Perhaps this is off-topic a little, but...

Paper matches, in my experience, are viable fire-making devices long after wooden matches, of any kind, have become fancy kindling. And if you tear paper matches all the way down to the base of the pack, and use three at a time, they're remarkably effective. Even after kicking around for 10+ years. Also, they're free (dig it!).

That said: unless travelling by air (paper matches plus flint stick), I carry Bics, and always in multiples. Never been let down by a Bic.