3 gadgets for starting a fire in the toughest conditions
These survival matches can spark a flame no matter how gnarly the conditions.
Skilled survivalists can make fire with almost nothing. The rest of us? We need help. These devices create flames in the worst conditions.
TG Plasma lighter
Rather than relying on butane to create a flame like Granddad’s trusty fire starter, this 3.5-ounce torch makes its own lightning. An electrical current creates high-voltage arcs between four electrodes, generating more heat than flicking a Bic. TGP
überleben Zünden Fire Starter
The recipe for flames is simple: Gather tinder, add spark. Drag this tool’s blunt edge across the 5⁄16-inch-diameter rod—made of ferrocerium, an alloy used as the “flint” in lighters—to create a 5,500-degree shower of burning metal. ubherleben
Zippo Typhoon Match Kit
Most matches use a small dab of red phosphorus to get started. The extra-thick coating of it on these 4-inch wonders lets them burn for up to 30 seconds, even in wind or rain. The watertight plastic case holds up to 15 and boasts a replaceable strike pad. Stan Horaczek
