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When it comes to survival, fire starting can mean the difference between life and death. So having a good lighter is paramount to increasing your chances of survival.
While many Prepper and survivalist sites will advise you to add matches and primitive fire starting materials to your bug out bag, we’re of the mindset “why make things harder than they need to be?” Sure you can add some waterproof matches to your survival stash as a backup plan but first and foremost every smart Prepper should have several high-quality lighters at home and in their bug out bags just in case. If you’re in a true survival situation the very last thing you want to have to worry about is trying to start a fire with two sticks or a magnifying glass.
That is why one of the very first things I advise my readers to add to their preps is a solid, well built and dependable lighter. What’s the best survival lighter you ask? We’ve taken some of the most popular choices and compared them side-by-side to find out which lighter is the best survival lighter.
Disposable Lighters
When it comes to disposable lighters there are two basic kinds; the cheap ones and BIC’s. Flat out DO NOT use a cheap disposable for survival purposes, they extremely unreliable and your life is too important to risk over a few dollars.
Pros: Cheap
Easy to replace
Easy to buy in bulk
Cons: Not reusable (I’ve heard you can refill them, but even if it were possible you have a cruddy plastic lighter)
Don’t perform well in cold weather (butane becomes difficult to vaporize at colder temperatures making it harder to burn)
Not very durable, break easily
Zippo Lighters
Zippo lighters have been used since 1932, they are reliable, hold up in harsh conditions and reusable. Not to mention you can personalize your lighter with various cool designs.
Pros: Very reusable (fuel, wicks and flints are easily replaced)
Lot’s of accessories
Withstands a great deal of moderate/severe weather types
Cons: Not completely “wind proof”
Fuel only lasts for a week or two of heavy usage
Stormproof Lighter
Stormproof lighters are really a great survival tool. In the worst wind and wettest conditions a fire could be possible with one of these lighters.
Pros: Virtually windproof
Burn really hot
Usually very dependable
Cons: Don’t perform well in cold weather (butane becomes difficult to vaporize at colder temperatures making it harder to burn)
Storm lighters are expensive
Fuel is expensive and has short duration during use
The Winner?
The Stormproof Lighter
Additional Resources:
Top 100 Items to Disappear in a National Emergency
9 Unique Alternative Housing Ideas
120 Useful Books for Your Survival Library
11 Survival TV Shows Worth Watching
***This article was contributed by Chrystle Poss a.k.a. “Survival Girl”, Owner of this Survival Blog and devoted Prepper. She has been writing articles on survival and emergency preparedness since 2006. You can find her work on various websites and publications.***
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