Travis Olander 12.06.23
The year’s at an end, but cold-weather camping is just heating up. Of course, you’ll want to invest in some reliable firestarters for your next venture – lest you wind up with frozen digits and an early trek back to the car or trailhead to save yourself from the cold. Here are our top picks for firestarters that you can use camping, backpacking, or simply to roast some winter s’mores in your backyard with friends and family.
Firestarter Coverage on AllOutdoor
Wolf & Grizzly Fire Set (Best Ferro Rods)
It’s pretty difficult to not successfully start a fire with a couple of good ole’ ferro rods: They produce incredibly flammable metallic sparks that burn at over 5,000 degrees Fahrenheight. But not all ferro rods are made equal: Some are made from a combination of ferrous materials and alloys that aren’t as flammable as pure Ferrocerium – that’s the compound found in these firestarters. Ferrocerium is made from iron oxide and magnesium which, when struck by a harder material, sparks and ignites.
Wolf & Grizzly’s Fire Set is made from 100% Ferrocerium, offering a few thousand reliable strikes before requiring replacement. Measuring about 4″ long, worth about 20,000 strikes, and weighing just 2.2 ounces, this little firestarter is arguably the lightest, longest lasting option on our list. The Wolf & Grizzly’s very affordable as well, costing about $23 at publication.
What? You’re a complete novice at bushcraft fire starting? Don’t worry, ferro rods are stupidly easy to use: just scratch the surface of the rod with the provided striker to expose fresh magnesum/iron oxide. Then, plant the rod atop the tinder, strike it hard, in a downward motion, and bam – sparks and flame will follow, even in wet weather.
Morakniv Companion Spark (Honorable Mention)
Ferro rods require the iron-magnesium stick, and a hardened steel striker to work effectively – and what better to serve as a striker than the backside of a fixed survival knife? That’s the question Morakniv answered with their Companion Spark knife-ferro-rod combo. The Spark’s 4″ blade (made from Sandvik 12C27) is complemented by a small ferro rod concealed within the butt of the handle. Morakniv says this lil’ rod provides about 3,000 strikes before it’s worn too short and thin.
The fire starter twists and locks into the handle for easy storage, while the blade includes a leather, belt-looped sheath. Morakniv’s knives have always received high marks for their steels’ sharpness and edge retention, and the Spark’s no exception. With a wide spine and thick, single bevel, the Spark is made for heavy-duty chopping and backwoods stuff. Priced at $40, the Morakniv Companion Spark is a well priced camping combo that provides two critical tools in one nifty unit.
MELT Fire Starter Squares (Best for Wet Weather)
This writer has personally relied on MELT squares to get at least a half dozen soggy campfires alight in the damp Pennsylvania wilderness. These simple little sawdust-and-wax squares provide about 5 minutes’ worth of burn time per square, they effectively repel water, and they’ll light easily in the rain.
Sure, there are plenty of solid fuel fire starters to pick from – but these provide arguably the best burn time and reliability for their size. Each square measures just 1.75″ x 1.2″ across, and each tile of squares can be broken up to a size that’s to your liking. Break ’em up small for dry climates, or use a whole tile in wet weather to ensure your tinder dries out and maintains a flame before adding wood. A 160-count pack of squares costs about $25, which should last you an months, if not years. Throw a few squares in a Ziploc bag and pack them alongside your ferro rods, and you’re guaranteed to have reliable campfires in any weather.
Zippo Typhoon Match Kit (Best for Emergencies)
The Typhoon Matches might look like regular matchsticks at a glance, but they take things to another level: They can be ignited completely submerged, and they’ll burn underwater. They absolutely cannot be put out once they’ve combusted. They’ll work in literally any weather, no matter how cold or soaking wet, with a burn time of about 30 seconds. The Typhoon Matches also come packaged in a convenient little waterproof storage tube with a strike face on the lid. The unit measures about 5″ in length and 1.5″ in diameter, making it yet another lightweight, compact option that’ll fit in even the lightest camping loadout. Each canister comes with 15 stormproof matches, retailing for about $15 – when you can find them in stock, that is; they are quite popular among campers and survivalists alike.
#0000 Steel Wool + 9V Battery (Best DIY)
When it comes to firestarting, no list is complete without a proper DIY, “survivalist” option. Nothing works better than some simple steel wool and a 9-volt battery. To be fair, steel wool tends to smolder and melt more than burn. But by tucking it inside your tinder, you’re certain to get an effect similar to that of a ferro rod. Fine steel wool burns long and slow, making it a great igniter in wet weather. Finer wool works best; we recommend using #0000. Of course, you’ll want a battery with a proper charge to get things started. Even if you don’t have a battery handy, you can use steel wool as tinder. Just ignite it using any sparking striker, match, or lighter. Lastly – this should go without saying – you shouldn’t store your wool next to your battery. The moment wool touches both terminals, it’ll ignite and it can’t be put out. You certainly don’t want your hiking pack to turn into a flaming mess whilst you’re rucking.
Want more DIY fire starters? Here’s how to make your own using cotton balls and vaseline.
