Last Updated on March 1, 2020 by Lisa Vargas
There are a ton of articles out there that will talk about building fires, but I think the thing that we forget is what happens if it’s raining and we still need to try and build a fire. I know this might seem a little impractical, but it can easily happen if you are in an emergency situation. When it’s cold and wet outside, starting a fire can seem like an impossible task if you’re not sure what you are doing.
There are a lot of different firestarters out on the market, but today I want to specifically analyze the best firestarters for wet weather.
This could mean that it is rainy, foggy, or even snowing. The firestarter that you choose needs to be waterproof and withstand other elements that might accompany wet weather such as wind.
There are two items you will need to start a fire in wet weather which will be some type of ignitable item such as these handy fire cubes as described below, then a firestarter to ignite the cube.
So let’s look at the best firestarters when it’s wet and damp outside.
Best Firestarters For Wet Weather
There are certain steps you must take when building a fire in wet weather. I’m not going to outline them much here because we are going to get straight to the point of why you are here – finding the best firestarter if the weather is wet. I’ve tested these all personally and have outlined below the best firestarters that will make it easy to start fires when it’s damp outside.
I’ve outlined the Top 10 best firestarters for wet weather in no particular order. These firestarters tend to get the best reviews, are specifically designed for wet weather, and several of them are waterproof.
What Is Considered A “Firestarter”?
According to the Oxford Dictionary, a firestarter is a piece of flammable material used to help start a fire. So the key here is “flammable”. To me, that means the piece of material is already infused with some type of chemical to induce a flame.
But because I’m sure that the term “firestarter” can be interpreted in several different ways, this post is going to cover all kinds of the best firestarters for wet weather.
There are, however, some meanings that a firestarter does not have to me. A firestarter does not mean kindling or tinder, for example. If you want to learn about the best tinder to use to start fires I’ve written a previous article about that.
A “firestarter” to some people may also include flint and steel, for example. Or vaseline and cotton balls. There are definitely many different ways to start fires without matches, but this is not what we are going to talk about today.
Things To Consider When Choosing Firestarters
I’m not sure if you’ve thought about this yet, but one thing that is extremely important to note is that if you are in wet weather conditions, more than likely it is also going to be cold outside, possibly even snowing.
If this is the case, your hands will be extremely cold when you are trying to light a fire. Your dexterity will be limited in cold-weather conditions and you need to be aware of this when looking into wet-weather firestarters. You will probably be wearing gloves at this point in freezing temperatures in the snow, or even when it’s raining.
Luckily, I’ve already thought of this for you, so all of the wet weather firestarters I recommend below take this into consideration. Your welcome.
10 Best Firestarters For Wet Weather
The first five firestarters are flammable products and are designed to be used under adverse, including wet weather conditions. All of these are technically waterproof as you will see down below in a video I made to show you the differences in each of these products.
#1: UST Wetfire Tinder Cubes
UST Wetfire cubes are fantastic wet-weather firestarters to carry with you everywhere. They are small and convenient and can be put in your bug out bag or backpacking gear to use whenever you need them. They have a 5-year shelf-life and stand up well in wet weather. You can use these little cubes with any of UST’s other products such as their Strikeforce or Blastmatch products.
Cubed tinders are individually packed to maintain freshness with 5-year shelf life if left unopened.
The cube can be broken off for multiple uses and can be used with any sparking device including UST’s StrikeForce, SparkForce, BlastMatch or Sparkie. Remember with all of these fire cubes that I recommend, you will need a flame to get them started. That’s why you will need either waterproof matches or some type of way to get a spark. And don’t forget, a good old fashioned Bic lighter can work wonders too!
#2. Adventure Medical Kits Amk Sol All-Weather Fire Cubes
The Adventure Medical Kits Amk Sol All-Weather Fire Cubes are fantastic wet-weather fire starters. They come with 6 cubes in the waterproof bag. You can break these cubes into smaller chunks if you needed to. The nice little package also comes with a spark firestarter to light the cube. The package claims that each cube will burn 10-12 minutes. This should be plenty of time to get your tinder bundle started. Each cube produces a 1300°F flame, hot enough to boil 16 oz. of water in 10 minutes or start a roaring campfire
#3. Duraflame Firestarter Cubes
I bought these Duraflame Firestarter Cubes awhile ago and absolutely love them. They burn for up to 10 minutes and have a pretty nice, high flame which should make it easy for you to start a roaring fire with these cubes. Duraflame firestart cubes come with 18 individually wrapped firelighters per box.
These firestarters will give you the extra firepower to start charcoal or wood fires at home or on the go. Instant lighting – just light the wrapper. Compact, individually wrapped and waterproof firelighter, conveniently portable for anything you need it for.
The wrapper is made of paper and not plastic. One firelighter burns up to 10 minutes with tall flames. Great for camping, hunting, backpacking, beach fires, fire pits, grills, smokers, charcoal chimneys, and more. I would definitely use these in an emergency situation because they have a long burn time, a high flame and they are small enough to throw into a bug out bag or backpack.
#4: Zip Premium All Purpose Wrapped Fire Starter
Zip Premium All Purpose Wrapped Fire Starters are ones you might hear Bear Grylls talk about often. He loves these! They are great for starting a fire in wet weather. All you need to do is pull one out of the box and light the wrapper and voila! They advertise that they will burn for up to 18 minutes which is pretty nice. And after doing my own testing, this statement is true! This should be plenty of time to get some wood or kindling going. Of course, if everything is wet, you’re going to have to have some dry tinder on hand. This is something you’ll have to keep in mind when using any of these firestarters.
You can use these for outdoor and indoor fires including BBQ’s, wood stoves, fireplaces, fire pits and chimneys.
#5: GoFire Fire Starters, Waterproof, Non-Toxic, Packable Fire Starter
You will love these GoFire Fire Starters that are waterproof and non-toxic to burn. They work great if you need to start a fire to cook over a grill when it’s raining or damp outside, for example. They are meant to be used with an outdoor grill, but can be used as a normal firestarter. The flame is said to last up to 10 minutes and has a pretty high flame of up to 13″ to get any fire started quickly.
You can put these in your backpack, stack it in your RV, take it anywhere to light a fire. These firestarters are non-toxic, eco-friendly, food-safe, and safe to use inside. You can use these in a fireplace, woodstoves, camping, campfire, charcoal barbeques.
Wet-Weather Firestarter Lighting Devices
As mentioned above, you need to take into account there will be two steps to starting your fire when it’s damp.
First, you need a fire starting material such as described above in the first 5 items. Next, for step two, you’ll need a device that creates the spark or a flame. But you also need that device that lights the flammable material to be weather-proof as well.
#6: Windmill Trekker Stormproof lighter
The Windmill Trekker Stormproof Lighter is fantastic to have in wet weather. Its claim to fame is to withstand winds of up to 80mph! The piezo-electric ignition lights up to 30,000 times, even when wet and the stormproof turbo flame lights in winds up to 80 mph. Impact-resistant, elastomer armor with stainless steel wire closure for secure storage and a water-resistant O-ring seal to keep rain, snow, and moisture out when the cap is closed.
- DIMENSIONS: 3.7” H x 1.4” W x 1.1” D and weighs 2.4 oz. empty with a fuel capacity of 0.14 fl. oz. of Quadruple-refined butane
This is again a product by UST, a well-trusted manufacturer. The lighter also has tank that stores 4 grams of fuel and can be used for up to 1000 times before the next refill. There’s an o-ring seal, which makes the starter waterproof. The casing is made of rubber to ensure your grip is stable while you hold it.
One thing that you have to keep in mind if you purchase this item is that the fuel is butane. Because butane doesn’t vaporize below 30 degrees Fahrenheit, you may not be able to start a fire if it’s really cold. It’s great that it can withstand high winds, but it may become useless, so please keep that in mind.
#7: Ultimate Survival Technologies BlastMatch Fire Starter
This fire starter was initially designed for pilots and air force military. In situations when they crashed or were stranded (and maybe injured), they would be able to easily start a fire using just one hand. And this is the UST’s biggest selling point on this firestarter. The sparks are a few times hotter than ordinary sparks or sparks from matches. It’s waterproof and can be used for thousands of strikes. It will work in any weather conditions.
- Product Dimensions: 7.5 x 4 x 1.2 inches ; 3.2 ounces
If you use this fire starter with a cotton ball and vaseline you should be able to start a fire by striking only once. It works even under heavy rain, but you’ll need good flammables like resin or vaseline tinder.
#8: Aurora Fire Starter 440C
You can’t go wrong with the Aurora Fire Starter 440c firestarter. Works exceptionally well in wet weather, especially when it’s raining. This firestarter is created and manufactured by Solo Scientific in the USA to be used to start campfires. Solo stands behind their product and has reportingly great customer service if you have anything go wrong with the firestarter. You can use this with char cloth, fine steel wool, and jute twine, for example, to start your fire. It’s a very affordable option, well made, and generates surprisingly hot sparks.
The steel rod on this firestarter is a little small and you will need to get just the right angle to make sparks with it. Practice makes perfect as they say. If you don’t get it to work the first time, keep trying. There is an o-ring to protect the magnesium portion from getting wet, which makes this perfect for the rain. Two models are now available both come with a built-in guided striking blade and ferrocerium flint steel rod with magnesium within its composition – yielding sparks as hot as 5000 degrees F.
#9: Zippo Emergency Fire Starter
The Zippo Emergency Fire Starter is a great item to have because it will easily produce the spark you need to ignite the firestarter cubes. This firestarter can be a lot easier to use if you aren’t used to using a ferro rod or fire striker. I’m all for keeping it simple and easy especially when you are in wet, cold conditions. The firestarter includes 4 waxed tinder sticks that have a perforated spine so that the tinder sticks can be torn easily and provide quick lighting. There is a newer model of this item but I enjoy this older model that’s why I placed it on the top 10 list of best firestarters in wet weather.
The reliable flint wheel ignition lights water-resistant waxed tinder sticks that store inside a waterproof case that floats. Lightweight plastic design (1 ounce) that allows the Emergency Fire Starter to float in water. A water-resistant seal keeps the tinder sticks dry inside the case. The directional flint wheel throws maximum spark and provides reliable sparking in any weather condition.
#10: überleben Zünden Fire Starter
This Uberleben Zunden Fire Starter is a well made, highly regarded firestarter that is one of the better made in its class. Traditionally inspired materials and ergonomics. The company left the grip natural so that the oil of your hands will produce the eventual color. Überleben’s Sånft-korr(TM) ferrocerium is the perfect balance between softness & durability and is said to always outperforming the leading fire starters. The company claims it throws a 5,500ºF sparks in any weather (waterproof), at any altitude.
At nearly 5-inches in total length, the Zünden is available in three thickness variations which include the traditional 5/16” (8mm) which will be good for 12,000+ strikes, the Pro version at 3/8” (10mm), which will be good for 15,000+ strikes, and the Fatty 1/2” (12.5mm), which will be good for 20,000+ strikes.
This fire starter is lightweight and easy to carry. Even the Zünden Fatty weighs in at less than 3 oz. This firestarter includes Mil-spec 550 paracord lanyard + Multi-tool striker (straight-edge spine, concave tinder scraper, map scale, ruler, hex wrench… and most importantly, bottle opener). The best thing about this firestarter is if you’re not happy the company promises to fix it.
Final Thoughts
You may have the best firestarter in the world, but if you don’t practice, you may not be able to get the fire going. Make sure you buy some of these recommendations above and try them out.