Good survival lighter?

[Heinz Doofenshmirtz]

Hi all,

Anyone have any recommendations for a good storm-proof survival lighter? 

I have a Windmill Trekker, that works well as long as it's warm and at sea-level...  anything over 2,000 ft. or below 50º and it simply will not work, no matter what.  In other words, when using it in conditions it was supposed to be designed for, it's an expensive paperweight.

So any recommendations (other than another Windmill POS) would be appreciated.

[jekostas]

A good 'ol Zippo lighter and one of these things.  It's a sealed tank that you put lighter fluid in that rests inside the body of the Zippo - you remove about half the cotton wadding.  Bingo, no more dried out Zippo, and an extremely reliable lighter that'll work in just about every possible condition, regardless of temperature, elevation or humidity.

http://global.rakuten.com/en/store/kituengu/item/10006701/

Or one of these dealies.  They're pretty cool as well.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ZIPPO-FUEL-CANISTER-ALUMINUM-POCKET-TOOL-KEYCHAIN-NEW-/120746465342?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item1c1d0cd83e#ht_2221wt_905

[tattoosteve99]

I have a windmill also. Mmmm never had any trouble with mine but never been above 20000 feet either. I would agree on the zippo but cut a piece of inner tube and place it around the lighter when not in use. It will prevent the fluid from escaping.

[edcgear]

 - Peanut Lighter...

 - Fire Striker

 - IMCO Triplex

[Heinz Doofenshmirtz]

I have a windmill also. Mmmm never had any trouble with mine but never been above 20000 feet either. I would agree on the zippo but cut a piece of inner tube and place it around the lighter when not in use. It will prevent the fluid from escaping.

My Trekker completely died just a couple weeks ago, and of course not long after the 2 year warranty has expired.  I'm pretty PO'd about it...

The highest I've ever been with it was about 8,000 ft, at the top of Yosemite Falls back in February of this year.  It didn't work.  At all.  In fact, there's a peak near where I live that my wife and I hike on a lot, and we take our kids camping there too.  It's only 3,800 ft. and it fritzed on the summit there too.  I bright orange POS in my opinion.  I'll never buy another Windmill lighter, ever again.

[Spork, Lord of Lime Jello!]

I have trouble with piezo ignition around 8000 ft too...auto ignitors on backpacking stoves. Neither of my Snow Peak stoves work and my old GAZ stove only worked sporadically.

I've thought of getting another refillable butane lighter with a spark wheel. I used to have a little Colibri pipe lighter shaped like a pen that worked really well for outdoor purposes. The flame was adjustable and angled...making it easy to light stoves and lanterns.

I'm considering the Zippo Blu, but haven't gotten around to picking one up yet.

[Heinz Doofenshmirtz]

I have trouble with piezo ignition around 8000 ft too...auto ignitors on backpacking stoves. Neither of my Snow Peak stoves work and my old GAZ stove only worked sporadically.

I've thought of getting another refillable butane lighter with a spark wheel. I used to have a little Colibri pipe lighter shaped like a pen that worked really well for outdoor purposes. The flame was adjustable and angled...making it easy to light stoves and lanterns.

I'm considering the Zippo Blu, but haven't gotten around to picking one up yet.

It's good to know I'm not the only one having this kind of experience with this type of lighter. 

What really PO's me is they advertise it as being a survival lighter that is "guaranteed" to work up to 10,000 feet... how can they get away with that BS?  Regardless, I admit that my sample size is only the one, but at $50 a pop, I can't afford to more sampling to see if the one I have is just a defective unit.  Windmill is out forever as far as I'm concerned now.

[tattoosteve99]

Yeah I like mine but I wouldn't take it as a survival method. I use a ferro rod for that. Just really can't beat a good old zippo though. You can even get a good pill fob and fill it with fluid and keep it sealed up for backup.

[Jors]

Heinz, I also have a Windmill, the type that have a plastic cover similar than a Zippo, but much bigger and thicker and with a window in the sides to see the gas level.
Mine is working well. I have tested it even on Table Mountain (about 4500 feet) and it worked. The higher you get the lowe you must set the flow to compensate for the lower oxygen.
I just press the button a little before I press it deeper to ignite and Bob's your uncle.
I have not tested it on higher altitudes. There are no such places around except when you climb high mountains. I don't know the altitudes on the Drakensberg but I don't think they exist here.
I have heard about a Bronson lighter that has a very good reputstion, but I have only seen it on youtube.

I am currently very sceptical about butane lighters as I have seen several Dunhill lighters in second hand shop and none of them works. All are leaking. It appears the seals perrish after some years. Mechanically the lighters are still in a very good condition.
This made me think twice about butane lighters. On the short term they are the best, but I will rather turn and mill my own.
I think of turning one like the peanut lighter, but bigger so that I can add a wind screen like a Zippo and so that I can add more fuel. Here I think of making a double cavity so that the one contain clean fuel wich will seeps to the cotton filled part or one that will release fluid to the cotton by pressing a button. The cap will also seal airtight to elliminate evaporation of fuel.
With this design I think about a cover similar than the Windmill / Zippo in shape.
I may be ambitious in thinking but I have the equipment to turn / mill it.

[sparky415]

Heinz, I also have a Windmill, the type that have a plastic cover similar than a Zippo, but much bigger and thicker and with a window in the sides to see the gas level.
Mine is working well. I have tested it even on Table Mountain (about 4500 feet) and it worked. The higher you get the lowe you must set the flow to compensate for the lower oxygen.
I just press the button a little before I press it deeper to ignite and Bob's your uncle.
I have not tested it on higher altitudes. There are no such places around except when you climb high mountains. I don't know the altitudes on the Drakensberg but I don't think they exist here.
I have heard about a Bronson lighter that has a very good reputstion, but I have only seen it on youtube.

I am currently very sceptical about butane lighters as I have seen several Dunhill lighters in second hand shop and none of them works. All are leaking. It appears the seals perrish after some years. Mechanically the lighters are still in a very good condition.
This made me think twice about butane lighters. On the short term they are the best, but I will rather turn and mill my own.
I think of turning one like the peanut lighter, but bigger so that I can add a wind screen like a Zippo and so that I can add more fuel. Here I think of making a double cavity so that the one contain clean fuel wich will seeps to the cotton filled part or one that will release fluid to the cotton by pressing a button. The cap will also seal airtight to elliminate evaporation of fuel.
With this design I think about a cover similar than the Windmill / Zippo in shape.
I may be ambitious in thinking but I have the equipment to turn / mill it.

 

[enki_ck]

The IMCO triplex is the way to go. Forget gas lighters, thex don't work on higher altitudes. A petrol lighter will work in any condition and the IMCO holds the fuel much longer than any zippo. You can even remove the lit fuel container and use it as a match or candle. It is windproof too.

[Nikos]

I have one of the smaller IMCOs (Streamline). It's been delegated to drawer duties, as it was as good at fuel evaporation as any other Zippo I've owned... Although I'm not a smoker, I always keep a lighter on me (for paracord work and to help the ladies in distress... ) Having the lighter fail when you need it the most is no fun, so i've turned to peanut lighters and BICs. Do you reckon the Triplex is better than that?

[enki_ck]

The triplex has a bigger fuel canister than the streamline, here's the photo of the two.


I am a smoker and in windy weather and daily use the triples can hold its fuel up to 2,5 weeks. The streamline a bit over a week.

The peanut is a clear winner in the never gonna use it, just in case lighters, I forgot one in my tent one year, left it there for some 5-6 months and it lit on first try after that. It holds its fuel well thanks to the O-ring, but try lighting that one with one hand, with cold hands or in gloves, impossible, and that's all likely in higher elevations. The BICs are great but as all butane lighters will not work in low oxygen in higher elevations.

One great survival firestarter is the eternal match. It is a scraper with a wick that is dipped into a zippolike cotton filled canister and sealed with an O-ring. Holds its fuel just as long as a peanut lighter. You run the "match" against a small fero rod on the side of the canister to ignite it. The advantage is, even once the fuel is out, you have a fero rod to make a few hundred more fires.

Here's a video of it.

Fire match or Flint match another easy waterproof survival fire starting alternative

[jzmtl]

I have a cheap version of that permanent match from DX, it does hold fuel forever. Don't overfill it though, too much fuel the "match" head stays wet and flint doesn't spark when it's wet. And the tiny flint wears pretty fast if you play with it often.

[Heinz Doofenshmirtz]

Thanks for the additional info guys.  I'll look into some of your suggestions.

I was wondering if anyone still makes those old WW-I style 'trench' lighters anymore.  From what I've read about them, they're supposed to be both durable and reliable.