Best lighter for hunting/survival

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heycatman

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Ok, so I hope THR doesn't mind me asking this question but this is the best forum I can find for it and I'm not sure what other category it would or could go under on this forum, so here it goes....

I've been looking for an excellent lighter for hunting, camping and survival. I don't care at all about looks or fanciness and for that matter it doesn't have to be particularly small actually I have big hands and would prefer something I can actually grab onto and activate. The lighter must fit certain criteria as follows.

1. I already own zippo style lighters. Zippos are a NO go. The fuel leaks out slowly over time and you end up with a dry lighter after a month. If you put enough in to last longer it still leaks in a month + 2weeks and half spills all over your other gear and stink while you're hunting. I've already walked this road.

2. Reliable, has to work repeatedly preferably by mechanical means like flint steal vs. piezo which I can't fix or work with in the woods if it breaks. Even a zippo can be lit with another source of spark and will stay lit wind/fuel permitting.

3. Reloadable nothing meant to be disposable or that cannot be refilled with fuel, looking for something to use for a few years at least.

4. Long lasting at least enough for a week or so. I figure if I used it for a week and it stopped then I got quite a bit of use out of it figuring maybe starting 2 fires a day for 7 days that's 14 fires started before refill. Maybe 15 seconds a piece so like.... around 5 minutes of fuel capacity.

5. can get wet and then light again after it's dried or even while it's wet. Doesn't have to light under water or some nonsense but if it gets wet can be dried off and then used again.

6. Windproof is not a huge worry nor altitude I live in Wisconsin but temperature and moisture definitely are. It can't freeze or not light cause of moisture... remember half of Wisconsin is a giant marsh and frozen 4 months out of the year.

If anyone has had a good experience with a lighter like this I'd like to hear about it. Thank you!
 
Well, I would stick with A cigarette lighter, waterproof matches, and cottonballs saturated in vaseline and stuffed into an aspirin bottle. Those cottonballs work amazing. They can get wet and light right back up.
 
Like said above cotton balls coated with vaseline and a swiss match. cotton balls can get wet and will still burn. Last approx 5 min no matter how windy or cold they still burn and catch fire easily.
 
 
I been there and done that several times over with Zippo's and refillable butane hi end stuff.

There seems to be a Murphy's Law of Lighters in that:
The further away you are from lighter fluid or a butane can, the more likely it is you will run out of fuel or flints in the lighter.

I took care of that by carrying a back-up BIC when I still used a Zippo.

I eventually figured out you simply can't beat a BIC disposable in the pocket of your pants, and a few more spares in your hunting clothes or pack. Two or three of them weigh less then a space-age titanium refillable lighter. And a six-pack of BIC's cost less then a can of butane.

One or all of them is bound to work far from civilization, when you need it to work in the worst way.

rc
 
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If you are going to be at altitude or in sub-freezing temps then anything butane is going to give you problems. If this is the case you need to just get some strike anywhere matches, coat them in wax, and put them in a water-proof container. Then, stock up on fire starter materials like soaked cotton balls, etc. I like using votive candles because when you are starting a fire, you a dig in a little to protect them from wind, and just light them and forget them while you build up the fire.

There may be some kind of lighter with a different fuel you can use, but I'm not aware of it. Maybe somebody will post on that.
 
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I think that applies to mountaineering cook stoves more then butane lighters.

Butane lighters work just fine in sub-freezing temps if you don't carry them exposed to sub-freezing temps.

Keep them in your pocket and they will work all the way down to when you freeze to death and no longer have any body heat left.

I keep a BIC stuck in the sun-visor of my truck 24/7.
It lights at minus -10-15 all winter if you give it a little shake first.

rc
 
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I generally cannot get a week in my pocket out of a Zippo before it will not light due to lack of fuel - even if I don't use it. As a result, I have come to rely upon butane lighters exclusively.

I think that stashing cheap Bic disposable lighters in various places is the most useful approach.
 
Any fire steel if used correctly is the best way to go. You can drop em in water, shake em off, and they work all the same. I use the Blastmatch. It can be used with one hand (useful in the event of injury).

http://www.cheaperthandirt.com/CAMP223-1.html

I agree with carrying cotton balls dabbed with vazaline. Also, a few 6in. strips of cotton rope dipped in candle wax will start a fire even in damp/wet conditions.
 
I had cousins interned in Manila by the Japs--over two years in the prison camp. The Zippo was the "weapon of choice" because it would work with gasoline or kerosene. As GIs in Korea, we'd just dip them down the filler neck of a Jeep to re-fuel.

Unless somebody is thinking of an SHTF situation, the ubiquitous BIC is plenty good for day-tripping around the countryside.
 
I really like these "best of" threads...

If you really aren't concerned with size, I have gone to the propane torch for most of our fire starting around home and work. The type you use for soldering copper pipe or electrical wiring. They will burn extremely hot for hours. I use one to fire up my woodstove 3-4X/week. If I know that I'll be lighting a fire of some sort...I'll throw it in the truck or atv saddle bag.
Of course, I won't carry a torch hunting or fishing....I use disposable Bic style for that.
 
Ill throw another vote in for the magnesium block, as a emergency fire starter. Obviously your not going to be light cigs with it but if your in a real squeeze it will come through for you.
Other than that I gotta go with everyone else suggesting the bic lighter...
 
Swedish fire steel and a knife. The knife works for scraping cloth garments to create lint--a great firestarter and is easily ignited.
 
I carry 3 bics and a magnesium starter block.
That weighs less than a zippo and I have 4 things that have to fail before I'm rubbing sticks together.

Practice building fires from your matches, cotton balls, or whatever you use, and do it regularly. You can lose your touch for firemaking, if you don't use it.
 
Only bad thing about the bic lighters, is wet hands. That's why I like the torch lighters, because you just push the button. Plus, the flame doesn't blow out real easy like the bic lighters will.
 
what do you guys use as strikers for your magnesium starters? i have a knife or two that is capable but i hate doing it. mine didnt come with a striker so was just curious what may be something easy and portable.
 
xmanpike said:
Well, I would stick with A cigarette lighter, waterproof matches, and cotton balls saturated in vaseline and stuffed into an aspirin bottle. Those cottonballs work amazing. They can get wet and light right back up.
Click to expand...
Thanks for the good suggestion! I actually have looked it up on youtube per your suggestion and it looks like I'll definitely be putting some of that into my next backpacking trip.

Although as humbly as I can, I will say, it kind of seems like the line gets drawn between an effective way to always start a fire and actually using a lighter in the first place. I know there are some good lighters out there but really reliability is dependent on preparation and having more than one way to start the fire in the first place so I guess a bunch of bics, some matches and a fire steel & petroleum cotton wads wouldn't be out of the question at any time when used in sync with each other. I do guess this is why they say have more than one way to start a fire...
 
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