Doug,

I defer to your expertise and judgment.

I was transferring to you the features of my own situation. My home is 1/2 mi. from a riverbed replete with trails and 3/4 mi. from a national forest. We regularly hike and bike these areas. My work takes me to a variety of locations mostly within 50 mi. of home, but many trips can run over 100 mi each way. Thus I regularly cover a lot of different ground. I often take short sidetrips as the occasions present themselves. I prefer having my gear along. Mostly it is in the car, but a lot also is carried on my person and in my briefcase. Then there are the Boy Scout and hunting activities. I think I'll keep my Hot Spark.

My major concerns re fire starting capability in everyday life are outdoor trips gone awry; in urban trips, great earthquakes or WMD attacks (EMP)supervening, or for that matter any other catastrophe that disrupts vehicular traffic. In those situations, separation from your vehicular kit is a strong possibility. A ferrocerium rod is simply too small, too lightweight, and too cheap to be caught without. I'm a scoutmaster; if I don't carry a fire starter, why should our scouts think it's important.

Sounds like our favorite survival guru isn't getting much outdoor survival lately. <img src="/images/graemlins/frown.gif" alt="" /> Hope you get a change soon. Somehow I had envisioned you as regularly outdoors testing gear and techniques. Another romantic delusion dashed.

Be careful you don't let your knife become superfluous. Then the Babbits of PC will have sucked the life out of you.

Regards,

John