Reviewer Information

• Name: Cora Hussey
• Age: 23
• Gender: Female
• Height: 5 ft 9 in (175 cm)
• Weight: 155 lbs (70 kg)
• Email address: cahhmc "at" yahoo "dot" com
• City, State, Country: Los Angeles, CA, USA
• Date: January, 2004

Basic Product Information

• Manufacturer: Coghlan's
• Year of Manufacture: 2003
• URL: http://www.coghlans.com/
• Listed weight: None
• Weight as delivered: 0.3 oz (9 g)
• Size: Rectangular 2 x 1.5 x 0.5 in (5 x 3.5 x 1.5 cm)
• MSRP: $0.30 USD

Product Description

Field Testing

On my latest winter trip where lighters not kept in pockets failed because it was so cold, I realized that I use and appreciate these matches more than I previously thought. Over the past year, I have used up two boxes of these matches for lighting stoves, lanterns, fires, and other such uses.

Trip Details:

I have used these matches in the Sierras of California, the Cascades in Washington, and the Rockies of Colorado. Temperatures ranged from 80 F (27 C) to -10 F (-23 C), and conditions ranged from snowy and icy to dry sandy desert. Elevations ranged from sea level to 12,000 ft (3700 m), and terrain was mostly mountainous.

Important Usage Points:

+ Product as Advertised: Yes
Comments: I found little actually advertised about these matches, but what was obviously advertised worked well. They are waterproof, they are wooden, and they strike on the box just fine. There are only two things that I noticed which I did not initially realize would occur with waterproof matches. The first issue is that when the match is wet, the head strikes and burns fine, but any wet wood below the chemical-coated head does not burn. Thus, when the match is wet it does strike and light but does not burn nearly as long as a dry match. This sometimes means I have to move quickly to use the match. The second item is that if the striking area on the box gets wet, I cannot successfully strike any match, wet or dry. The good news is that the striking area has been easily wiped off with my hand, protected from the rain for a few seconds to let it dry out a bit, and then used successfully. Also, the wood outer portion of the match box has sometimes warped in the wet, causing a great deal of fumbling to be necessary to get the cardboard drawer to slide out.

+ Durability: Excellent
Comments: I usually would not consider matches in general to be durable items, but these matches are an exception. On a few occasions I kept these matches in the pocket of my pants during dinner and then while sleeping, and they kept coming out of my pocket the next morning unmashed and perfectly serviceable. I just kept them in the box they came in, and never felt a need to buy another container. I have found that breaks of the matches are rare since the wood is stiff and thick enough for a strong strike. The striking area is probably the least durable of the entire setup, but enough was left on the side of the box to strike the last matches.

+ Versatility: Excellent
Comments: I use these matches for all sorts of things. They are long enough to work well for lighting my lantern through the glass cover, and they burn for long enough to start a campfire. I especially enjoy being able to set them out in the snow, or to keep them in my pocket when walking in the rain or when working up a sweat. The matches have never seemed to have been affected by wetness, and I have not tried to protect them from it, so everything works out as expected.

+ General Usefulness: Good
Comments: These matches ride around with me everywhere. I use lighters for some things such as lighting a stove, but lanterns and campfires really lend themselves to the use of matches. Their usefulness is somewhat decreased by the fact that, even though they are waterproof, they are no more windproof than ordinary wood matches. Coghlan's also makes windproof matches, but considering that they cost over ten times more than these waterproof matches, I carry these matches around instead, use more when they blow out, and cup my hand to protect them from wind. Even without the windproofness, for most of my applications I usually only use up two or three matches in windy conditions before I get one that works.

Summary

Overall, these matches are a nice addition to my safety items. I carry them as a backup to the lighter, and I have never been in a spot where they absolutely will not light. The wood outer box adds a lot to the durability, so I can carry them in my pocket, and the matches themselves are strong and easy to use.

Upsides for me:

• Compact
• Durable
• Actually waterproof
• Cheap

• Any wet wood below head significantly shortens burn time
• Wet strike-on-box area prevents any lighting

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Read more gear reviews by Cora Hussey

Reviews > Cook Gear > Fire Starters > Coghlans Waterproof Safety Matches > Owner Review by Cora Hussey