Now that we've discovered the pros and cons of a Sparklite vs Bic how to proceed? For a truly mini kit, the Sparklite is smaller and more robust. Anything above a minimalist assembly and it becomes "penny wise and pound foolish" not to have our often cited redundancy in this critical aspect of survival. I still have my strike anywhere matches, lifeboat matches, sparklite, metal match, fatwood, candles, magnesium bar and oh, oh! My chumash friend palmed my bic burning some white sage yesterday <img src="/images/graemlins/mad.gif" alt="" /> I'll have to buy a few at the gas station- with 87 octane @ $ 2.37 a gallon. Now that really gets me burning <img src="/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

Tom,

I think if you have room in your kit or your pocket that you can feel pretty comfy carrying a BIC. I carry a mini-bic in my pocket everyday. I have a sparklite and tinder in my PSK though, since it is smaller and doesn't take up as much room in the small container. I think it just depends on what your priorities are. If size is a primary consideration, then the sparklite is the way to go. Otherwise, the BIC is a inexpensive and dependable option.

Or you can do what I do, and carry both. I'm big on redundancy... One is none and two is one, as they say. I often have 3 or 4! <img src="/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

Greg

Bics are the king no question for expedient fire lighting but as said my tin kit rejects the bulk.

I think I will develop a mini mini bic and solve this problem.

Better get my patent in huh.

Flip

I solve the spark vs fuel dilema with a permanant match. It's a great little (smaller than a mini bic even) sparker that can be used with or without fuel. The fuel chamber is small but the extra spark it can produce over a bic or SL make it worth it IMO. Also I am told that it will work with almost any type of liquid fuel known to modern man. This I cannot confirm however as I have used only Zippo brand lighter fluid in them to date. That being said one can not ignore Chris' (and many other's) mentions of redundancy. Take my latest PSK for example...

Admittedly I'm not as concerned with fire redundancy in the warmer Texas months and may only carry a small ferrocerium rod but as the winter months creep up and the weather man says to expect a cold wet winter, I have quite a bit of fire making redudancy. SL, ferrocerium rod and min Bic in the PSK with two different types of tinder (TQ and Alcohol Swabs) and that is in addition to the permanant match on the keyring which I religiously keep topped off on fuel. <img src="/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> That combined with tons of practice makes me pretty confident that I can strike up a blaze under pretty much any conditions. Oh I almost forgot that little bottle of liquid bandage. That stuff is muy flammable! Pour that stuff on a some wet kindling and hit it with the tiniest of sparks and watch it light up like crazy. So go ahead and make that three types of tinder. <img src="/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

Yep, nothing wrong with redundancy! Someone who relies on just matches, for instance, might be surprised when they actually need them, never practiced, then realized they can't get one lit without breaking them!

Brian

I put together a kit very similar to the one in your picture. Would you please give me a list of whats in yours starting from left to right

With pleasure...

Visible Items - Left to Right:

- AMK Viynil Pouch
- Modified Ferroceium Rod
- Spark Lite
- Tadgear SAS Compass (below the ferrocerium rod and SparkLite)
- Mini Bic Lighter
- ArcAAA-P
- 0.5oz Vial of New Skin liquid bandage (top)
- Mini Fox40 Modified (bottom)
- 1 oz vial of Meds
- 3' x 2" Duct Tape
- 12 Modified Cotton Swabs
- 50' 100# Fireline (across the top)
- 9 TQ Tabs (across the top below the FireLine)
- Small Space Pen (across the bottom)

Non-Visible Items:

- 6 MP1 Tabs
- 2 Large Oven Bags
- Modified Fresnel Lense
- 6 Butterfly Sutures
- 2 Scalpel Blades
- 3" 50/50 Serrated/Smooth SS SOG Knife Blade
- Modified REI Featherweight Mirror
- 6 1" x 1" Alcohol Swabs
- Immodium Tab
- 2 Small Sheets of Rite in Rain Paper


Ah darn I just realized that I could have counted the cotton swabs as tinder also in my previous post. <img src="/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

"50' 100# Fireline (across the top)"

What is this?

Sue

Glad you asked. I love this stuff. It's basically 100LB deep sea fishing line but it is not "plastic" like traditional fishing line and is more "fiborous" like extremely thin, wax treated rope. "Fireline" is the brand. So far 100LB is the strongest I have found and I have only found it at Bass Pro Shops so far. This stuff is great. You see in the pic how easy it is to get 50' of it in to a tiny pocket kit. <img src="/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

Brian:

You must be a "young pup" to call plastic line "traditional".

In my day, traditional line was rayon multi-strand which was more supple and limp with less stretch than plastic, but not as abrasion resistant.

If you wanted to cast lighter baits, the rayon in a corresponding weight class would outdistance plastic by a good 33 percent.

Bountyhunter