I've been carrying these things around on my wilderness trips for many years. They are called EZ Starts. They've saved me numerous times on wet cold days to get a fire started.

They live in my ditch kit. Just wax and wood shavings I'm guessing, but they work well and have an endless shelf life. My supply is dwindling. I don't remember where I got them, but it may have been a booth at Midwest Mountaineering. Not sure.

Anybody know if they're still in business? Anybody know where I can get these or something similar?

Yooper Fire Starters

Take some cotton balls and put petroleum jelly on them. Get them well saturated. Then, put these in a small zip lock lunch bag and stuff into your emergency fire starter sack.

I keep a few of these ( not the orange bag) in every life jacket with a lighter and flint, put it all in a plastic baggie. So far I haven’t needed them.

4keys: "I keep a few of these ( not the orange bag) in every life jacket with a lighter and flint, put it all in a plastic baggie. So far I haven’t needed them. "

forgot the name— SOL tinder quick or SOL fire starter.

Moonpath: "Take some cotton balls and put petroleum jelly on them. Get them well saturated. Then, put these in a small zip lock lunch bag and stuff into your emergency fire starter sack."

My method as well.

Though the Lester River Bushcraft fire plugs look cool too, and double as a zipper pull. He showed me a quick demonstration last year when I stopped over there. His site seems to be down at the moment however.

Thanks y'all. I ordered some Sol Tinder Quiks. Lightweight and tiny. Perfect for my needs.

Moonpath: "Take some cotton balls and put petroleum jelly on them. Get them well saturated. Then, put these in a small zip lock lunch bag and stuff into your emergency fire starter sack."

Works everytime.

My fav fire starter is thin, clean, birch bark. Next time you are in the woods, go find dead birch and peel the thinnest clean layers. If you use a firesteel, sometimes waxed or Vaseline saturated cotton ball ignite faster, but the birch bark will burn much longer.

You can also harvest fatwood from downed or dead pine. Works as well as birch bark, but takes more effort to prep for your fire kit.

Moonpath: "Take some cotton balls and put petroleum jelly on them. Get them well saturated. Then, put these in a small zip lock lunch bag and stuff into your emergency fire starter sack."

+1

Moonpath: "Take some cotton balls and put petroleum jelly on them. Get them well saturated. Then, put these in a small zip lock lunch bag and stuff into your emergency fire starter sack."

I do this with some very light wood shavings or saw dust thrown in. Not that it makes a big difference but it looks a little fancier!