That makes sense about splitting up.

Regarding a fire, even if you don't have fire for complete warmth through the night, you can still make a slow burning fire. Even a tiny flame the size of a candle would be a lot better than cold darkness for 9+ hours. I wake up every couple hours even in the nicest conditions. Out there, I would probably wake up every half hour or so. I could keep a slow burning fire going throughout the night.

First, credit cards don't actually catch very readily or burn very well. I decommission my CCs by cutting them up and melting them. Mostly they melt but if I hold the lighter under one for a time it will, eventually, catch.

The ones I've tried burn with a weak guttering flame that is easily blown out. I suspect that the plastic has some sort of fire retardant that makes it hard to catch and easy to blow out. While burning it produces a lot of stringy black soot that makes a mess of everything it touches, and various noxious fumes. I the fumes are a serious health hazard if you are not burning a credit card in a very confined space but the fumes are clearly not pleasant or healthy.

For tinder I've turned to a solid tinder that is essentially yellow wax and chemical impregnated card stock. It rides well in the wallet, takes up little room, doesn't seem to deteriorate, and works quite well. I can't find, or remember the name, but I'm looking. Best Glide used to carry it as I remember it. Problem is that unlike gel and liquid tinder it doesn't deteriorate much so I bought my supply better than five years ago and haven't found it necessary to buy more. Alas ... good things that last a long time tend to disappear from the market.

Cool deal -- found it, same package and everything:
http://www.gearwild.com/servlet/the-103/BCB-Fire-Starting-Tinder/Detail

IMHO this stuff is much better than trying to light your credit cards.

Second, there are conditions where you are better off finding shelter, to limit heat loss, than staying exposed and struggling to light a fire. Even the settlers, people who lit fires regularly and had their ducks in a row for lighting a fire in tough conditions, were sometimes stymied when it came to lighting a fire. Strong wind and driving rain might see them hunkering down instead of wasting energy, and remaining exposed, trying to light a fire.

Yes, I know ... folklore is that Daniel Boone could get a fire lit underwater in a snowstorm using toenail clippings and fiery looks. Over whiskey in a bar he would have probably seconded the claim.

Fire is not the be and end all of survival. It would be silly to overlook its benefits where possible but to focus on it at the expense of common sense self-protection is no virtue. Wiser often to hunker down, concentrate on reducing heat loss, let your metabolism warm you up, and wait for more favorable conditions.

Fire and shelter go together like ham and eggs. In a serious cold situation, you need to get out of the weather,even in a very small microenvironment, just to have a reasonable chance at lighting a fire. And you need some sort of shelter to contain, even partially, the heat generated by your fire.

I would say I have spent about ten or so unexpected nights out in fairly serious cold, stormy conditions. In all but one of these, the ability to create fire was important in getting through the night. In one instance, I am not sure I would have survived without the fire and the accompanying rudimentary shelter (snow hole underneath a pine tree with a small tarp over all) or at least I would not have retained all my digits.

We don't talk about it very much, but I firmly believe there is a very important psychological component to a fire as well. And nothing helps like a nice cup of tea.

Hey Martin,That Tongue Depressor would be better than the Plastic money!Theres alway's the Rubber in the elastic hem of your skivvys,Should one need to get the tinder,Moving along!Dollar Bills burn pretty good,I've seen them put to worse use!Etc.,Etc.

"Fire and shelter go together like ham and eggs."

+1 on that!

If you're really cold, it's going to be hard to get much heat from a fire alone in the open. But a fire in front of a rock alcove or tiny shelter can make all the difference in the world.

Sue

Part of my EDC is a fifty dollar bill, kept primarily for fiscal emergencies. But it has another use- potential fire starter. Does anyone know if a fifty burns fifty times longer than a one dollar note? Seems logical.

And yes, I have seen occasions where I would burn a fifty, if that was the best way to start a fire...

I believe that's known as the "Dave Ramsey Fire Starting Method"...

Update on story: The hunter was found about a mile from his last known location. He had traveled through very swampy area, and was soaking wet when found dead. Coroner ruled cause of death was hypothermia. Tim

Link

http://www.watertowndailytimes.com/article/20101117/NEWS04/311179970

Carrying 50 one-dollar bills would start more fires, you could use them as toilet paper, AND you'd be able to make change!

Sue

But think of the excessive weight of all those bills! (groan.....)