Reviews > Cook Gear > Fire Starters > Spark-Lite Fire Starter > Owner Review by Andrew Mytys

Tester's Biographical Information:

Reviewer: Andrew Mytys Email: amytys@gmail.com Homepage: Andy's Lightweight Backpacking Site Location: Michigan Age: 33 Height: 6'1" (183 cm) Weight: 175 lbs (79 kg)

     Backpacking Background:

I live in Michigan and have been hiking seriously for 15 years, although I've camped since I was 6 years old. I consider myself a lightweight hiker. I carry the lightest gear I can get my hands on which will provide a comfortable wilderness experience and adequately support the goals of my trip. Unless my goals are time/distance oriented, my pace is always slow. I rarely exceed 1.5 miles (2.4 km)/hour. I rest frequently, hike long days, and enjoy whatever nature throws my way.

Product Information:

Manufacturer: Four Seasons Survival (http://www.fourseasonssurvival.com) Item: Spark-Lite Fire Starting Kit Year of Manufacture: 2003 MSRP: $8.95 US Listed Weight: 1.6 oz (45 gm), including Spark-Lite fire starter, case, 8 Tinder-Quik tabs, and instructions Weight as Delivered: 0.6 oz (17 gm) Weight as Used: 0.2 oz (< 6 g), Spark-Lite fire starter Color: Hunter Orange Warranty: Lifetime Guarantee

Field Experience:

I have owned the Spark-Lite fire starter for three years. I would estimate I have carried it on 60 overnights, in addition to a large number of dayhikes. The Spark-Lite fire starter is my primary fire starting solution and, as a result, has become an integral part of the base gear that I carry on my outings.

Description:

The Four Seasons Survival Spark-Lite Fire Starting kit is composed of a spark thrower, carrying case, a set of Tinder-Quik tabs, and an instruction manual. The Spark-Lite fire starter itself is a simple fire starting device, composed of a small plastic handle with a flint wheel positioned on one end. When the wheel is turned in the direction of the arrows found on its handle, a shower of sparks is emitted.

Instructions:

The printed instructions supplied with the Spark-Lite fire starter provide an easy to understand primer on the use of the kit, including preparation of the tinder, use of the sparker, the handling of a wet sparker, tips on what other materials can be successfully used as tinder, working with frozen tinder, and other information. The instruction book also indicates that the life of the device is in excess of 1,000 uses. Lastly, contact information for the manufacturer, Four Seasons Survival, is given.

General Use:

There's really not much to the Spark-Lite fire starter. To start a fire, I first find some tinder. I have successfully used the supplied Tinder-Quik tabs, real (not synthetic) cotton balls, steel wool, lint, milkweed, fumes from flammable fluids such as white gas and alcohol, and pressurized gas from ISO/Butane canisters. If objects such as the Tinder-Quik tabs, cotton balls, or lint are used as fire starting material, the tinder first needs to be pulled apart so that its fine fibers are exposed. To start a fire, the tinder should be placed in an area where it will be protected from the wind. With the Spark-Lite fire starter held about 1/4 inch (6 mm) from the tinder, and at about a 30° angle, the flint wheel is turned in the direction of the arrows, throwing a shower of sparks onto the tinder and igniting it.

The Spark-Lite fire starter is so reliable that I no longer carry matches or a butane lighter. I rarely make a campfire, so my primary use of the Spark-Lite fire starter is as a sparker to ignite my alcohol stove fuel. When using the Spark-Lite unit with a campstove, I simply throw a spark at the fuel and start cooking.

When starting an actual campfire, I use cotton balls made from real cotton as tinder. I tear a typical cotton ball in half, dab a coat of Vaseline on its outside to prolong its burn time, and dig a hole out of its center. In this hole, I make sure the cotton ball is torn apart so that its fine filaments are exposed, and then use the Spark-Lite to throw a spark into the hole. Once the cotton ball is lit, I add dried grass and leaves, and some small twigs to the fire, arranging the items in a pyramid shape over the burning cotton ball. As more and more material catches fire, I add larger twigs, and then sticks, to the growing fire, maintaining the pyramid shape as I proceed. Once the larger sticks have caught fire, I have a stable base and can freely add broken branches to the flames without fear of putting the fire out. I repeat this process as more and more material catches fire, slowly building up the size of the wood used until I have campfire.

Environmental Challenges:

I've dropped the Spark-Lite unit into snow with no adverse effect. A wet lighter may not throw sparks, but its abilities are quickly restored by shaking the unit to remove excess water and then blowing on the flint wheel. In conditions that are near-freezing and excessively damp, I hold the lighter in the palm of my hand for about 30 seconds before using it, to thaw and dry out any moisture that may have entered into the mechanism.

Durability:

The Spark-Lite fire starter is basically a short and rigid plastic stick. It's pretty tough, but I worry about the wheel breaking off nontheless. I protect my Spark-Lite fire starter by storing it, the cotton balls, and Vaseline in my First-Aid/toiletries kit. After three years of use, it still looks new.

My Opinion, Overall:

I find the Spark-Lite fire starter to be a safe substitute to matches and lighters - there is no open flame to contend with. At 0.2 oz (< 6 g) in weight, the Spark-Lite fire starter is truly a lightweight backpacker's friend.

Reviews > Cook Gear > Fire Starters > Spark-Lite Fire Starter > Owner Review by Andrew Mytys