Here's my .02....
Bought a mag bar back when I was in the Corps. Carried it in the field and never had much luck even under the best of conditions. It's short life ended in a blinding brilliance in a camp fire. I wouldn't have another if you gave it to me.
Bought a sparklite and tenders a year ago. Have tested under every weather condition since then. Had very good luck starting fires in mild conditions, but as weather worsens so does it's ability to start a fire. After a 2 day heavy rain and 1 day of mild weather, starting a fire with this method was near hopeless. Got one started after using a combined 5 tenders, thus using up the rest of my supply of tenders.
As far as life boat matches go, wind proof and water proof are their greatest advantages, but after a 2 day rain, near worthless.
Had good results with vasoline soaked cotton. Was actually surprised at how well they worked after a long rain.
BUT, I have never failed to start a fire even under the worst conditions using trioxane bars, rainy season in a tropical forest, snow covered landscape above the arctic circle, deserts of Arizona and West Texas, swamps of North Carolina, from California to Nebraska.
For a good many years I have tried just about everything for starting fires and my absolute favorite is trioxane.
Some may say that they are too big. Well, so is my kit.
We used to say in the Corps that we could carry anything in the field, in addition to our issue, we just had to be wiiling to carry it.
I basically carry shelter, fire, water and first aid. I keep it pretty simple.
I'll still carry my sparklite and a ferro bar.
If someone likes some other methods, that's fine.
But I tell you what, if it means the difference between life or death, I'm using something that I have the most confidence in after years of testing.
And isn't that what it's all about?

hi rooknine : i agree with you about the trioxane...bar for bar it beats out any other fire starter i know and can start a fire just about anywhere ... i think if you have the ability/room to carry (fat wood),(maya sticks),( lighters) , (mag.bars) and (strike force) type flints in your pockets or belt pouch... you have the room to carry one small foil packet of trioxane...for me it gets the job done and the price is right , at about 98 cents per small box of three bars each..you can also get them in smaller boxes of three small single tabs per box ,more compact.. <img src="images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />.vince g..

I always had problems getting them lit, though once lit nothing was putting them out. I think the older they get the harder they are to light. Also, trioxane is toxic I believe. Not something I would want if I had to light a fire in a partially enclosed space. (Igloo/snow cave/hut/shelter/ect)

paul810 : the problem of " trying to get them lit" is a problem i have never delt with...if i look at the trioxane bar crosseyed it will catch fire. <img src="images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />.i have also used basic flint and steel to spark it , and it lights right now no problem ...but i will admit , once air gets to the tablet it starts to decay and will turn to powder...it takes weeks to do it but it will decay/powder...vince g.

I had a few bars that were about 7-10 years old. I tried lighting them with a BSA hot spark, they wouldn't light. It took a few seconds with a lighter before I got one to catch, when it did catch it wasn't giving off a lot of heat. I found it to be about as hard to light as an Esbit tab, but not as hot. My experience with them wasn't very good. I have had great luck with fatwood and cotten/vaseline though. The cotten catches really well and burns for a long time, if it gets wet I just wring it out. Fatwood burns well even when wet and makes a nice hot flame, I can even light it with a hot spark if I scrape a bit off.

Yeah, I had some that were something more than 20 years old. I opened one, tried to light it with a match, and it didn't, so I threw out the lot.

I'm no expert about it's chemical toxicity, but I've heard enough that I replaced the stock with Esbit tablets, which at least claim to be non-toxic. As a side benefit, they're also useful for powering a couple of model Stirling engines from time to time, just to illustrate the principles....

alright mate
I personaly don't like the magnesium bars either, they can be a pain. I personaly like the sweedish fire steel as a backup and keep a couple of lighters. I used to use the wind proof matches but they never lasted long (tempted to light my smokes with them) <img src="images/graemlins/blush.gif" alt="" />
For tinder I use cotton wool or hexamine or i'll use a candle.

Well, what happens if you are out in the woods and you run out of trioxane? Any ideas what to look for then?

I gotta say it again I reckon. Anytime I am out in the woods for any length of time, I have a habit of collecting tree pitch. I really like Spruce and Douglas Fir. It is fairly easy to find if you know what you are looking for.

It kinda depends on where you are, though. For instance, I don't have many trees around here, so collecting pitch locally is not realistic.

If there are any trees then it is possible to find tinder fairly easily. Even if the woods are very wet from rain. There is usually something laying about with a punky side down that has some dried punk in the center. There may also be something local equivalent to birch bark or pitch which will burn well and start fairly easily. If there are any evergreens then the really thin feathery twigs at the extreme ends of dead branches can be collected and made into a decent "nest" that will light even when wet. If there are no trees then I am not too sure what to look for. I hike in forested areas and haven't had to deal with finding fuel in a prarie situation. I am certain that wet grasses are going to be the wrong idea anyhow. In marshes you can often find cattail or milkweed - both of these can be found dry in the right season because the pods will dry even when closed and closed - dried pods will keep the tinder try within. Not available in the spring tho. If there are any trees or shrubs then in may be just a matter of becomming familiar with which are resinous enough to light easily. Standing dead wood or dead branches still attached to the tree are the best source for truely dry fuel when it's been raining for a while since the rain will drip off rather than soak in. Down dead wood is a good source for punk but you must make sure you get dry punk or it will be akin to trying to light a sponge. If there is a large diameter log with a punky underside you can dig into it a ways and usually come up with something fairly dry. Don't take the first layer tho.

Minime;

I agree. There seem to be two schools of thought "furiously agreeing" in these threads. One school concentrates on the best material to have with you, and that's all well and good. If you're the type of person who never leaves home without a Trioxane bar, a handful of Esbit tabs, a Propane torch, or a WWII surplus flame-thrower, then more power to you. For myself, I'm so absent-minded that if it's not in my wallet, on my key-chain, or in the glove compartment, I don't feel I can rely on it. (And what's in the glove compartment is only available if I'm in or near my car, duh!)

Personally, I've found the FeCe rod on a Coghlan's mag-flint block to be superior to the Swedish Firesteel, and if you can shelter it from the wind and avoid having the flakes blow all over the place, ISTM that a pile of magnesium shavings will ignite just about anything that will burn. :-)