That is exactly one of the points I was trying to get at. Thank you.

Back in the '70s, they made a lighter that had a pushbutton valve to allow fuel from the main reservoir to the wick. This way the only fuel that can evaporate is the small amount in the wick.

Very good!! <img src="/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

Hey, disposable lighters are a fine thing, far better than rubbing sticks together. It is just that, given the relative importance of firemaking, I don't mind spending a little more for something infinitely more reliable as at least one of my firestarting tools. I think it is advisable that not only do you carry at least three different firestarting sources, but that they be based on different technology as well. A bic, or any butane lighter, has definite drawbacks for use in the worst possible conditions. Matches break, decay, or get wet. Flint and steel require something to ignite, and zippos run out of fuel often. The point is the more flexible you are, the greater your chances of success. A five dollar leatherman knockoff isn't that much worse than the real thing, yet you'd think the cost disparity would indicate it is.

That's true. It's been a while since I read the book but I believe his reasons for that are that it's flat and it has an adjustable flame (primarily the latter IIRC).

I have the same concerns about the sparklight and I know from previous threads that others do as well. I am a big fan of plain 'ole ferrocerium rods also but I'm not so skilled at one-handed lighting like Paul so I stick with the Spark Lite for now. Also, though I do have fears regarding the durrablility of the plastic in the Spark Lites, I haven't had one fail yet and I have used them pretty hard, dropped them many times and even modified one or two. Just the same if I could do the fancy finger work like Paul then I would probably stick with just the ferrocerium rod. The other advantage of the Spark Lite is that it is so easy to target that you can light almost anything with it. There are links in an older thread here on the forums to some videos I made about 6 months ago where I light all kinds of stuff with the Spark Lite... a piece of a cotton t-shirt, a piece of a paper towel, natural tinder of some type and a few other items as well. The main thing I remember from that experiment is that with the materials that are normally hard to light, my success in lighting them with the Spark Lite was due almost entirely to the ability to focus the spark exactly where I wanted it to be, down to within a couple milimeters. I just can't get that accurate with a knife and a small ferrocerium rod (not yet anyway).

In all fairness, the altitude issue with my Windmill lighter was pretty much it's only significant flaw and considering that I only go up in the mountains about once a year for a week or so, that is probably the best lighter for me. I like the fact that the Windmill can go on a lanyard too. I just wish it was a little smaller and I could illuminate a dark room with it. <img src="/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

Yeah, I carry a Zippo in my pocket, a ferro rod on my key chain, and no-name butane with adjustable flame, and a Windmill in my Fat Boy (correction: a Blast Mtch, also). If I'm carrying my briefcase kit, it's got matches, a butane, and a Spark Lite. I am paranoid about being able to make fire. Had a bad experience, once.

As I don't have any share in the BIC company, I don't really care if you like them or not. <img src="/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

As others pointed out, they are so cheap, small, easy to use (by anybody - no special skills/training required), works quite well very often, etc... etc.... for not having one in each kit.
(or one similar from another brand)

And for sure, they shall NOT be the only fire source in those kits.
Add Spark-lite, ferro-rod, windproof matches, Zippo lighter, metalic match, fresnel lens, butane torches... what ever you like and/or can buy, but you are absolutely right not to trust only one fire making device.

You know, Alain, the more these Yanks trash your country, the more respect and admiration I seem to develop for it. <img src="/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

Maybe Bic lighters aren't the best in the world, but if I'm not mistaken, they invented the whole "cheap, disposable lighter" concept, so all these "other" options that Randjack cites wouldn't exist if it weren't for the French. <img src="/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

And for all the talk about alternative sources of flame, I still believe that the 99 cent disposable lighter has probably saved more lives than all the mag-flint blocks ever sold. <img src="/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" />

BIC is low end lighter. One can't expect it to perform superbly. It has tends to flicker out in light wind. The starter is too small for my finger. The plastic is fragile and can't withstand cold temperature thus susceptable to cracking. I have the high end Brunton lighter