Adventure Medical Kits Spark-Lite Firestarter & Tinder-Quik

by Adventure Medical Kits

Product Features

• Ideal for climbers, backpackers, hikers, campers, adventure races, backcountry skiiers, hunters, pilots & snowmobilers
• Wt 0.32 oz. Size: 2.33" tall x .25" wide

Product Description

Spark-Lite is a water-proof official military firestarter, useable one-handed and tested for over 1,000 sparks. Tinder-Quik is waterproof and burns for 2-3 minutes giving you plenty of time to light a fire.

Product Details

• Shipping Weight: 1.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• ASIN: B00195TAJM
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #154,156 in Sports & Outdoors (See Top 100 in Sports & Outdoors)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An excellent emergency tool., September 22, 2010

By 

Richard B. Williams "huge nerd" (Los Alamos, NM USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Adventure Medical Kits Spark-Lite Firestarter & Tinder-Quik (Misc.)

I am a mountaineer, search and rescue volunteer, and a pilot. Having an emergency survival kit on hand is important to me, and I have a lot of experience in the outdoors with various fire-starting techniques and equipment. If you are putting together a survival kit where weight and volume are concerns to you, then this is the best fire starter on the market. It makes a somewhat smaller quantity of sparks when compared to larger tools like the BlastMatch, but still plenty of sparks to light the included Tinder-Quik wicks in a single turn of the wheel. I test-lit two of the included wicks to test their readiness to burn. The first one was under ideal conditions, with everything dry. It lit on the first try and burned for about 3.5 minutes. For the second try, I sprayed the wick with some water so that the outside of it was damp (prior to opening up the wick to expose the dry inside), then dunked the SparkLite in water before trying to use it. This time, it took two quick turns of the wheel, but I still had a fire going in under five seconds. The damp wick actually burned for longer, just shy of 4 minutes.

The previous reviewer is correct that the direction arrows are a bit indistinct, though the lack of sparks is a dead giveaway that you're turning the wheel the wrong way. I liked their suggestion for a lanyard hole, so I just drilled one through the handle without much trouble. It isn't wide enough to support a lanyard hole for paracord or some other thick lanyard material, so if you're concerned about the security of your lanyard (why? this thing weighs just a few grams), you'll want to invest in a split ring or something like that.

The included tinder wicks are extremely effective, though not more-so than homemade vaseline-infused cotton balls. I also lit a few of these using the Spark-Lite and they worked great. Home-brew tinder made in this way will save you a bit of money, but it is bulkier. The Tinder-Quik 10 pack refills are incredibly cheap, so if volume is a concern (like my pocket-sized survival kit I carry when I'm flying), just shell out a couple bucks and pick up a 10-pack. If you've got more room and some time on your hands, break out the petroleum jelly and cottonballs. Search on YouTube for numerous videos showing the correct way to create and use these excellent homemade tinders.

The major selling points of the Spark-Lite are:
- One-handed operation, you can still get a fire going if you have injured a hand
- Works when wet--this is critical for realistic survival scenarios
- Smaller and lighter than any competing product
- Creates plenty of sparks to ignite fuel-infused tinders (like the included Tinder-Quik)

The only downside I can think of is that it is slightly more expensive than most pocket spark generators, but not enough that it matters. A few extra bucks for reliable fire starting capability when your situation goes rapidly downhill will pay itself back instantly.

1 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars better than clumsy striker bars, February 1, 2009

By 

J. Greene (Arlington, TX United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

The good things you have read are true, but it could be modestly improvemed:
1. There is nothing wrong with the included tinder, but I would prefer to save a dollar.
2. The packaging is excessive for the eco-conscious consumer.
3. The directional marking is fairly clear, but might not be noticed in a stressful situation.
4. A lanyard hole would give more security.

2115|R1JHK8GW4J37TV;2115|R38YS1285JFT6T;