Fall is the time for camping and campfires, but wet weather can make it hard to find dry tinder.
Fortunately, a wide range of products makes it possible to start a roaring fire in any weather. I have used several. They all work with varying degrees of efficiency.
BASE CAMP REUSABLE STARTER
This is my favorite, and the best of the bunch.
It consists of an absorbent disc and a small plastic jar that fits in your palm.
Half-fill the jar with Coleman fuel, insert the disc and screw on the lid. The disc will absorb the fuel in about 10 minutes. Build a wood tepee over the disc and light. It makes a hot, long-lasting fire that will ignite wet firewood in rain, snow and wind.
Best of all, the disc is reusable. Exhume it from the ashes in the morning and store it in the jar. It is said to be good for more than 1,000 starts.
The only downside is that it requires carrying Coleman fuel. That's not a problem for car camping, but liquid fuel means extra weight and bulk in a backpack. Do not use this product with gasoline.
It costs $10. Check online for retailers.
COGHLAN'S FIRE DISC
Another fine product from Coghlan's, these one-time use discs look like small hamburger patties wrapped in cellophane. All you do is build a wood tepee around a disc and light.
It does not burn as hot or reach its maximum temperature as the Base Camp disc, but it works very well. I've used it effectively in the Ozarks and the Rockies. It's the easiest way I've found to start a fire.
The discs are available for $1.99 locally. Zippo has a similar product for the same price. I keep several Coghlan's discs in my hunt camp kit.
SPARKIE FIRE STARTER
The Ultimate Survival Sparkie Fire Starter received rave reviews from Field & Stream, but I was underwhelmed.
As its name suggests, it is designed to start a fire in an emergency situation. It contains a metal flint spark bar and a striker plate in a self-contained plastic case. The foot of the striker bar is set at an angle for optimal ignition.
It comes with one Ultimate Survival WetFire Tinder Cube. Use a knife to shave off about one-third of a cube into a pile. Set the foot of the striker bar in front of the shavings and push hard on the case. It will make a shower of white hot sparks to ignite the shavings. Add bits of small tinder and add more tinder as the flame grows.
It works, but it takes practice to master the technique. It also takes patience to build a fire this way. It's too much trouble for recreational camping, but I keep one in my emergency kit. I also bought an extra 12-pack of the tinder cubes, which cost $7. The starter costs $10 and is available locally.
HOMEMADE
Bill Eldridge, a frequent fishing and camping companion, uses an ingenious tool that his wife Kelly makes from household materials.
It consists of a newspaper page wrapped and tied with string around a core of dryer lint. She dips the whole thing in hot candle wax. It is waterproof when it dries, and it packs very well in a camping box.
Set it inside a wood tepee, touch a match to it and add wood.
Sports on 09/14/2014