Camping Panda
Lighters and matches are nice and all, but they can fail at the most crucial moments. If you love exploring the outdoors, you also need a fire starter.
The main advantage of a fire starting device is that it needs no fuel to work and is completely waterproof and windproof. With this in mind, let’s find out which are the best fire starters on the market.
Usability
Is it easy to use?
Portability
Is it easy to carry?
Weatherproof
is it resistant?
Grip
Is it ergonomic?
Features
Is it multipurpose?
Safety
Is it safe to use?
Lifespan
Is it long-lasting?
Durability
Is it sturdy enough?
12
Hours Researched
17
Products Evaluated
6k
Reviews Considered
5
Sources Researched
Small enough to fit in a backpack yet resistant and durable, the Swedish FireSteel 2.0 is one of the best fire starters you can find. This rod produces plenty of sparks with each strike, helping you start a fire quickly and easily.
More than a fire starter, the rod is a true survival tool. It comes equipped with a whistle and the sparks are visible from a distance. The improved Army model comes with a stainless steel striker and boasts an ergonomic handle. Easy to carry and use, it’s a nice addition to your EDC or camping kit.
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The Survival Ferro Rod Kit by Bayite is similar to the Swedish FireSteel, in that it’s made from magnesium. It doesn’t come with all the bells and whistles the FireSteel has, but it’s more affordable.
While it won’t last for as many strikes as our best overall, it will still get you through an entire season of camping. It comes with 9 feet of paracord that keeps the rod and striker together. All in all, an excellent choice for adventurers on a budget.
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Another self-contained fire starter that has made it to our list is this model inspired by Darrell Holland. Like the Gerber, it features all you need to get the fire started, including ferrocerium rod, metal striker, as well as a tinder compartment.
We particularly like that it comes with sufficient tinder to light up around 20 fires. The rod is longer than average, so it’s quite easy to use even by newbies. The only downside is the eye-watering price tag, but the rod is undeniably worth every dime.
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One of the basic survival rules is that you have to always be prepared for everything life may throw at you. Keeping a fire starter in your camping kit, thus, might not help you much if you suddenly get stuck in the wild while your camping gear is at home.
That’s where the nanoSTRIKER XL steps in. It’s small enough to attach to a key chain, lightweight, but incredibly performing. It can help you start a fire up to 3,000 times, and the rod is replaceable. Collapsible and aesthetically pleasing, it’s an excellent choice if you don’t mind its reduced dimensions.
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Gerber is a leader of the outdoor industry for a reason. Its products are renowned for their top-knotch quality and designed with survival in mind. Thus, it doesn’t come as a surprise that the Gerber is one of the best fire starters on the market.
The rod is not the longest out there, but the self-contained design makes it an inspired choice for a tool you can attach to a key chain – or smartly throw in your backpack. A watertight tinder storage compartment makes it easy to carry some highly flammable material. The tool also comes with an emergency whistle and lanyard, two useful things to have on your outdoor adventures.
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The Swiss Safe 5-in-1 is undeniably one of the best fire starters you can get your hands on. Impressing with a 5-inch long magnesium ferro rod, it can light up a fire up to 16,000 times – enough to get you through any survival situation.
More than a fire starter, the device is a complete survival tool equipped with a compass, emergency whistle, and paracord. It has the right size to hold and store conveniently in a pocket, and comes in a pack of two. No doubt, an indispensable tool to keep in your backpack.
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The SharpSurvival fire starter comes as an alternative to the Swiss Safe. The two share many features, with the main difference being the durability of the tool. However, even if the SharpSurvival will not last as long as the Swiss Safe, it’s much cheaper.
The magnesium rod produces bright sparks whenever needed, even during a downpour. Furthermore, it comes equipped with a lanyard, compass, and whistle. A great camping and survival tool at a price that won’t break the bank.
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Designed with army personnel in mind, the UST StrikeForce sets itself apart from all other fire starters on this list thanks to the flint rod. It produces bright, super-hot sparks and comes with two pieces of tinder, so you can start a fire quickly.
The self-contained rod and striker come in an orange plastic case that’s easily visible in low light conditions. A landyard makes it easy to attach the rod to a backpack or survival knife. This fire starter is easy to use and dependable; a great choice for car camping and hiking.
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If you don’t really care about bells and whistles but want a truly versatile fire starter, the Fire-Fast Trekker might be it. Boasting two rods, it can start fires in all kinds of weather, using either dry or wet tinder.
The rod consists of two sides, one made from magnesium and the other from steel. A hardened steel scraper produces plenty of sparks, regardless of which side you decide to use. Furthermore, the wooden handle can also double as a source of tinder. Heavier than other rods, it’s undeniably a great choice for an RV or car camping.
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Ferro rods and strikers come in pairs, but the striker usually wears out faster than the rod. So, if you only need a new striker, why spend more on a full set? You can simply get the Striker-Pro from Bayite.
This is the same type of striker that comes with the brand’s rod reviewed above. It has good lifespan, is easy to carry, and comes with a hole that allows you to attach it to a lanyard. No doubt, an affordable solution when your rod is still in good condition.
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Fire starters are an all-important piece of your camping or backpacking kit, one you should always carry when exploring the outdoors. Not only can they help you start a fire and cook some food or brew a coffee; they can also prove to be useful in survival situations, whether you want to start a fire to keep warm or to keep wild animals away from your shelter.
Along with a portable water filter and backpacking knife, fire starters represent the most valuable tools campers and adventurers should have in their pack. They come in various types, and to help you choose, we put together the buying guide below. Check it out before choosing the best fire starter for you from our list above.
Fire starters can be divided into two categories, ignitors and accelerants.
An ignitor is the device that provides the initial spark – namely, the device able to start your fire. Accelerants are used to help ignite the combustion material faster, but in this guide, we focus solely on the first category, namely, on igniters.
Depending on your needs, you can pick from the various types of igniters:
Two factors to consider when looking for a fire starter are the product’s capacity to produce sparks and the maximum number of strikes it can offer. The more strikes it offers, the longer you can make use of it, and the lower your cost per use will be. This is particularly true for the flint and rod fire starters, because both the flint and the rod lose their ability to produce sparks after a number of uses.
Even if you have to learn how to use such a system, it is also important to consider the ease of use. Some flint and rod starters have iron rods and ferroceum flints which, combined, produce lots of sparks. Pair such a fire starter with tinder or wood kindling and you’ve got a very easy to use system
The same goes for a flint and rod paired with fire starting fuel. While starting the fire with fuel is easy, you should consider its safety and cost before ditching the cheaper and safer tinde.
High weather ability denotes the versatility of a material when it comes to the unpredictability of climate, temperature, location, and events. Flint and rod fire starter types are recommended in this regard, since they are useful even when wet, and are resistant to impact. Fire starting fuels are also chemically designed to withstand these effects, while wooden blocks and matches are rated least in this aspect.
All fire starters on our list are compact and portable, but you should still consider the overall portability of the fire starter you want to buy. Indeed, some systems are smaller than others, and the weight can also vary based on the material the rod is made of.
Besides the above, there are a variety of other features to consider if you want to make sure you’ve got the best fire starter.
A fire starter consists of a metal rod and metal striker designed to work together to create sparks. The rod can be made of either ferrocerium or magnesium, while the striker is usually made of steel.
Magnesium fire starters are usually the best. These rods produce brighter, higher temperature sparks, lighting a fire quicker than the ferrocerium kind.
It really depends on how often you use it. Some of the best fire starters, such as the Swiss Safe, can last for around 16,000 strikes – that means years of dependable use if you’re a leisure camper. Survivalists and adventurers may have to replace the fire starter after shorter periods of time.
All you have to do is scrape off the rod with the striker to produce sparks and start a fire. Fire starters can be used with most types of tinder, as well as dry and wet vegetation.
There are many brands that make excellent quality fire starters, such as Light My Fire. Renowned brands, such as Gerber and UST, also propose a range of dependable and affordable fire starters.
