I just found this site. I've never used the product, I just wanted to bring it to everybody's attention...

InstaFire Home

InstaFire video 1

InstaFire video 2

- Dave

Would be nice if they showed the product, showed it burning, etc. A bucket with text all over the site doesn't really interest me in making a purchase

Looks like something that could be carried in an extra tin and used as fire starter in difficult conditions.

Videos were cool.
They need PICTURES of that stuff ontheir site, and their site needs some work.

Welcome, survivalnut!

Very cool item, but since you can only buy 5 gallon buckets that are almost $80 plus shipping, I can't justify trying it.

I just checked pricing on fatwood and I can buy 35 pounds of fatwood for $30 plus shipping at Plow and Hearth. That is almost 70 pounds of fatwood shipped for what these guys want for a 5 gallon bucket of their product.

I sent them an email asking if they offered a smaller "test" quantity. I will let everyone know if they do.

The website doesn't really give you much information but it appears to be similar to the common white fire starter blocks you can get at any outdoors or hardware store. It is simply crumbled into tiny bits and then some wood or fibre pellets are added to the mix.

Actually the website says it is porous "rock" that has been soaked in liquid fuel then coated with wax. Hmmm....

Welcome Newguy!!!

From their description, they took some vermiculite insulation, mixed in some wood chips, dipped it in mineral oil, then coated with "special" wax to keep the oil in.

I did a rough (rough) mental exercise of what it would cost me to duplicate this if I bought at retail (online) prices

4.5 gallons vermiculite (Hoffman Horticultural Vermiculite - 18 Dry Quarts) $13.99
5 gallons of mineral oil (about $64 from candlemaker shop)
0.5 pound parafix wax (about $2)
5 gallon bucket $6

so thats a $86 for a 5 gallon bucket, weighing
41.5 lbs (36lbs of oil, 5lbs vermiculite, .5lbs/wax)
Compare that to the 20 pounds for a 5 gallon bucket of instafire.
Thats twice as much burn for roughly the same price.
Its a neat product, but its cheaper to just buy a bag of vermiculite(or perlite, as both will provide enough wicking action and insulation) and use whatever oil you have handy(or gasoline, also about ~30lbs for 5 gallons).