ass weather and tried to get a fire started and nothing around but wet wood and nothing beats that DIESEL FUEL for me (don't need much).

One match or your lighter and you are off to the races.

Jer Bear

[4est trekker]

I teach wilderness survival courses and practice ultralight backpacking.  I have seen most fire starting methods out there and have tried hundreds.  Yet at the end of the day, it must be light, work in the rain, and be easy enough to light if I'm experiencing trauma.  I carry Vaseline-soaked cottonballs and a striker.  Most often I carry a simple one like those sold by the Boy Scouts or Light My Fire.  However, the one-handed Blast Match is a super invention that allows you to start a fire easily with no effort in ONE hand.  Plus, it will light a host of other natural materials as it produces HOT sparks and gives you control over where they land.  Very hard to beat.  

Matches are a waste of time, as are lighters.  They work, but I wouldn't trust my comfort, and certainly not my life with them.  Wind will seek to blow them out and water can destroy the best in minutes.  However, the Vaseline-soaked cottonballs burn hotter with the wind, will light when soaked in water if properly coated/sealed in Vaseline, and the Blast Match will work in a driving wind and rain.   Also, "waterproof" containers aren't the cure-all.  A "waterproof" container with as near-waterproof form of ignition as possible is  the best bet.  

Also, be sure to carry at least two forms of making fire in separate locations (i.e. one in your pack and one on your person).  You can get separated from a pack VERY easily, even just going to the bathroom.  

I make and use fire pistons, but they're pretty tough if one arm is immobilized.  Plus, you've gotta be good at producing fire from a small ignition source.  Matches make a flame, but have fun striking them when you can't feel your fingers and the wind is howling.  Lighters can be used one handed, unless again you can't feel your fingers.  At my seminars, I usually show how to light a fire using only my mouth.  Assuming you can get the materials from your pocket/pack, you can get a Vaseline-soaked cottonball out of a film container, set and "fire" the Blast Match, and get a flame going with just your mouth.  Don't try it just for fun, 'cause your eyebrows may be thicker than mine!  However, that's a pretty good field test in my book.  


Hope this helps!

[Muskoxman]

If you need something you can light, when things are soaking wet and your hands are so cold and numb you can't hardly make them work, carry a flare.

John

[Jerry Wald]

Check this out

 

jer

[David McLendon]

For obvious and easy reasons a Bic grill lighter. I'll use that until it's gone and after that a fire piston and some prepared tinder.

[bawana bowman]

Have always carried either cotton balls with vaseline or dryer lint and vaseline. Both work extremely fast, combined with a magnesium starter. Never takes more than 2 strikes and you've got fire. Vaseline lets it burn long enough and hot enough to build a good size fire quick.

[reddogge]

I have an old time fire starting kit with flint, steel, char cloth and rolled up jute.  It also has a magnifying glass in the top.

[Pointer]

firesticks...waterproof matches in waterproof container and a lighter...the sticks are great. You get a solid flame for 7-8 minutes...long enough to light anything that'll burn

[LKH]

Hunted Adak for years and never carried anything.  Why bother, there's nothing to burn.

PW Sound will challenge you to start any kind of fire.  Best is to split green alder if you have a good starter.

[lpcjon2]

I used magnesium. I like the waterproof wood matches that strike on anything and a travel soap container with frito's in it.

[Ike 403]

Bic lighter and dryer lint/Vaseline in a film canister. Hasn't failed me yet.

Once, at an office picnic, I used a mag bar, the fuzz off of a cat tail and a hand full of Fritos to start the charcoal...just because....  :D