Waterproof lighter question...

imaginefj

imaginefj

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Jan 15, 2006
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Well on one of my last kayak jaunts I took a little dip. Everything I keep on me I assumed to be waterproof(watch, keys, knife, Cabela's lighter) and the cell phone and trucks remote go in a somewhat watertight Otterbox case. Anyway, the lighter which I assumed to be waterproof...really isn't. It dried out and ended up working fine. But if I had been cold and needed a ligther that particular one would have done me no good. I have a Brunton Firestorm which actually is waterproof but its too large for me to carry everyday like that other lighter.

So long story short, is there a waterproof lighter out there?
 
As a side note you can see me in my avatar doing a little winter kayaking in duck hunting gear. It doesn't get that cold here but had I needed a lighter the day the photo was shot I would have been a bit cold. The knife is a SOD but it has been long since sold. I can't get into the SR77 steel.
 
Waterproof/windproof lighters have never functioned in a way that impressed me with the models I’ve used. My preference would be finding a small container that REALLY is waterproof and putting a Bic with the childproof thing removed (for easier lighting with cold hands) and some good tinder.
 
Don't know of any really, that's why I carry a firesteel and other firestarting tools along with a lighter.
 
Using a small waterproof bag like an Aloxsak could be an option...Put in a Bic, a few matches and a few pices of tinder, seal it, rollit up and put it in your pocket.
 
I use my foodsaver to make a very small (about 1"x2"), airtight pouch that contains dryer lint and a bic. I've submerged the things for hours without any leaking. It stays in the pouch on my knife sheath. It's not resealable in the field but it's for a last ditch emergency when I've lost everything else and I need to get a fire going right now because I'm wet or whatever.

You could just keep your bic and firestarting stuff inside an Aloksak, pelican case, tupperware or ziplocs. With an ESEE Fire Kit as back-up.
 
It would be nice to have a truely waterproof lighter for day in day out use. In the end a bic is hard to beat.
 
imaginefj said:
So long story short, is there a waterproof lighter out there?
Click to expand...

I have a cheap one:
http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.3734

Actually I have about 10 of these little suckers! I keep one in my jeans coin pocket all the time and I take a couple of spare ones camping. The run on Zippo lighter fluid pretty well. They have an O-ring where they screw together to make them waterproof. They light easily and the O-ring seal stops the lighter fluid from evaporating between uses - I have tested to 2 months from filling to still working.

I believe that there are also dearer models that are similarly designed available, try googling 'peanut lighter'.
 
Gadgetaholic said:
I have a cheap one:
http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.3734

Actually I have about 10 of these little suckers! I keep one in my jeans coin pocket all the time and I take a couple of spare ones camping. The run on Zippo lighter fluid pretty well. They have an O-ring where they screw together to make them waterproof. They light easily and the O-ring seal stops the lighter fluid from evaporating between uses - I have tested to 2 months from filling to still working.

I believe that there are also dearer models that are similarly designed available, try googling 'peanut lighter'.
Click to expand...

I have the "Split Pea" from County Comm.
It is small, it is waterproof, my issue with it is its SOOOOO small I'm not sure I could hold it to light it if I was cold and shivering.
It is stainless and unlike the larger less expensive peanut lighters it has a flat bottom. Peanut lighters dont (depending on manufacturer), having a flat bottom can be handy for starting fires.
 
i have yet to find a weatherproof lighter that performs better than a bic in anything other than super high winds
 
Gadgetaholic said:
I have a cheap one:
http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.3734

Actually I have about 10 of these little suckers! I keep one in my jeans coin pocket all the time and I take a couple of spare ones camping. The run on Zippo lighter fluid pretty well. They have an O-ring where they screw together to make them waterproof. They light easily and the O-ring seal stops the lighter fluid from evaporating between uses - I have tested to 2 months from filling to still working.

I believe that there are also dearer models that are similarly designed available, try googling 'peanut lighter'.
Click to expand...

i got some on eBay for 99cent +shipping it is water proof and i have one on my keys
 
If it's going to be wet, it's hard to beat stormproof matches or a ferro/misch rod. In storm situations, the method of starting something on fire is much less important than tinder and fuel. For me, lighters just have too many possible failure options. But, I usually carry one or two for smokes. However, I've started small fires with a flint just to light a cigarette after my bic died in the woods. A small bic or a butane in a small ziplock or one of the waterproof cases is probably best. For hiking I carry a small box with matches, bic, ferro, steel wool, pjcb, jute, you get the idea. Lots of stuff, small space.
 
Ranger bands around a zippo work pretty well to. My brother and I tested it out last summer. We both took our zippos, put ranger bands on them (bicycle innertube) and went on our over night canoe trip. We swam and fished and just left them in our pockets all day both days. They worked exceptionally well. What eventually ended up causing the demise of the lighters was rolling down the bands and opening them with wet hands. The water would get under the band and "squish" into the lighter. After doing this several times my little brothers lights stopped working. I was keeping an eye on him seeing how he did things. So then the genius that i am, i had to test it out...and yeap thats what caused it.
 
Definitely go with the fire steel. A lighter can run out of fuel or malfunction in the best of circumstances. Bark River Knife & Tool makes dozens of different colors and styles from micarta to carbon fiber to traditional wood. You're bound to find one that matches your current carry knife. Hope this helps!
 
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