Being able to make fire, like knowing how to prepare food, is one of the most critical elements of survival and preparedness.
Besides, being able to make fire is a precursor to being able to prepare food, and it also provides lifesaving heat and light – among other things.
Therefore it goes without saying that your bug-out bag should contain firemaking essentials, and redundant measures of each.
Here are 5; your bag should have all of them.
Disposable Lighters
Disposable lighters are cheap, available, and reliable. Many can produce thousands of lights before they need to be tossed or replaced.
The good thing about disposable lighters is that they’re so cheap; the bad thing is, once they run out, they’re cooked.
Also, they mostly use butane as a fuel, which is not reliable in the cold, which means you should also carry the following.
Refillable, Reflintable Lighters
Refillable, reflintable lighters should also find a home in your bug-out bag.
This is because they can be replenished when the fuel runs out – which also means you should carry some lighter fuel or fluid, along with replacement flints and wicks. One good option is a BugOut water-resistant lighter.
Another alternative is to carry an electric arc lighter, like a BugOut or Pyre Double Arc lighter; these don’t even need fuel, just access to a charging port, to “refuel” them. They’re also effective in nearly all conditions.
Waterproof Matches
Waterproof matches are also a must for your bug-out bag. Unlike lighters, they don’t run out of fuel and they can’t leak. They’re also suitable in all weather conditions.
Well, waterproof matches are, which is why we specifically recommend these; some lighters don’t work when wet, waterproof matches do.
Our recommendation? Invest in a waterproof match safe for them, and also make sure you keep a piece of the striker from the box on hand that you can use, unless your matches are the “strike anywhere” kind.
One more tip – get good at splitting matches. The more matches you can split, the more lights you can get from a single match.
A Magnifying Glass
A magnifying glass – which does not rely on any type of fuel – is another hedge against uncertainty.
The good thing about a magnifying glass is that, as long as conditions permit, you have a firestarter that doesn’t need fuel, wicks, flints, or a striker.
The bad thing is you need clear, sunny skies to use it. But there are other good reasons to keep one in your bug-out bag, so make sure you have at least one.
A Ferro Rod/Striker Wheel (and Char Cloth)
Lastly, make sure you have either a ferrocerium striker wheel, or alternatively, a ferrocerium rod, in your bug-out bag. Something like Trailblazer firestarter rods or a Micro SparkWheel from CH KADELS is a good option.
These are better than true flint because they throw hotter sparks, are easier to use, and can accept a wide variety of tinder materials, including shaved bark, lint, organic down, and other light materials.
Char cloth is another good thing to have in there because it has a very low ignition temperature, produces a steady, smoldering coal, and is windproof once lit.
Emergency Tinder
Emergency tinder, such as Dragonfire Emergency Firestarters, which are wax-impregnated, and thereby waterproof and windproof, make a good hedge against unforgiving conditions in which you can’t find suitable tinder.
They are non-toxic, light easily, and burn hot for a long time, making them perfect for getting fires going in inhospitable conditions.
Where to Get These (and Other Survival Gear)
Looking for waterproof matches, lighters, and other firemaking essentials for your bug-out bag? Visit CH KADELS, where you’ll find many of the items mentioned in this article, along with a laundry list of other useful (and downright cool) survival gear.
Visit their website or get in touch with them directly if you have any questions about anything they sell – and remember, always carry a pair and a spare.
