3 Great Emergency Firestarters for Campers
Frequent campers know the dangers involved with heading out into the wilderness, and emergency firestarters are a crucial tool used to limit that danger. Camping safety is all about proper preparation, and equipping yourself with firestarters ensures you will have a heat source in the event that something unexpected occurs. There are all kinds of firestarters on the market, some of which are more reliable than others. It is always smart for campers to take as many of these as possible, as it is better to be safe than sorry. From fire sticks to fuel bars to simple matches, the more emergency firestarters you have, the safer you will be. Read on to learn more about three great and reliable emergency firestarters for campers.
Windproof and Waterproof Matches
Matches have long been a camper’s best friend. Although they can sometimes fail, the newest camping matches are made with a variety of non-toxic chemicals to work in all situations. These emergency matches are generally resistant to both wind and water, allowing you to start a fire at any time. The matchbox surface of these matches is usually treated with a moisture resistant coating. In many ways, emergency matches are like sparklers, as they do not produce enormous flames, but they remain lit due to the combination of chemicals on their surfaces. A few boxes of windproof and waterproof matches are a great beginning to your emergency firestarter kit.
Magnesium and Spark Firestarters
Some firestarters produce fires through the use of flammable chemicals. These firestarters are reliable because they are usually both windproof and waterproof. One of the most common chemicals used in starting fires is magnesium, as it can start fires up to 5,400 degrees Fahrenheit. Some of these kits come with tabs of magnesium that are meant to be scraped, providing you with shavings that can be lit with either a lighter or with sparks. Of course a lighter is the easiest choice, but a spark-producing tool can be useful as well. These firestarters allow you to use metal to create sparks that drop down to easily ignite your magnesium fire tabs. Believe it or not, this ignition method is usually pretty rapid. The fire tabs are made to prevent oxidation, and are almost always flammable, even when soaking wet.
Fired Up Emergency Fire Starting Kit
Fired Up is a firestarter that comes in the form of small pebbles in a large bucket. Once ignited, the pebbles burn for up to 30 minutes. Fired Up is a safe product which has a 30 year shelf life, works when wet, and can be ignited without kindling. Plus, the product is very versatile, capable of being used to start fires in emergency situations, or simply to light up the grill in the backyard. Fired Up can be combined with charcoal or used on its own, and it is one of the most reliable firestarters on the market. The product takes up more space than matches or fire tabs, but it is the best firestarter available if you have the room.
