![]() ![]() Of the ten fire starters we tested, four rods claimed to be made of ferrocerium. The Überleben is slick-looking, with its natural, handcrafted handle and ferrocerium rod. Without being a chemist, this fire starter convinced me that ferrocerium can vary widely in quality, and the ferrocerium in this rod is top notch. Oh, man! This baby lights up like a Christmas tree. It also folds back onto itself for easy, waterproof storage. Just find yourself a heavy log, build your tinder and plunge right into your future fire den for a quick and easy heat machine. The Blastmatch is extremely effective, comfortable and easy to use. It does not require a hard surface to work. If you’d also like a good one-handed fire starter, look no further than the UST Blastmatch. Yeah, I bet Ralston would have liked a good one-handed fire starter. Then I thought back to the infamous Aron Ralston, the author and firsthand experiencer of 127 Hours and shrugged. “Why,” I snorted, “are these one-handed things so popular? Are people really this short on hands?” ![]() The fires we lit with the Strikeforce were consistently instantaneous, making this a great tool for both beginners and emergency situations. Though it’s flint-based, the length and width of the rod makes for lots of big, happy sparks that ensure a quick switch fire. The case doubles as a handy storage compartment for tinder and comes with a lanyard as well. Unmatched reliability aside, the flint-based starter is housed in a durable waterproof case. Though it’s certainly not for ultralighters, the Strikeforce is incredibly easy to use and makes great use of space. The UST Strikeforce is the bulkiest and one of the heaviest starters we tested. Read on for our full reviews. Or, if you’re interested in alternative ways to start a campfire, check out our articles on the top backpacking lighters, stormproof matches, and waterproof matches. We found the UST Strikeforce to be the best overall for its reliability and ease of use, though good options abound. We field tested 10 of the best fire starters and judged them on their ease of use, compactness, and the size and strength of their spark. But don’t worry, it was all Leave No Trace-friendly. Much to Smokey the Bear’s chagrin, we lit a lot of stuff on fire this week.
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