I discovered the same thing with the REI Stormproof Matches. They come with two striking surfaces on the box, plus a striker sealed in plastic in each box, and you MUST use one of those or you can't get 'em to light. Once lit tho, they are pretty impressive. I stuck a lit match under a running faucet, fire went out. Pulled it out of the stream of water and it re-lit itself. Did that three times before it was too short to re-lite...