Lousy NATO matches- what do you think?

The French don't own SG. It's just a cheap shot, playing off supposed French incompetence.

You have to remember that SG carries a lot of surplus -- he buys up gear that another company couldn't sell or left behind when they went out of business.

So his NATO matches may have been in storage for years, and deteriorated over that time. New ones could be perfectly fine.

Caveat emptor -- let the buyer beware. If you're getting a bargain because it's old stock, you won't get what you didn't pay for. :)
 
I have not tried them because I'm happy with other methods; however, several have reported that the NATO matches light best when jammed into the "striker" at an angle, rather than drawing them across the "striker."
 
Esav Benyamin said:
The French don't own SG. It's just a cheap shot, playing off supposed French incompetence.

You have to remember that SG carries a lot of surplus -- he buys up gear that another company couldn't sell or left behind when they went out of business.

So his NATO matches may have been in storage for years, and deteriorated over that time. New ones could be perfectly fine.

Caveat emptor -- let the buyer beware. If you're getting a bargain because it's old stock, you won't get what you didn't pay for. :)
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That makes sense that the matches were already old. I had not thought about that. I'll have to remember the line, "You won't get what you didn't pay for." :p

I do not believe that the French are incompetent; its' just fun to make fun of them. ;) I had the opportunity to go to Paris a few years ago and it is the BEST city to visit in the world. I went right after we invaded Iraq and I was an obvious American, but I was treated just fine. Great place.
 
DaleW said:
:thumbup: :thumbup: And carry multiple fire starting options. I carry matches, firesteel and a butane lighter, as well as tinder.

Other firestarting materials that may be in your hiking kit:
toilet paper
alchohol get hand cleaner
DEET bug repellent
alchohol swabs from your first aid kit
solid fuel like Esbit

I would really like to see a product like a road flare in a container like a 35mm film can-- small, white hot, 5 minute burn.
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That's an interesting thought...Could you cut the head and striking tip off of a road flare and put it in a film container?
 
kr1 said:
I use to swear by these. I use to use them in my emergency kit but then I went to the box after a year or two and found not one match would light with the striker. I believe that a lot of matches are hygroscopic (just my belief). In high humidity over time they pull moisture out of the air they eventually become worthless. I stick with bic lighters or fire steel now. I even carry a butane lighter in my kit most of the time as well. I also carry a couple of petroleum jelly soaked cotton balls and fluff from a cattail.

KR
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This is true. A big help is to dip the heads in melted parrafin or coat with clear nail polish.

Very effective and cheap waterproofing.

Rob
 
I have gotten "burned" (figuratively of course) by the life boat type matches. When they do light, they burn well, but mor ethan half the time the head pops off or gets worn down before lighting. Definitely no an ideal match. Strike anywhere kitchen matches work much better. I prefer a lighter, with a mag bar backup, and a light my fire steel as a third backup.
 
wetdog1911 said:
This is true. A big help is to dip the heads in melted parrafin or coat with clear nail polish.

Very effective and cheap waterproofing.

Rob
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I know how wrong this sounds but I learned this as a kid in cub scouts. Now I used candle wax and maybe thats what went wrong but I did this several years ago and those matches didn't work either. It made the matchhead soft and unlightable.

Can't explain it, but thats what happened. Never tried nail polish though. That sounds like it might be an excellant alternative to wax but I still like the firesteel and my mini bic lighter and my hurricane lighter best.

KR
 
I make my own waterproof matches. I have found that as long as I apply a conservative coating of wax on, they work well, until the flame hits the wet wood that is. Then, I got some little waterproof containers (originally for blood sugar test strips) and store the matches in there. They aren't getting wet. I keep striker material in a seperate waterresistant packet. I'm going to experiment with strike anywheres.
 
Just for the record, Sportsman's Guide was indeed bought out by a French entity. Since then, their customer service (in my opinion) has gone straight down hill. They send out very few coupons, and they now place a limit on how much ammunition you can order, among other things.

HERE'S A LINK TO THE BUYOUT

Back on topic, I ordered some of those REI matches you guys were talking about, and will give them a try.
 
I have used the normal waterproof matches Coleman markets for years without ever having a problem. I can fit more into my match safe too.
 
Midnight Scout said:
Where is a place to get parrafin wax? My grocery store does not carry it. Is is a hardware item?
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The grocery store is where I get mine. It is used in home canning. GulfWax is what I see most. Look in the baking section, it comes in 6 or 8 oz boxes IIRC.

Candle wax doesn't work as well because it is a much lower grade of parrafin.

Try the clear nail polish. The hardest part is how to set the matches down to dry without the heads touching anything (and sticking), while they dry.

Rob
 
I was thinking to stick the matches in an old piece of foam as well as the sand- I think it would be a bit more stable.
 
Sand or foam or marbles, it's all flower arranging technique. :)

He IS in Florida. They've got more sand than they know what to do with.
 
wetdog1911 said:
Try the clear nail polish. The hardest part is how to set the matches down to dry without the heads touching anything (and sticking), while they dry.

Rob
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I finally drilled suitably-sized holes in a chunk of 2x4. It holds them to get their "nails done" and allows drying without sticking.
 
I tried the nail polish technique (sister thinks Im gay) and coated even the wood except for a spal part which I stuck into a strip of blu tack.
 
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