From reviewing numerous "fire starting" kit on the various bushcraft forums, it appears that most of them contain an assortment of different tinder items such as, tinder quick tabs, cotton balls, strips of rubber, pieces of fat wood, esbit tabs, char cloth, etc. While I understand why one may want to have more than one way to get a spark such as a spark light, bic lighter, or flint and steel, I do not understand why one would need the various types of tinder.

Specifically, what does a char cloth, rubber, esbit tabs etc. do that tinder quick or cotton balls do not? Isn't there one or two items that would work 100% of the time under all conditions and if so what should it be.

Am I missing something or are all of the different tinders just more toys to play with?