I like candles for a kind of long lived tinder addition, and I always put a couple of the trick birthday candles in my match cases. Light a small one, gently place a bit of soaked tinder on it, quickly and gently add tinder. I never count on being able to get dry natural tinder, or even thawed natural tinder.

I also have three finger long and thick cheapies in my ditch kit (in plastic bag). One, two or even all three will get a fire going under almost any conditions not requiring an life raft. :P