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Do you always find yourself outdoors and need to start fires? Do you need the best fire starters for your outdoor expeditions? A simple but very effective fire starter can be the difference between a successful camping or fishing trip and a frustrating adventure. In this article, we shared the information on our research of the best fire starters to give you a better insight into the best ones on the market today.

1. bayite Flint Fire Starter

This is one of the best fire starters that is made of a highly effective ferrocerium rod. It is waterproof and weatherproof to work in all weather conditions. With a 5 ft paracord attached, you benefit from a good grip. This fire starter provides a shower of sparks at 5,500 degrees Fahrenheit to always start a fire whether you are camping, hunting, at beach parties, survival activities, fishing, hiking, or having other outdoor adventures.

What We Like:

Lightweight

Weatherproof

Compact

Waterproof

Easy To Use

Durable

2. überleben Fire Starter

This fire starter is made of a ferrocerium rod, a 6-function multi-tool scraper, and a 550 paracord lanyard to ignite fires. It works at any altitude and in any weather. This fire starter can deliver up to 20.00 strikes of spark showers at 5,500 degrees Fahrenheit. This fire starter can be used for hunting, fishing, camping, hiking, survival activities, and many other outdoor activities.

What We Like:

Weatherproof

Lightweight

Waterproof

Easy To Use

Durable

3. Swiss Safe Fire Starter

The Swiss fire starter is made of a magnesium rod and a striker to ignite fires. It can make up to 16,000 strikes at 3,000 degrees Celsius. There are two fire starters in this package. It features a multi-tool design with a built-in compass, a 150 dB whistle, a 450 lb. paracord, and a steel scraper. This fire starter is compact, lightweight, and ideal for hunting, fishing, camping, hiking, survival activities, and many other
outdoor activities.

What We Like:

Lightweight

Compact

Multi-tool

Easy To Use

Durable

4. AOFAR Magnesium Fire Starter

The AOFAR fire starter is made of a magnesium rod and a striker. You can start a fire in any weather with this fire starter. There are two fire starters in each box. You can use this fire starter when hunting, camping, fishing, hiking, survival activities, boy scout activities, and other outdoor activities.

What We Like:

Easy To Use

Weatherproof

Waterproof

Durable

5. überleben Kräftig Fire Starter

This fire starter is made from a solid 1/2-inch ferrocerium rod. It works at any altitude and in any weather. This makes it easy to start a fire whether you are camping, hiking, mountain climbing, fishing, hunting, or on the beach or beside a lake or pond.

This fire starter produces sparks up to 5,500 degrees Fahrenheit. It is also a multi-tool as it is designed with a built-in bottle opener, a hex wrench, a ruler, a map scale, and a tinder scraper. These come in handy when you are outdoors.

What We Like:

Durable

Multi-tool

Easy To Use

6. Bushcraft Fire Starter

The Bushcraft Survival fire starter is made of a ferro rod and a steel striker that produces 5,500 degrees Fahrenheit sparks to get fires started in any weather conditions. It is durable, lightweight, and compact. This fire starter produces up to 15,000 strikes. This Bushcraft survival fire starter is waterproof and a multi-tool which is ideal for hunting, camping, fishing, hiking, and other outdoor activities.

What We Like:

Durable

Waterproof

Easy To Use

Multi-tool

Lightweight

Compact

7. Fire-Fast Trekker

The Fire-Fast trekker uses a ferrocerium rod and a striker to start fires. It can be used when camping, backpacking, hunting, fishing, survival activities, and many other outdoor activities. It is lightweight and durable which is ideal for the avid outdoors individual. The Fire-fast trekker produces a shower of sparks and high heat to produce fires whatever the weather conditions or the altitude you may find yourself at. The magnesium burns at 4500 degrees to ignite a fire. This is one of the best fire starters available today.

What We Like:

Lightweight

Durable

Easy To Use

8. GGC Electric Charcoal Fire Starter

This electric charcoal fire starter is ideal for starting fires for grills, smokers, fireplaces, fire pits, and other equipment. It uses overheated air to ignite the fire; it does not throw flames. This fire starter quickly starts the fire to start grilling or cooking. it is ideal for camping, outdoor cooking, and grilling in your yard or at picnics.

What We Like:

Easy To Use

Durable

Electric

9. Gerber Fire Starter

The Gerber fire starter is made of a ferrocerium rod and a metal striker to start fires. It is waterproof, lightweight, and compact which makes it ideal for camping, fishing, backpacking, survival activities, hunting, boy scout activities, and many other outdoor expeditions. It is one of the best fire starters that is a favorite of many outdoor enthusiasts.

What We Like:

Durable

Easy To Use

Lightweight

Waterproof

Compact

Types of Fire Starters

  1. Ferrocerium Rod

One of the popular types of fire starters is the one made with a ferrocerium rod and a striker. The striker tool is scraped against the ferrocerium rod to create sparks to ignite the fire.

2. Flint & Steel

Another type of fire starter is one that is made of flint and steel. This fire starter creates fire by striking the flint and steel together to create sparks. Always have some tinder to generate fire from the sparks that are created.

3. Magnesium Block

Magnesium blocks can be used with a striker to create sparks. You can also use tinder to generate fire from the sparks created when the striker rubs against the magnesium block.

4. Lighter

A lighter can be used to create fire. Most lighters use fuel to generate the flame. Always use tinder to feed on the flame to create a bigger fire.

5. Matches

Matches can also be used to generate fire. matches have a wooden piece with a tip molded with material that can be ignited when it is rubbed against a flame-inducing surface.

What To Look For When Choosing The Best Fire Starters

  1. Durability

When choosing the best fire starters, always verify that it is a durable fire starter. If you will use it mostly for outdoor adventures like camping, hiking, fishing, hunting, and backpacking, you want a durable and sturdy fire starter that is waterproof and weatherproof.

2. Lightweight

Another factor to consider when choosing the best fire starters is their weight. A lightweight fire starter is more desirable, especially if you will be using it on your outdoor expeditions.

3. Multifunctional

The best fire starters are designed to be a multi-tool with a built-in bottle opener, hex wrench, whistle, ruler, map scale, and other auxiliary tools. This design is very helpful if you will use it when you are on outdoor expeditions.

4. Ease of Use

Ease of use is also another important factor to consider when choosing the best fire starters. You want a fire starter that is very easy to use. Most often, you will want to start a fire as quickly as possible when you are outdoors camping, fishing, hunting, backpacking, hiking, and survival activities.

5. Number of Strikes

Some of the best fire starters are made of a ferrocerium rod and a striker. This fire starter creates sparks when the striker is rubbed against the ferrocerium rod. Usually, tinder is used to use the spark to generate the fire. One important factor to consider when choosing a ferrocerium rod fire starter is how many strikes can be made with the ferrocerium rod in its lifetime. Some ferrocerium rod fire starters have strikes that range from 10,000 to 20,000.

How To Make Fire Starters

For avid outdoor people, there is always the need to start a fire. You may need it to keep warm, fend off wild animals, cook a meal, or just create a bonfire for you and your family or friends to gather around talk, sing or just spend the late evening.

Most of the time you will have a fire starter with you when you go out on outdoor adventures like camping, hiking, or other activities. However, there are times when the fire starter may not work or you may have forgotten to bring it or lost it while climbing or hiking, so you will need to make a fire starter. And the knowledge of how to make fire starters will be valuable at that time.

To make a fire starter, you basically need two ingredients: some material that can easily get burned and some product that will act as the fuel. Some of the materials to use are egg cartons, toilet paper rolls, cotton balls, shredded paper, pine cones, dry leaves shredded wood, sawdust, dryer lint, dried plant stems, etc. For the product that will serve as the fuel, there are many options such as wax, candle, petroleum jelly, alcohol, hand sanitizer, etc.

There are countless options to create a campfire or fire for another outdoor adventure. We will discuss just a few of them as the basic principle to make a fire starter remains the same.

How To Make Fire Starters With Sawdust

You can make a fire starter with sawdust if you have sawdust with you. Sawdust is combustible and with any product that acts as the agent you will create a fire.

Materials

  • Sawdust
  • Wax, Hand Sanitizer, or Petroleum Jelly
  • Cupcake Liner
  1. Add sawdust to the cupcake liner.

2. Add petroleum, wak, or hand sanitizer to the sawdust. Use a piece of stick to use as a spatula to mix the sawdust with the fuel agent.

3. Light the sawdust and protect it initially from the wind.

4. As the fire enlarges, leave it and let oxygen get to it to increase the fire.

How To Make Fire Starters With Egg Cartoons

Egg cartoons have become a popular item to make a fire starter as it is usually found in the home, can easily light up, and uniquely has compartments that can be used to create many fire starters.

Materials

  • Egg Cartoon
  • Shredded Paper, Dryer Lint, or Cotton Balls
  • Wax, Old Candles, Petroleum, or Hand Sanitizer
  1. Use cotton balls, dryer lint, or shredded paper and fill each slot of the egg cartoon.

2. Put some petroleum jelly on each cotton ball, dryer lint, or shredded paper.

3. Cut each egg cartoon compartment to create separate fire starters.

4. Light the cotton balls and let the oxygen increase the fire.

5. You don’t have to create 12 fire starters all at once if you don’t need all 12.

How To Make Fire Starters Without Wax

You can make a fire starter without wax. If you don’t have wax, you can use old candles, hand sanitizer, petroleum jelly, or car lubrication that may be in your car.

Materials

  • Petroleum Jelly, Old Candles, Hand Sanitizer, or Car Oil
  • Dryer lint, cotton balls, shredded paper, pine cones, toilet paper rolls, or sawdust
  1. Add petroleum jelly, wax, hand sanitizer, or car oil to cotton balls, dryer lint, shredded paper, sawdust, toilet paper rolls, etc.

2. Use matches and light the cotton balls, dryer lint, shredded paper, etc. to start the fire.

How To Make Fire Starters With Toilet Paper Rolls

Toilet paper rolls are also a popular item to make a fire starter as they can easily be found in the home and they can easily light up.

Materials

  • Toilet Paper Rolls
  • Wax, Petroleum Jelly, or Hand Sanitizer
  • Dryer Lint
  • Cotton Balls
  • Shredded Paper
  1. Add petroleum jelly, wax, or hand sanitizer to the cotton balls, shredded paper, or dryer lint. The more agent you add to the cotton balls or dryer lint, the quicker the fire will start.

2. Fill the toilet paper roll with cotton balls, shredded paper, or dryer lint.

3. Light the cotton balls or other materials to create the fire starter.

How To Make Fire Starters With Dryer Lint & Wax

Dryer lint and wax are a popular combination to start a fire.

Materials

  • Dryer Lint
  • Egg Cartoon or Toilet Paper Roll
  • Wax
  1. Put the wax on the dryer lint.

2. Place the soaked dryer lint into the toilet paper roll or egg carton.

3. Light the dryer lint in the toilet paper roll or egg carton to start a fire.

How To Make Fire Starters With Shredded Paper

Shredded paper can also be used to start a fire if you have a lot of shredded paper with you.

Materials

  • Shredded Paper
  • Wax, Petroleum Jelly, or Hand Sanitizer
  • Cupcake Liner or Egg Carton
  1. Place the shredded paper in a container-like item like an egg carton or cupcake liner.

2. Apply petroleum jelly, wax, or hand sanitizer to the shredded paper.

3. Light the shredded paper to create a fire.

Best Fire Starters

What is the best fire starting tinder?
Any dry, fluffy material can be used as the tinder to generate fire from the sparks.
Are toilet paper rolls good fire starters?
Toilet paper and the roll can be used to start fires.
Is Vaseline a good fire starter?
Vaseline burns very well for some time and can be used to start fires.
Are dryer sheets good fire starters?
Dryer sheets and dryer lint are good fire starters.
Are egg cartons good fire starters?
Egg cartoons can be good fire starters when you fill it with some material that can quickly be lit Saw dust is one material often used in egg cartoons to start fires.
What are good fire starters without a lighter?
A ferro rod and a scraper, flint and steel, are two fire starters that you can take advantage of to start fires .

The Bottom Line

The best fire starters are very important if you like outdoor activities like camping, hunting, fishing, backpacking, hiking, survival activities, and boy scouting. In this article, we reviewed some of the best fire starters on the market today. If you want to learn about the 30 hunting items every hunter needs, then read this article.