Ferro rods...

Dealextreme.com has ferro rods for about $4 that are just as good, or better, than my Light My Fire Sweedish Firesteel for about $16. You just have to wait about 20 days to get a product from Dealextreme.com. Exotac sells the NanoSTRIKER for about $27. The same sized rod, by itself, sells for $1 at Firesteel.com. I'm not exaggerating. So, if you appreciate the NanoSTRIKER design, then realize that you must pay an extra $26 over a ferro rod that is worth only $1.

Here's how I do things. I test my gear. I put it through the ringer. I want to test the exact same make and model of gear that will be carried with me. For example, I don't want to buy an inexpensive ferro rod, and then carry an expensive NanoSTRIKER. No, I want to test a NanoSTRIKER if I'm going to carry a NanoSTRIKER. So, I almost always buy at least 2 or 3 quantities of the same product. One item is my beater. Thus, even though I want a NanoSTRIKER, it makes no practical sense for me to buy one.