I notice that many trippers here like Matches over lighters and wondered why so....(like Jeffery and Sean asked in his trip log post)

Myself.....lighters all the way and waterproff matches as back-up.

Cheers
Mike

Matches are a good backup if keep in a waterproof container

I always have two small lighters ( usually spare in tackle box)
and the prinipal one in my pocket

Also just bought a three pack of V- lighters ( They fold)
and are similar to the longer barbeque ones but only 5-6 inches long
extended/unfolded and half that size folded.

And they are refillable.

Rac n

Three sources for me in order...

1. Bic lighter
2. Waterproof matches in pack
3. Magnesium in first aid/emergency kit on my person.

I've only ever had to use the lighter though.

I have tried various methods to waterproof matches and have been dissapointed every time. I will not go camping without a Bic lighter or two. In my experience they will not let you down. They will always "light your fire".

The Bic lighters I take into the interior are around 30 years old and they still perform as expected and I have complete confidence in them.

ATTENTION ALL

I bought one of the refillable mini blow torches or as they call it a windproof...Great lighter always works wet or dry and great when it's raining no problems lighting wet scrub brush....

WHICH by the way are on sale at Princess Auto Supply

eh?

Just pull one of those big fat spikes out of those poor trees, stick in firepit filled with kindling, wait for lightning to strike and vola, instant fire!
LOL!

Markus
Etobicoke, Onterry-airy-airy-Ohhh!

I've got a match safe in my pocket at all times. I carry a "purse" (belt pouch for the homophobes) with a lighter and an emergency pack of boat matches as well as a flint. And several places in my kit will have some matches squirreled away.

A couple of notes about lighters. Flint lighters (like bics) will not work if they get wet, they'll be fine after they dry out but you should be prepared to make fire without the wait.

I've owned a couple of the windproof blowtorch lighters and they've all crapped out after a while. Both cheap and not cheap where the same, two to three months of regular use (smoker) and then nothing.

For my money the best you can do for a lighter is the refillable Ronson they sell at the MEC. They are cheap, refillable and use a piezio electric sparker that doesn't mind the wet and will not wear out.

Markus is the winner!

Easy and sure way to light a fire Les,,,I mean Mark.



(:>)
Mike

We carry water proof matches with us at all times while in the park, have some wooden matches in a pill container that goes in with our food and then we have started bringing in the for lack of a better term BBQ lighters and have not had to use the matches since.

A funny story on my first visit to Algonquin in 1978 in Sept. We where camped on the big island on the south end of Big Porcupine for a weeks stay ( it rained all 7 days ) and on about the 4th day we had a group of about 10 people take the campsite just opposite us by the portage into Bonnechere. A little on the noisy side but not to bad. Well they decide they are going to go swimming and a little while later we see a canoe coming towards our island. They show up with a bag of potatoes wanting to exchange it for some matches or lighter. They had 1 lighter between 10 people and he jumped into the water with it in his pocket. Good thing he was a smoker or maybe they would not have had anything to light the fire with. We ended up giving them 2 lighters and enough matches to last them the rest of their trip. On another occasion we had to save a couple who had tipped their canoe and into the water they went, good thing they where close to shore ( water temp was in the 40's ) and because we carry the matches in our pockets my Son was able to get them a fire going in minutes and then into some of our dry clothes. I think it took us about 5 minutes to get to them and already the lady was already turning red, another good reason to keep matches handy......

I have one of those orange canoe safety kits which contain a flashlight, whistle and rope. I have added a lighter to this kit. As well, I have added a few McDonalds salt packets because if you are in the water, chances are your canoe will be nearby, and what better place to have your "Leech Remover" than readily stored in your safety kit? Salt and/or a lighter will remove them quickly.


Sean (of Ajax)

Though with design changes that have occured over the years this may still not apply, but while I was growing up and learning my camping skills, Bic lighters in your pocket weren't recommended for a few reasons:

- a depressed button could, without your knowledge, leak out the butane, leaving you with nothing
- a bang up against the canoe could crack the fuel cell leaving you with a cold (frostbit thigh) and no fuel
- wet flints won't spark/light
- a stray spark from a crackling fire landing on the pocket/lighter could cause a nasty explosion, if undetected (given this would be extremely rare, but not something to risk in the interior). This may be more likely when winter camping as we tended to stand closer to the fire and wear more layers of clothing during that season.
- butane becomes less reliable as the temps drop below freezing. If you don't keep it warm (ie near your body heat), it may not light.

So, strike anywhere matches in a waterproof case were the preferred choice for everyday use. An emergency backup lighter was taken in a "survival kit," but was rarely if ever used.

Red Bird (strike anywhere matches)... in waterproof match containers. Lighters, in my opinion, are not safe for lighting backpacking stoves plus they contain a ton of plastic which has to be sent (if you are recycling properly) to the hazardous waste depot. Nope... good old fashioned matches for this girl scout.

Wild Child
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
www.outdooradventurecanada.com
Bringing adventures to life!

Like others here, I use both. Right or wrong here is what I do...

1)I have a lighter I keep in my pocket, in a zip lock bag. This is my main use lighter.
2)A back up lighter (in two zip locks) and pack it with the stove.
3)I keep "waterproof" matches in my emergency kit.

I think this is more then enough for me and despite going on some long, tough and at times, wet trips, I have never had to use any of my back ups.



Jim

http://www.algonquintrips.blogspot.com

Everything. Lighters, matches, sparkers, tinder are all redundantly packed in various locations and water proofed.

I feel the most reliable fire lighter is also the less obvious: a flint.

Went into the park first week of May this year just after ice out with my brother, we were doing a 38 km loop in 2 nights and wanted to pack super lite. All we used to light our fires was a flint.
The flint is good for 1,500 strikes, works wet, and produces sparks at 3,000 degrees C.
I crumple up some paper or birch bark shavings, jam the flint right into the pile and start striking, withing about 30 seconds the sparks ignite the shavings and I have fire.

Preston

I carry both wooden matches: Wind/Water proof (REI) and butane torch lighter: Stormproof Brunton Helios (refillable). I carry a 2nd smaller torch lighter in the ‘emergency’ kit, along with a flint/scraper combination.

Unless conditions dictate otherwise (sub-freezing/wet and/or windy), I generally use the lighter for both the wood fire and stove lighter (Peak 1). I’ve purchased cheaper (<$15) torch lighters in the past but the casings have either cracked, the head unit became loose or some other part failed. So far the Helios has performed very well (just remember to close its environment-resistant cap when not in use or it too will meet the fate of bic lighters in cool/wet damp conditions).

When wind, rain, cold or dampness is an issue, I generally bring out the long-stemmed wooden wind & waterproof matches for lighting the fires.

In the winter I generally only use the wooden wind/water proof matches, and use the torch lighter as backup.

We light all our fires with a 9 V battery and steel wool....wet dry doesn't matter. I will not ever carry a lighter...have seen awful burns from an exploding bic. A water proof safe of matches as a back up