High Sierra Topix

I have used some of these fire starters, in this article, in my pack over the past decades, but have ended up with the UCO's for the past several years. What are you currently using?
https://gearjunkie.com/best-camp-emerge ... re-starter

Along with the usual 2 - 3 bics, I carry a ferro rod, a small one that came with a Swiss Army tool card...just strike a knife across it.
Interesting that over the many years carried, I have only used it twice, just to see if I could start a fire that way. BTW, was easy.

Bic lighters 2-3 as well. In various places in the pack (stove stuff sack, pocket,etc.) I have a magnesium starter as well, but why? Your biggest concern is tinder and dry wood. 151 and white gas works as well.

151 and white gas works as well.

Russ, I could see you now being a human blow torch with that 151.

I carry a mini bic, and a ferro rod/striker, along with some Vaseline impregnated cotton balls sealed up using this method:

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some Vaseline impregnated cotton balls

Have been carrying those in a old film canister for a long time.

Can't imagine that multiple bics would fail at once. Except for cooking fish I generally view wood fire as a backup to stove failure. Also if I can light my stove, I could use that to start a wood fire in really nasty conditions if a fire is necessary. When a backcountry ranger I used to use my stove as a makeshift blowtorch for some repairs I had to make around the ranger station!

maverick wrote:Have been carrying those in a old film canister for a long time.

What's a film canister?

Strike anywhere wooden matches stored in a water tight container, a Light My Fire Mora fire knife, cotton/vasoline and a Bic. I have issues with the Bic--When my old arthritic hands are cold, I have trouble flicking the wheel and anything I want to light is on the ground so the flame curls up and burns my fingers. Great for lighting cigarettes or whatever else you want to smoke though.

I carry what my Boy Scouts do: a small "kit" containing a mini Bic, several UCO matches and a striker, two straws with petroleum jellied cotton in them, either lint or half of a cotton tampon, and two "birthday candles".

We tend to have another mini bic stashed with each stove, however many there may be, but when combined with a sharp knife this kit has proven itself many times. We use tins, like from altoids mints, and then put stickers inside each half, one with reminder instructions and list of contents, and the other with personal info and emergency contacts. It isn't waterproof, but it's light, compact and csn be used as a hexamine stove if need be.