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Blast Match - Owner Review
by Mike Lipay - January 31, 2005
| Product Information |
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| Manufacturer | Survival, Inc. |
Photo from Survival, Inc. |
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| Website | http://www.survivalinc.com |
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| MSRP | $19.99 USD |
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| Year Manufactured | 1999 |
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| Purchased | March 2000 |
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| Warranty | Liftetime, guaranteed never to wear out |
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| Specifications |
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Manufacturer |
Tester |
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| Weight |
2.7 oz (76.6 g) |
2.5 oz (70.9 g) |
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| Length Closed |
4 in (10 cm) |
4 in (10 cm) |
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| Flint Diameter |
0.5 in (1.3 cm) |
0.5 in (1.3 cm) |
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| Personal Information |
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| Name | Mike Lipay |
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| Age | 50 |
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| Gender | Male |
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| Height | 5 ft 8 in / 173 cm |
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| Weight | 185 lbs / 83.9 kg |
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| Email | hiking AT westernpa DOT us |
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| City, State | Plum Boro, Pennsylvania |
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| Background | I've been hiking and backpacking with the Boy Scouts since the '60s, although currently I hike more solo, with my kids, or as a trail guide for a local outdoor group. I am no ultralight backpacker, my pack (external frame) weighs 29-40 lb (13-18 kg) loaded (not including food), though I am always on the look out for ways to cut down on the weight. I'm a low-techie, preferring a hiking staff to trekking poles, compass to GPS, fire to fuel; but I do carry some techie stuff as well, recently switching over to a digital camera from film, and an UV sterilizer from a filter pump.
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| General Data | Flint and steel are nothing new. They have been in use for hundreds of years to make fires. So what is so special about the Blast Match that makes it the hottest way to start a fire? Survival, Inc. has improved upon this ancient idea by making an alloy bar composed of flint and magnesium 0.5 in thick (1.3 cm), mounted into a spring-loaded handle and an integrated a tungsten carbide striker in the handle. "With one hand a shower of sparks, three times hotter than a match (2200 F - 1204 C), can be generated" - from the manufacturer's website.
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| Directions | The Blast Match comes encased in a plastic body that protects the flint bar from accidental damage. Opening the case is the hardest part of using the Blast Match. To open the case there is a tab that locks the cover in place; bend back the tab and pull the cover up and over the flint bar. The cover is attached to the body of the Blast Match and flips over to rest in the rear (see photos). To generate the sparks and start the fire I place the end of the flint bar on, or near, the kindling, press my thumb down on the locking tab (which doubles as a pressure point for the tungsten steel), then shove down quickly and firmly. This action results in a shower of sparks that ignites the kindling.
I've used the Blast Match now for five years and have never been unable to start a fire, regardless of the weather. Unlike matches that fail when wet (or damp), the Blast Match works even in the heaviest downpour, and I don't worry about the wind blowing out the flame. After five years the flint shows only minor signs of use, I can picture handing this down to my son before it wears out.
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| Side bar | My favorite kindling, because it's easy to make and use, is a cotton ball impregnated with rubbing alcohol. I can store about 10 of them in a film canister (clear type with a lid that fits inside the canister), the canisters I get from a local film developing store for free (they throw them away). I just shove them into the canister, then pour in rubbing alcohol - the tight fit of the lid keeps the balls wet for several months. To save even more money, sometimes I will collect dryer lint (cotton only), cut it up and use it in place of the cotton balls.
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| Personal Comments | Since I began using the Blast Match I have never gone back to matches or lighter. The Blast Match is safer, works in all weathers (wet or cold), and can't go off accidentally. I've never had to strike more than twice to get a fire going, even in heavy showers.
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| Conclusions |
Pros
Easy to use
One-handed operation
Works in any weather
Lifetime Warranty - guaranteed to never wear out
Cons
Flint can break if you abuse it
Flying sparks can ignite leaves if not careful
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Read more reviews of Survival Inc. gear
Read more gear reviews by Mike Lipay
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