How to Build a Fire-Starting Kit (and Where Windproof Storm Matches Fit)

When you need a fire, whether it’s for warmth, cooking or a real emergency, the worst moment to find out your kit doesn’t work is when it’s cold, wet and windy. A good fire-starting kit is small, cheap and built on redundancy: more than one way to make a flame, plus something that catches easily. Windproof “storm” matches are a great part of that kit. Here’s how to put the whole thing together.

The rule of three: carry multiple ignition sources

Every ignition method has a weakness. Lighters can run out of fuel or struggle in the cold, matches get wet, and ferro rods take practice. Carry at least two or three different methods so one failure doesn’t leave you stuck.

Windproof storm matches

Storm matches have a long coating of combustible material along the stick. Once lit, they keep burning even in strong wind and rain. Many will even reignite after being briefly dunked in water. A typical kit, like the windproof matches this post first featured, comes in a waterproof container with an integrated striker on the outside and spare strikers inside. Each match burns for several seconds, long enough to light stubborn tinder.

Tips for storm matches:

• Strike them only on their own striker. They often won’t light on other surfaces.
• Keep spare strikers dry, because a damp striker is the most common failure.
• Shield the match with your body and hold it under the tinder, since flame travels upward.

Lighters

A simple disposable lighter is the easiest way to make a flame and lights hundreds of fires. Keep it warm in an inside pocket in cold weather, because cold gas lighters can struggle. Windproof or jet-flame lighters perform better in breezy conditions.

Ferrocerium (ferro) rods

A ferro rod throws hot sparks when you scrape it with a striker or the spine of a knife. It works wet, cold and at altitude, and it lasts a very long time. The catch is that sparks need very fine, dry tinder to catch. Practice at home before you rely on one.

Tinder: the most overlooked part of the kit

A flame alone won’t light damp sticks. Tinder is the bridge between your match and your kindling. Pack some that’s guaranteed dry:

• Cotton balls with petroleum jelly: cheap, easy to make and they burn for a good while
• Commercial fire starters: wax cubes, tinder tabs or fire sticks
• Dryer lint or char cloth: catches sparks easily, though plain lint burns very fast
• Natural tinder: birch bark, dry grass, pine needles or fatwood, gathered where it’s allowed

Packing it all together

Use a small waterproof container or a zip-top bag inside a dry bag. A good kit might include:

• Storm matches in their waterproof case
• A lighter
• A ferro rod and striker
• Prepared tinder (a few cotton balls or fire starters)
• A small knife or multi-tool for making feather sticks and shavings

Keep one kit in your pack and a second in your vehicle or emergency bag.

Lighting a fire in tough conditions

1. Prepare everything first. Gather tinder, pencil-thin kindling and larger fuel before you strike anything.

2. Find or make shelter from the wind with your body, a log or rocks.

3. Get off wet ground by building on a platform of dry sticks or bark.

4. Split wood to reach dry insides, and shave thin curls for kindling.

5. Light the tinder from below, add kindling gradually, and don’t smother the young flame.

Fire safety and responsibility

Always check for fire bans and restrictions before lighting a fire. Use existing fire rings when you can, keep fires small, never leave them unattended, and make sure they’re cold to the touch before you leave. Drown, stir, and drown again.

For more on lighters, see what you need in a camping lighter, and if you’re setting up a fire spot at camp, read how to build a camping fire pit.

FAQ

Do storm matches really work underwater?

Many will keep burning after a brief dunk once they’re lit, but you still need a dry striker to light them. Keep the case closed.

What’s the most reliable fire starter?

There isn’t one perfect option. That’s why carrying two or three methods, plus dry tinder, is the real answer.

How long do storm matches last in storage?

Stored dry in their sealed container, they keep a long time. Check the strikers occasionally, because moisture is their weak point.

Is a ferro rod good for beginners?

Yes, with practice. Learn to light prepared tinder with it at home before relying on it outdoors.