If you’re a fan of “Survivor,” you know it’s coming – the fire challenge that is an inevitable part of every one of the thousand or so seasons the reality show has aired.
Knowing how to start a fire without matches is part of Survival 101, yet after all these years, very few contestants practice before they’re called up. “Survivor” fan or contestant or not, fire-starting is a valuable skill in the outdoors.
Colorado Springs survival expert Peter Kummerfeldt told me he relies on a metal match for fire starting. “My number one fire-starting tool is a standard metal match that is not embedded in magnesium,” he says.
After metal matches, Kummerfeldt recommends REI’s storm-proof matches that are wind proof and nearly impossible to extinguish. He doesn’t recommend waterproof matches, which are painted with lacquer and are hard to light. Next most effective? A cigarette lighter. “The ubiquitous Bic lighter works,” Kummerfeldt says. “But it’s difficult to use when your hands lose their dexterity. Whatever your fire-starting tool is, it should be able to be used one-handed.”
Kummerfeldt suggests practicing before you head out. “The worst time to get your survival experience is when the experience is happening,” he says. The nuances of fire-starting are illustrated in this Teva video which spoofs outdoor experts like Bear Grylls and Survivorman Les Stroud. Check it out (wait for the ending), then go pick up a metal match and start practicing.
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