Starting a campfire
When camping, either on purpose or in an emergency situation, having the ability to start a fire could save your life.
Despite what you may see on extreme outdoors TV shows, starting a fire is a significant challenge. Homemade devices like a bow drill fire starter will work, but conditions have to be perfect and you need quite a bit of experience.
Instead, consider purchasing and carrying a fire starter with your camping gear or emergency travel gear. This device greatly simplifies the process of creating a spark to start a fire in an emergency or just to enjoy some hot dogs and s’mores over a campfire.
Easiest campfire starters to use
For those who just want to be able to start a fire quickly, regardless of the size of the unit, these fire starters are extremely easy to use.
UST BlastMatch Fire Starter: available at Amazon Because the BlastMatch only requires one hand for operation, you can move the kindling in place to catch the sparks. You don’t have to have any experience with starting fires while camping to make use of this unit.
Exotac nanoSTRIKER XL Fire Starter: available at Amazon This tiny fire starter has durable parts that simplify the process of lighting kindling. It delivers waterproof capabilities, just in case of rain or of camping near water. Its bright orange aluminum exterior makes it easy to see in case you drop it in tall grass areas.
Lightning Strike Holland Fire Starter: available at Amazon This unit is a little larger than some others, but its design allows you to aim the sparks from the fire starter directly onto the tinder, traveling through the fire starter’s bright red barrel. The barrel is easy to see if you drop it.
Vargo Ultimate Fire Starter: available at Amazon This is an interesting fire starter, as it includes a strike tool inside a hollow rod. After starting the file, extend the collapsible rod to a length of about 18 inches and blow air through it to work as a bellows to stoke the embers.
Pull Start Fire Pull String Firestarter: available at Amazon Don’t worry about carrying matches or lighters during camping trips. Instead, use this product to start a hot fire instantly, catching kindling and logs on fire quickly. Just pull the string on the fire blocks and watch the fire start.
Best campfire starter kits
If you often camp in wet areas, having a fire starter kit that includes dry kindling and a way to light it can help you in a tough situation.
Zippo FireFast MTB Kit: available at Amazon This Zippo kit has everything you need to guarantee a quick fire. It ships with shredded pine tinder, a ferro rod and a steel striker. This kit does take up quite a bit of room, so it’s not the best option for carrying in a backpack for remote camping.
Wolf Grizzly Fire Set: available at Backcountry This is an easy-to-use fire starter, as it uses two long pieces in the striker and steel that have plenty of surface area for multiple strikes. The entire kit connects to a paracord that you could use as kindling in an emergency.
Adventure Medical Mag Striker and Tinder Cord: available at Backcountry The Mag Striker includes a flint that you can use for hundreds of strikes without wearing down. It also ships with a lanyard that you can use as tinder just in case the options in nature are wet or unavailable.
Best small and versatile campfire starters for hiking
When lugging a backpack into remote locations for a minimalist camping trip, having a fire starter that’s lightweight and small is helpful to save weight in the pack. Additionally, you can select a fire starter that doubles as another device, saving space in the pack.
Morakniv Companion Spark Outdoor Knife and Fire Starter: available at Amazon This 3.9-inch knife blade includes a magnesium fire starter that embeds inside the handle. Use the knife against the magnesium striker to create the sparks to start the fire. The knife ships with a sheath for protection.
S.O.L. Fire Lite Fuel Free Lighter and Flashlight: available at Amazon This battery-powered fire starter makes use of a plasma arc to light your campfire without the need for fuel. This unit recharges through a USB cable. The fire starter also has a flashlight available that will run for a few hours on a charge.
The Friendly Swede Magnesium Fire Starter: available at Amazon With this steel and magnesium fire starter kit, just shave off a bit of magnesium to mix with the tinder for starting the fire, then use the striker and flint rod to create the sparks. The entire small unit clips to a backpack as a lightweight option.
Fire-Fast Trekker Waterproof Fire Starter: available at Amazon If you’ll be traveling across or through creeks and streams on your hiking trip, you need a fire starter that can survive the possibility of wet conditions. This starter is easy to use, and it will be ready to work, even if it becomes wet.
Gerber Bear Grylls Fire Starter and Emergency Whistle: available at Amazon and Home Depot This is a small fire starter featuring a ferrocerium rod and a metal striker. It includes an emergency whistle, so you can signal your fellow hikers if you end up separated. A lanyard holds everything together.
CRKT Spark’N Sharp Fire Starter: available at Amazon For convenience, it’s tough to beat this CRKT fire starter. It hangs on a lanyard that you can drape around your neck while hiking. In addition to creating sparks to start a fire, it has a knife sharpening area to serve as a handy two-in-one tool.
MSR Strike Igniter: available at Backcountry The MSR fire starter has more durability than the others on our list, lasting for up to 12,000 strikes. It’s weatherproof, and it’s small enough to fit in a backpack or to wear around your neck.
Kyle Schurman is a writer for BestReviews. BestReviews is a product review company with a singular mission: to help simplify your purchasing decisions and save you time and money.
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