I have always been able to acquire adequate tinder simply with my bare hands. You want really fine, thin fuel. Look for dead twigs on standing trees, well in the interior where they are shielded from moisture. Bits of dead bark work quite well. Stuff lying on the ground is usually too wet to work very well.

Bark from Utah juniper is absolutely superb. It can be easily lit directly from a match - you would think it was soaked in gasoline. Pine knots from decayed logs work extraordinarily well - full of pitch, they can also be lit directly with a match.

For negligible weight, it is a good idea to carry cotton balls and some kind of petroleum jelly - a never fail backup.