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#242120 - 02/29/12 11:46 PM Re: Making fire in the rain: best practices? [Re: dweste]
Richlacal Offline
Old Hand

Registered: 02/11/10
Posts: 778
Loc: Los Angeles, CA
If you have a lighter,scrape some gooey curls of Fatwood onto a pj cottonball or tinderquik,& short of a roadflare,this works Very Well,even while you yourself is,Dripping wet! Fatwood also lights fairly easy with a ferro-rod,again using the curl or feather method.A friend of mine carries 2 tubes of rubber cement,& that stuff will light water on fire,you do have to check the tubes frequently as it dries up/ evaporates,rather rapidly once it's been opened.I've seen what a leaking tube can do to a "once beautiful Kifaru pack",So Fatwood is my tried & true answer!

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#242146 - 03/01/12 04:35 AM Re: Making fire in the rain: best practices? [Re: boatman]
Meadowlark Offline
Member

Registered: 10/05/08
Posts: 154
Loc: Northern Colorado

PJ and cotton balls didn't work for me a few years back, as the cotton had become smooshed in my pack and completely saturated with the jelly. It was cold and quite wet out -- it had been raining earlier in the day. After a lot of frustration, (and failing with found natural tinder, which was too damp), I ended up shredding some toilet paper and putting a lighter to it. Lesson learned.
_________________________
I love to go a-wandering,
Along the mountain track,
And as I go, I love to sing,
My knapsack on my back


Current kits: http://forums.equipped.org/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showgallery&Number=241840

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#242152 - 03/01/12 07:18 AM Re: Making fire in the rain: best practices? [Re: dweste]
dougwalkabout Offline
Crazy Canuck
Carpal Tunnel

Registered: 02/03/07
Posts: 3238
Loc: Alberta, Canada
I am surprised that the solution of a big candle and a small Bic hasn't even been raised. This has yet to fail me. But of course it's not terribly chic.

(Though in fairness, the coastal rainforests of the PNW give me deep pause. Everything is a bloody sponge, saturated with rain and fog. I might actually need two candles. Possibly preceded by a whiff of napalm in the morning.)

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#242154 - 03/01/12 08:57 AM Re: Making fire in the rain: best practices? [Re: dougwalkabout]
dweste Offline
Pooh-Bah

Registered: 02/16/08
Posts: 2463
Loc: Central California
Originally Posted By: dougwalkabout
Possibly preceded by a whiff of napalm in the morning.)


LOL!

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#242160 - 03/01/12 12:57 PM Re: Making fire in the rain: best practices? [Re: dweste]
bacpacjac Offline
Carpal Tunnel

Registered: 05/05/07
Posts: 3601
Loc: Ontario, Canada
My go to in rain, (Ontario rain, granted, not PNW) is to get a tarp up over the fire pit and then clean out out the fire pit area do it's as dry as possible. Then, if it's really coming down, it's either a birthday candle or tea light, lit with a bic, and then used to ignite a PJ cotton ball and birch bark. Ferro rod and cotton ball are usually my first choice but if everything's soaked, a candle and bic is instantaneous gratification and helps maintain the flame. Esbit tabs are another good solution when kindling is harder to find.

If the fire pit won't stay dry, I put a piece of aluminum foil under the fire so the water puddles underneath it.

An upside down fire also helps.

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#242162 - 03/01/12 01:48 PM Re: Making fire in the rain: best practices? [Re: dweste]
Cauldronborn2 Offline
Member

Registered: 06/29/11
Posts: 102
Loc: UK
What do you mean by an upside down fire?

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#242163 - 03/01/12 02:19 PM Re: Making fire in the rain: best practices? [Re: dweste]
bacpacjac Offline
Carpal Tunnel

Registered: 05/05/07
Posts: 3601
Loc: Ontario, Canada
An upsidedown fire is when you put the big stuff on the bottom and build up, gradually moving through fuel, kindling and then put your tinder bundle on top. (With more kindling - your standard loghouse or teepee fire - above that.) The fire will burn down, so that it's essentially self-feeding. Less work when you're cold and wet is a plus in my books.

Here's a youtube video:

http://m.youtube.com/#/watch?v=ubPYIl9IFdQ
(Equipped to Endure)

Try this one:
http://m.youtube.com/#/watch?v=pjBfzyz-xM8


Edited by bacpacjac (03/01/12 10:47 PM)
_________________________
Mom & Adventurer

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#242165 - 03/01/12 02:54 PM Re: Making fire in the rain: best practices? [Re: boatman]
Leigh_Ratcliffe Offline
Veteran

Registered: 03/31/06
Posts: 1355
Loc: United Kingdom.
Originally Posted By: boatman
Leigh,
Not trying to be rude but I side with Montanero.You should check his profile.He has real world experience.I have had Wetfire fail on me also.All it takes is a tiny pinhole in its packaging and the volitility gases out.Tinderquick or PJ cotton balls work period.Again practice makes perfect.


BOATMAN
John


That's interesting, so have I. TinderQuick is good for catching a flame - and I have a lot in my kits - but it is absolute pants for situations were tinder is damp.
As for Wetfire - its a consumable. Treat it as such.
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I don't do dumb & helpless.

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#242166 - 03/01/12 02:57 PM Re: Making fire in the rain: best practices? [Re: dweste]
airballrad Offline
Gear Junkie
Enthusiast

Registered: 10/22/07
Posts: 248
Loc: Gulf Coast Florida, USA
My experience has been that starting small and drying larger pieces as you go is the best bet. Of course executing this in adverse conditions is the challenging part, as the devil is in the details.

The last time I had to light a fire in a steady rain and I was very impressed by the road flare I used as a fire starter. grin Having a large flat piece of wood to use as shelter for the initial fire lay helped a lot as well.

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#242170 - 03/01/12 03:43 PM Re: Making fire in the rain: best practices? [Re: bacpacjac]
Cauldronborn2 Offline
Member

Registered: 06/29/11
Posts: 102
Loc: UK
Thanks bacpacjac, that clears it up for me. Come to think of it I think I've come across it before but by another name.

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