I want one of these as a backup fire starter:
http://www.tripleaughtdesign.com/Equipment/Tools/Survival-Spark
It's similar to a Spark-Lite but more robust.

It works like a ferro rod.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mpD63JZTAX0

Does anybody use that or a Spark-Lite? How is it?

It's basically a brass version of the Spark-Lite. I use a Spark-Lite and it's amazing, a top notch piece of gear. There's also an all-alluminum version available that has replaceable flints. I agree the brass TAD version is cool but operationally it appears identical to the Spark-Lite. The main appeal would just be that it's maybe sturdier, but of course at the expense of being much heavier.

how about this option: METAL SPARK-LITE™ FIRESTARTER KIT???
http://www.bepreparedtosurvive.com/FirestarterProducts.htm

Some really nice stuff all in one place. Thanks for posting.

Darn you guys, another 35 bucks on fire starting gear.

Great site, pretty much most of the tried and true fire starting devices on one page.

TAD Gear is bomb proof.

The flint is replaceable on these metal ones (by TAD or by Spark-Lite). However, I'm still uncomfortable paying $20 for a tiny sparker that has moving parts and all. I like to buy devices like this in pairs or more. Paying $40 for two sounds dumb. I'm looking for a bargain, like $10 per sparker.

Amazon has a great deal on the plastic Spark-Lite; a 2 pack is under $15 with free shipping. The cool thing is if you "subscribe" you get an additional discount- it ends up being just over $12 for two, still with free shipping! By subscribing you'll be sent an additional two pack ever so often at intervals you set (eg every month, or every three months). You can cancel you subscription at any time with no fees or obligation. Or, if you run out before the next batch is due to ship you can have them send an extra, still at the reduced price. I think this is a great option for stuff that gets used all the time. I subscribed to the Ritter/AMK PSP, too.

The regular plastic Spark-Lite works very well. I haven't carried it enough to say how long it would last but I suspect it's fairly durable. If you carry it inside of a hard case it should last indefinitely. At any rate I think it'd be at least as sturdy as a disposable lighter. When I get my first pair of 'em I'll stick one in my Altoids fire kit.

I think the Spark-Lite is probably as durable as it needs to be. I have one in my Ritter kit and since I bought two kits- one to play with and one to keep for emergencies it has given me ample opportunity to evaluate it.
What I would be concerned with as far as the Sparklite is its ability to withstand temperature extremes. Plastic does get very brittle in extreme cold and if the little wheel got clogged with ice or snow I could see a catastrophic failure occuring.
However, I always carry a firesteel on a beaded chain around my neck in addition to matches in a waterproof case.
The main advantage of the Sparklite to me is its ability to work one-handed. For the eventuality of being injured and needing to start a fire one-handed, it should have an adequate life-span.
If I lived in Alaska or elsewhere that temperatures plunged deeply, I'd probably explore the added durability of a metallic Sparklite type device. But a Bic lighter is pretty cheap in comparison...

There are some good considerations here. I'm currently most interested in fire starters for when I go off piste snowboarding. The issue of temperature keeps raising it's ugly head, thanks for reminding me. Instead of a sparker device as part of my system, I'm inclined to carry an extra ferro rod. I started a new thread for this issue:

http://forums.equipped.org/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=209081#Post209081