Reading the thread on Zippos someone posted they don’t use matches any more. I have 2 older metal match safes that I take with me all the time when camping. I have a few of the green plastic ones in various kits and my van. But I never use them any more; I use a lighter (the evil Bic) and fire steel. If I had to make a choice, I would rather have fire steel then matches. A match safe only holds about 20-matches at the most. For its size that’s not a lot of lights. Even less so if it’s windy and it takes 2 or 3 to get a fire going. I know someone will say they can do it every time with one match. But this is the exception, and probably a bit of embellishing.

I do use strike anyplace matches to make fire starters, but as far as pulling out a match to light a fire, I don’t do it any more, it’s been 20-years or more since I have.

I would suspect the government at some point in the future will stop the sale of strike anyplace matches, saying they are too dangerous. And for our own safety they are going to make them illegal. At this point matches become even less useful for the outdoorsmen.

For now I’m not going to stop carrying my match safes full of matches, I will continue to cycle the stock of them in the match safe and have them with me for the “what if day”. But I suspect that when “what if’ comes I will use the lighter or fire steel.

When camping I have been using the fire steel more then the lighter, I see it as a skill I want to have and feel am not good enough at starting a fire with it yet. On a nice day it’s easy to do, But I want to be able to do it when its raining. But I always have thee Bic there if needed.