Lighting your camping/backpacking stoves,.....

Any particular reason why you use what you do????

 

I generally use the Bic or bic-type disposable lighters; ease of use and easy to have tucked in pockets and here and there in the pack, along with the matches.

 

Whenever possible, I try to use a BBQ lighter...
I like my fingers!!!

 

i like a nice long wood match to keep my fingers away from the "POOOOF"
if i try a Bic my knuckle hairs get burned off

 

I use a micro torch,long flame and wind proof

Take care

 

Matches or a Bic type disposable. Mostly matches when priming with meths, as I find it easier to reach the primer cup with a match. If priming with petrol it doesn't really matter as the petrol ignites quite easily, and holding a lighter/match somewhere reasonably close to the priming cup does the trick nicely.

Knut

 

TP, you should have added the 'All of the above' option to the pole. My son and I use pretty much all of them at one stage or another, although the cheap turbo lighters you can pick up work really well

These work great although the chain never stays in place long, but at the money you can afford to buy a few and keep them on or around your gear

http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.4179

From the same company (and remember the price you see is the price you pay including shipping) these are fantastic to clip on to kit

http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.1253

As a rule, I try and keep several methods of fire lighting to hand

 

Interesting items Rik. The light appears to be similar to the Photon design sold here in the states. it is an excellent little light and is extremely bright but MUCH more costly than that which you posted.

I use a long butane torch type lighter around the house and sometimes when car camping. For backpacking or camping I keep some kind of a flint and steel handy. (usually a Doan Inc. magnesium/flint) I've found this is all that is needed and is more reliable than anything else 99% of the time. Plus, as they will shower sparks from a distance, this solves some knuckle hair problems! (Dave Gibson ) Waterproof matches, just in case, and a few small bic lighters are along for ease of use too.

 

Those little lights are great, I know Chuck has bought a batch or two. I clip them to kit, even the chain on a 111. At 50c each you can't go wrong

 

I have been thinking about one of these steel/flint thingies, but haven't gotten around to buying one yet. I'm sure it would be easy to ignite butane or petrol with it, but how about meths in the priming cup of eg. a 111with the windshield in place? or a Trangia alcohol burner (not that I use mine very often, but still)?

Knut

 

It really depends on what I'm lighting. If its my Swedish mess kit or a trangia than I'll use a fire steel. Maybe a lighter if it's a bit cold and the meths doesn't want to light.

Otherwise I carry one of the turbo lighters with my Omnifuel, so I'll use that.

I've got a couple of the Photon lights, fantastic things. I have a white and a red one. something I really like is the ability to fade the light up or down or even flash it, well worth the extra cost. I keep one attached to my SAK so it's with me all the time and I use the red one when I'm in my henessey so I don't destroy my night vision.

Simon.

 

Hmmm. Out on a hike, I carry a windproof micro torch and use that, though there is always a box of lifeboat matches in the bag. Usually, it's an alcohol stove (though the next hike is going to be a Kelly Kettle).
At home, cooking or testing, I use matches.
Pete

 

Hey rik_uk3
I've bought several of these little jet micro lighters and love them ,they work great and for the price you can't go wrong.
I keep one in each of my 111x's and its even small enough to fit in my 8R.
There's some pretty good deals to be had there..

Take care

 

Hi

Well,matches from a waterproof box. Like the boxes the 135mm films came in .In reserve Swedish Firesteel.
I have experienced wet matches once, and will never experience it twice!!

Getting a stove fired up or a lighting a wood-fire can save your life!!

Regards

 

When I was young and just starting to use stoves, I used matches.
The only people back then who used a butane lighter were those who smoked.

I still use matches because there is something traditional about them.
Also, the first friction match (the sort I still use) was invented about a mile away from where I was born.

Matches can easily become damp when camping. I always keep a couple of boxes in my trouser pockets and never seem to have any dampness problems.

 

I have a couple of these in brass, superb construction, well worth getting, can't recommend them enough
http://www.kmmatchcase.com/

 

Do the polls have options for multiple pics? This poll needs that option...

For stoves I alternate between "strike anywhere" matches and the lighters that have the long neck.

Matches are stored in a Tupperware box, along with sandpaper and a regular strike patch off a box.

Both are kept in my non perishable food box.

For other fire starting uses I always carry wood matches (in a waterproof tube), an ordinary BIC lighter, and a road flare (Fussee type) in my fanny pack. Last year I added a magnesium and flint striker, but am unimpressed with this combo. The flint stick is near useless with a SS blade (at least it is with my small SS pen knife I always carry) and I have to use my good (nearly antique) Solingen skinning knife to get sparks. I?m not too happy about that?

Why the road flare? Not for accidents, that?s sure. This is my ?I have to have a fire, and right now? emergency fire lighter. At the intense teperature a road flair burns, you can light a fire under almost any conditions, and with almost any wood no matter how wet or cold. It will even burn underwater. I haven?t needed it yet, but it only takes once?

I took a standard 15 min flare and cut it short enough to fit the fanny pack, removed about 3/8 inch of the filler and reused the cardboard plug and rerolled the retaining crimp back. I?ve been carrying it for years.

 

when i say "bic" it's usually one of those generic jobbers with the adjustable flame and the split fuel compartment. Cheap, light, reliable, can "rig" it to give a super big flame if necessary. I got a box of 50 of them off ebay a while back for less than $20. You know you're a pyro when you're bidding on lighters.

 

On youtube a while ago, I saw an instructional video on how to make the everyday 'pointing' lasers into a HOT laser. It surprises me that none of the self appointed pyros haven't done this.

 

do you have a link? this pyro is interested.