Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Backpack Hunting Surviving a cold wet night

This thread has been around over ten years. Technology has changed enough that in looking over my early posts, I carry a few different items now.

One change is that my primary fire starter has become the ferro rod and steel. Backups are piezo electric lighter and waterproof matches.

Another change is that I carry a DeLorme InReach satellite communicator.

A non tech change is that I now make my own fire starter “cookies” out of pitchwood/fatwood sawdust in a Vaseline/paraffin mix as binding agent, with a greased cotton ball on top. Each cookie goes in a little jewelry sized ziploc.

What changes am I forgetting? Tips re new stuff to update this thread?

I ain't no boy scout, and I still say that these are the best damn fire starters out there. 5 bucks for a 3 pack. Guaranteed 15 minutes of high quality flame, in any weather.

You carry a few of those in your pack?

yep, 2 or 3 in the map pocket.

I carry a small metal whiskey flask full of diesel when I pack back into the wilderness. That will always get a number of fires going,even with wet wood. Every good boy scout should have one.

Yeah, and if one of yer buddies tries to filch a swig while you ain't looking, well, he had it coming!

I don’t think I’ve shared it here, but I had one very cold, wet and nasty night that was completely turned around with a Seek outside BCS and an EDT Ti stove. In about 15 min things went from total [bleep] to comfort. If it’s the time of year it can get cold in the mountains I will have those items with me.
As for fire starter, surplus Trioxane bars are awesome! I wouldn’t dream of other Mickey Mouse solutions. They are light, nicely packaged and burn great,

I’ve always carried a robust fire kit, but the last couple of years I’ve bit the bullet and carry a bivy, lightweight quilt, short pad and small tarp- probably under 2 pounds of insurance

These days I most always carry a good lightweight bivy sack(Integral Designs), sleeping bag liner, canister stove, first aid kit, SOS device, etc.

I'm curious if anyone has designed a better lighter for fire starting yet? I've become pretty proficient with the various firesteel and striker type, but an easy flame is a handy and beautiful thing for many activities.

My big bitch with the bic lighter is that your thumb is practically in the flame when it is lit. It's just not a lighter to hold a flame for 20 seconds. I have and use a zippo, but am not fond of it. It runs out of fuel when you need it and if you overfill it and keep it in your pocket it will burn you with raw fuel. Keep it with your food and the fumes will contaminate your chow.

A piezo bic with a stand off striker and fuel control (maybe a half inch below the flame?) would be better.

And I know a guy can always get by with something. A vaseline/cotton ball lights easily enough with the bic and can be handled with a leatherman or impaled on a small stick.

Bottom line: I want a better lighter. Butane fueled, stand off controls for extended burn time, and maybe refillable...

What is out there that is reliable and worthy???

check out Windmills stormproof lighters

personally I put more stock in what is going to be ignited- the LiveFire tins ignite easily with just about anything- lighter, firesteel, sparklight- AND they burn hot and steady for 15 minutes- even in very poor conditions, I can get a fire going

Good thinking. If you have the proper clothing, that stove will keep you alive if you can heat water.

John-
I've found piezo lighters at a local tobacco/cigarette shop.
In addition to what you've described. when my hands are cold and wet spinning a striker wheel and pushing on the gas valve can be difficult. Piezo takes that first step out. The lighters I've found are good, but tend to not be particularly durable for for than a few trips.

Hope that was helpful.

Picked up a four nozzle piezo butane torch from buylighters.com that went on sale for less than $7, now back to 9.95 Idea was to speed up the heating of the fuel line on an MSR Universal when using liquid fuel to minimize the "ball of flame" when starting. Intense two inch flame that *likely* would start even damp or wet small tinder on fire if needed or at least make some small coals. Drawback on the quad burner is length of time flame could be maintained. Am getting 4 or five 20 sec burns on full flame.

Also have a couple of others that are single flame "torches" where longer burn time is obviously available.

I carry and wear a 911 Card. It is laminated and I wear it around my neck. If I am unresponsive, medical personnel, rescue etc, can see the following

My Name, a contact number, my blood type, my medications, what I am allergic to, and any thing you might want to add. I talked to an air/rescue guy and he thought it was a great idea.........

just my tip to add,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, I also love this post site

I do something similar, but it’s on a rubber bracelet- outfit called Road ID

“Talent”? You are showing your age. What’s next “Tomato” or “Cupcake”?

Let me bring you up to speed. “Smoking hot” or just “Smoking” or “Pzzzzz”. As so hot, if you touch it you will get burned.

Talent? I’m beginning to have second thoughts.

You hear the women on the show complaining about the lack of protein...

trialing these out at the moment. not perfect, but a real improvement over a flint strike soft flame BIC. ..

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6_W1LgITneU

I did a search, but no response, so, do you guys know about Wiggys?
Unaffected by compression forever, or water.
His "liners" same characteristics as his bags, because their made of the same stuff.
Vest 3oz, liner jacket 3oz so combined 6oz.ish. Add his 6oz liner, with his fishnets, and per him, good to around -50.
I'm putting together an EDC ruck, with the above, and one of his summer weight Freedom bags (40 degree bag, good for 30 degrees if not 20), but the liners, mix and match, but good to -50 without the bag!, Add pad and tarp...
His clothes prevent hypothermia, and the liners and bag can be used to treat hypothermia, with what's in your ruck already.

Trust but verify: Most peoples worst case scenario, your wet and your bags wet, Me dressed in nose to toes cotton, an ice cold shower with a 0 degree Wiggys bag. When both of us were adequately saturated, outside to the driveway, 33-35 degrees with intermittent 10-15 MPH wind. Early stages of hypothermia (mumbles, stumbles, fumbles), did the best I could to roll the bag to remove most of the water, and got in. Liner warmed quickly and I fell asleep. Surplus Mil closed cell foam pad. Was awoken by "snain", burrowed deeper into the bag. Woke up in the morning, I was dry and so was the bag.
,
Unaffected by max compression, unaffected by water, and without exception in my experience, good for 10-20 degrees lower then his rating. No other bag will do this. Use what yous like, replicate my test, see what happens (but do so someplace you can bail from :)).
I wont use anything else. Save weight elsewhere. Lifetime guarantee. (www.wiggys.com)

Regards, Jim