Have you ever been out in the wilderness and needed to start a fire but couldn’t find matches? Well, worry no more — because today we’re diving into the wonderful world of survival fire starting kits! These handy tools will make sure you never have to miss out on cozy campfires in remote locations. So let’s get started!
Contents
What is a Fire Starter?
A fire starter is a convenient tool used to quickly and easily start a campfire by creating a spark or flame. Fire starters come in various forms and can be made from different materials, depending on their type. It can be a simple item like a match or a lighter, or a more advanced tool such as a ferrocerium rod (also known as a “ferro rod”), magnesium rod, or a flint and steel kit.
It’s important to always use caution when using your fire making kit. You should always keep the spark kit out of reach of children, as well as pets and wildlife since it could cause injuries if used improperly. Make sure that you always ensure your area is safe before attempting to start a fire with your fire survival kit.
How to Choose the Right Fire Starter Kit
There are several types of fire starters, including ferrocerium rods, lighters, matches, and magnesium blocks. Consider the pros and cons of each type and choose the one that suits your needs.
To choose the right spark kit, it’s important to consider the type of environment you will be using it in. For example, if you will be camping or hiking in wet or humid conditions, you may want to opt for a waterproof or weather-resistant fire starter. Additionally, you want to make sure it is easy to use and durable enough to last for multiple uses in case of emergency situations.
A Fire Starter Kit by The Atomic Bear is an ideal way of starting a campfire under adverse conditions such as strong winds, or in areas where there is no access to natural combustible material. It refers to a specific type of fire starter known as a ferro rod fire starter. They are an excellent alternative to matches or lighters. A ferrocerium rod is a man-made metallic alloy that includes iron and cerium, which produces hot sparks when scraped with a rough surface.
You can choose sticks that contain materials known to ignite quickly and reliably, such as magnesium and sawdust, or wax-based materials like paraffin waxes, resoymers, or beeswax-based formulations.
Choose a product that is specifically designed for igniting fires. Avoid using products from big box stores, such as matches, or combustible liquids like lighter fluid. These products may be hazardous or dangerous when used outside of their intended purposes.
When possible select a fire starter with added items like tinder bundles which help generate extra heat to speed up the process further. Once you’ve chosen the right fire starter shape and size, the rest is easy!
A Step by Step Guide to Lighting a Fire with a Ferro Rod Fire Starter
1. Prepare the materials needed: Make sure that you have an area cleared of potentially flammable items, such as dead leaves or combustible materials, and ensure that you have plenty of kindling material available. Have everything you need nearby so that you can quickly light the fire.
2. Prepare the area: Find some dry, fluffy material that will ignite easily, such as dryer lint, cotton balls, or birch bark. Position the kindling in a “teepee” shape around the found tinder with some space at the base for air circulation. You can also build a small ring of rocks to contain the fire.
3. Light the kindling: Take the ferro rod and hold it in your non-dominant hand. Hold the striker or scraper in your dominant hand. Position the ferro rod so that the striker is at a 45-degree angle to the rod. Use the striker to strike the ferro rod with a quick, firm motion. The rod will produce a shower of sparks that will ignite the tinder. The flames will then ignite the kindling placed around it which in turn should set off enough heat to keep your fire going without requiring regular refueling from additional burnables.
4. Keep fanning your flame: Gently blow on the kindling to help it catch fire. To keep it alight, feed oxygen into your bonfire using kindling as fuel and by using a small bellow if necessary. Additionally, fanning more air into it helps produce bigger flames which can easily burn items faster than non-fanned fires do; hence why larger items like logs or branches come in handy when trying to start fires quickly though inevitably they will still need oxygenation via bellows or fanning for extended periods of use after being lit up initially.
5. Keep safety in mind at all times: It goes without saying but make sure that you are cautious with open flames and remember that sparks could travel and create dangerous situations if any combustible objects are lying close by unsupervised — supervise any open flames at all times!
What Are the Benefits?
Ferro rod fire starters are a reliable, lightweight, and safe tool that can help you start a fire in any outdoor setting. The advantages of using it include:
- Lightweight: Ferro rod fire starters are lightweight and easy to carry. They do not take up much space in your backpack, making them a convenient tool to have on outdoor trips.
- Easy to use: Ferro rod fire starters are easy to use and require minimal effort to produce sparks. Even someone who has never used one before can quickly learn how to use it to start a fire.
- Fire safety approved: Since this type of fire starter does not produce flames or sparks that can start a fire accidentally, they are deemed by most nature departments as being safe enough for transporting and using in most wooded areas where open fires are permitted.
- Versatility: Starters work with both campfires at ground level or even large bonfires that may be built on higher surfaces like small logs or large pieces of wood. They will also work on ice surface fires as well. This versatility helps when building winter fires outdoors or when stuck on the side of an icy mountain during a blizzardy day hike!
Conclusion
Fire starters are a must-have tool for any outdoor enthusiast. Whether you are camping, hiking, or simply enjoying a day in the wilderness, these convenient tools will ensure that you can have a campfire burning in no time! Just remember to always exercise caution and keep safety in mind.
I’m Stacy, and I help The Atomic Bear grow. The Atomic Bear was founded with the sole purpose of helping everyday people prepare for survival. We wanted to create a new generation of survival-oriented people, and realized that the best way to do that was not only to offer great gear but to show everyone how to use it better. Our goal is to serve and educate even the most resilient survivalists. The 21st century has taught us that life-threatening events can and will happen every day, and when they do, there is no such thing as "too prepared". Because when a situation takes an unexpected turn, survivors take no chances. Survivors take control.
I have been doing night treks for every month now and yet every time I go, I only take a torch or a lighter with me. This fire starter kit seems incredibly easy to use for someone even like me. Thanks for the ultimate guide. I’m definitely buying this for my next trek.
The Ferro rod fire starter looks like a useful device for people camping outdoors. It’s specially useful when it’s raining and match sticks won’t work. And thanks for sharing the maneuver to use it and it’s also easy to carry. And of course it’s important to bear safety measures under all circumstances to avoid flaring up combustible items. Thanks for the review.
This is very helpful. I have just started to do longer hikes with my kids where we use fire pits and such. I am definitely going to expand my skills to this as well. I can’t wait for the spring and summer and being able to go outside hiking. Great tips!
As someone who never seems to be able to use matches, a fire starter would be a good idea for me. Also means not ending up with wet matches that don’t light. This would even be a good thing to have at home for camp fires in the back yard!
I would have loved to know all of this when I went camping for the first time last year. We struggled so much with making the fire for our fire pit. I think it took hours before we got a proper flame, haha. I actually have a fire starter at home, I use it to light candles and incense sticks. I will definitely take it with me next time I go camping, in May.
This is a really helpful post. I’m a beginner at camping and so knowing how to use a fire starter is so useful. I’ll also share this with my husband as he’s a keen camper!
That’s pretty useful. Indeed matches or lighters get absolutely useless if there’s a slight drizzle. I’m happy that this really works even when it is slightly wet. It does seem almost effortless or with minimal effort. I think I can just dangle it from the ropes of my backpack. Thanks for this review. Very helpful.
Great post about using a fire starter. We do a lot of wilderness camping – to be honest we usually just take a lighter with us. But I was always interested in using a fire starter. It seems to be fun!
As a family who used to camp a lot, we relied heavily on fire starters after realising how wet a box of matches can get and how useless they are. Being how essential a fire is for warmth and cooking (and keeping critters away), this post is an excellent look at how to use them and which ones to buy.
Oh wow. I have always wondered how campers start a fire. Now I know. I will surely get my partner to start it though.
Very helpful. This makes me think of the TV show naked and afraid. Something you need to know as you never know where or what!
I love the fires when we go camping. Thanks for the self-help tips. I sure do need them, sometimes I have a hard time starting the fire for the first time.
This is such an amazing tool for people that always have an outdoor activity such as camping, hiking or just going out for nature calls! It’s very lightweight, portable, and very convenient to use! Definitely an essential item for all outdoor enthusiasts!
This is information that I will definitely use this summer! It helps a lot to have a fire starter while camping!
I love this so much! I will now add the Fire Starter to my camping and emergency kit. As a family, we camp all the time and this is great!
I love camp fires. I am too scared to start them myself though.
It does look incredibly easy! I know there are some starters that will even produce a spark after the pieces have been drenched, I bet it would also come in handy in an emergency!
I’ve got to try this just one time to see if I can start fire that way. ARH ARH!!
This is so helpful and informative, this is so perfect for my husband who love to spend time outdoors
This is a really great and very informative post! Thanks for sharing this with us!
Nnniiiccceeee…I like this fire starter. It has a modern look to it and feel. Thanks Stacy, for sharing about it.
Thanks for the helpful hints! For the camping-challenged (such as myself) this article will make me look like a pro in starting campfires.
Thanks for these handy tips and tricks. I think I’m all set to build a roaring fire next time I’m out camping.
My family and I have gone camping and could definitely have used a fire starter. I loved that you gave instructions on the best methods to get the fire started. I agree safety can be quite of concern considering sparks could fly.
I’ve been lucky and always had matches handy when it came to starting fires. But if not, I think I would carry around a fire starter kit. My grandpa used to use pine needles and pine ones for kindling too.
My husband camps so I need to share this with him. He can use help with fires.
Great and very helpful instructions on using a fire starter. This is fabulous information for anyone spending time outdoors. Thank you for sharing!