What are the fire starter sticks made of, and what do you need in your survival kit

What are the fire starter sticks made of is a commonly asked question by people who like to spend a lot of time outdoors? They gather friends or family and take a long weekend hiking in the woods and mountains. And they surely know that sometimes having several fire starter kits in the wilderness can be a vital necessity. If you carry 3 – 5 different fire starters, you may always be sure one of them will work for sure. It’s your backup for the rough time that may catch you.

There are two types of fire starters:

• igniters – they will give you flame;
• accelerants – they will help you to make your fire bigger and steady;

What are the fire starter sticks made of and how to choose igniters

• The most common and well-known are matches. They were invented as well as gunpowder in China about 1400 years ago. – cheap and easy-to-use. Back then, for matches used sulfur, and now we changed it for phosphorous. Then there appeared lighters, but many people still use matches as a convenient and cheap fire starter. The only con is that it will use them as a survival fire starter outdoors: you should always cover it with your hand to protect from windy and wet weather. Hold the match at a right angle to let the fire climb up the stick. Let’s better find out about other igniters…
• You should include it in your survival hiking equipment must-have. It’s also cheap but, unlike matches, has the possibility of multiple-use, portable, and easy to use. The only con is that it may fail in the most inappropriate moment as any mechanism. That is why we have several portable igniters with us. To be calm and sure;

How to choose accelerants

You may always buy some readymade fire starters, but in any case, you should know about these DIY tools to make your fire burn in any situation. In our article, you may also find out what natural accelerants you may find in the woods (here)

• We take a bee wax or the wax from the candle and put it inside the fibrous material. This handmade bundle is better to put inside an egg cell cut from the cardboard box you buy in the supermarket with eggs. You can make several cells with fiber and wax, and it will be the best fire starter ever. When in the woods, you can always add pine needles into this cell, and you will get a pleasant smell along to steady and comforting flame;
• We also advise taking pinecones and covering it with melted wax. It’s an excellent accelerant with a good smell and out of natural components;

There are a lot of accelerants you may use: gasoline, charcoal, duct tape, vaseline, etc. We recommend using only natural components.

What hiking gear do you need when going in the woods

Just in case, have a check-list of gear: cloth and wear for the hike in the woods:

• Thermal underwear;
• Jacket for protection from wind and rain (preferably membrane) and a thin down jacket (insulation layer);
• Synthetic T-shirts (2pcs);
• Hiking boots;
• Trekking and membrane pants;
• Trekking socks (2 pairs for hiking and 1 for sleeping)
• Clothing and footwear for the camp (after coming to the camp, it is better to change into dry and clean clothes);
• Pants;
• Sleep socks;
• T-shirt;
• Slippers or sandals (up to you);
• 2 sets of underwear;
• Travel backpack;
• Sleeping bag;
• Travel mat;
• Firestarter sticks;
• Head Torch;
• Tent;
• Mug, spoon, bowl, knife;
• Thermos;
• Microfiber towel;
• Personal first aid kit;
• Personal hygiene products;
• Thread with a needle.