Customer Reviews

Brunton Helios Nickel/Black Stormproof Lighter

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(7)

 

 

My Helios worked well for a few weeks, but then it quit when I really needed it, on a long backcountry trip. I sent it to Brunton for repair. It worked well again, but only for a few weeks. It was sent back a second time, then a third, then a fourth. Adding to the frustration, Brunton's technical support people are terrible about responding to emails requesting return authorization numbers.

When I bought my Helios, they had a lifetime warranty. Now I notice on Brunton's website that the warranty has been reduced to one year. It's easy to understand why: It's an unimpressive piece of gear backed by unimpressive service.

Stopped working after a few weeks. Sent it back. Replacement stopped working again while I was 48-hours hike from the nearest road, under a few inches of rainfall, and actually needed it's functionality. Thankfully a crew member had a cheap BIC lighter than actually worked. Not only did my lighter fail but I was disappointed to have paid the amount that I did for this product when a "superior" product could be had from a convenience store. Now it just sits in my gear closet because I can't trust it to work when I need it. Note that the lighter itself was not soaked. The specific problem is that the coils do not heat. If you're thinking of taking this lighter to any sort of saturated environment, I would think twice.

It quit working after relatively light use. It's over a year old and I'm not in the mood for arguing with Brunton about it. I'll just stop buying their products. Like others, I could have purchased a lifetime supply of Bics for what I paid for this junk. It looked like a Windmill lighter in fancier clothes but don't think it is close to that modest level of quality. I may look at Blazer. They seem to have gotten better reviews.

Mine didn't work from the beginning. The flame comes on, sputters and then goes out. Don't even think of buying one of these.

I bought this primarily to light my MSR camp stove on camping trips and to start camp fires. After only a few uses, I have to press down on the switch several times before it glows red (other than that you can't tell it's lit) and it's completely useless for lighting my camp stove because the flame won't reach into it far enough (or at all, really). So, I have the coolest lighter made (although construction is cheap upon close inspection) that will light a camp fire only after a dozen clicks of the ignitor and I have to carry a 50¢ bic lighter to light my stove. It sure looks cool though - want to buy mine? -Q

I've used these Helios lighters for years - this is my fourth lighter. I've lost two (one may have been stolen). I've swam through creeks with it in my pocket; I've accidentally put them through the laundry; I dropped one and when I found it the next day, it was frozen to the ground, I had to chip it out of the ice; I even got mud-sucked in a marsh and my pockets were filled with mud and silt for hours, yet these lighters keep lighting! I admit that I sometimes have to "bring it back to life" after some incidents, but they always seem to come back. I've got a $100 Colibri for polite surroundings, but it won't always light in the best circumstances. Helios is there for you, wherever you are.

First off, READ THE DIRECTIONS. There is a flame adjustment lever accessible from the base of this unit where the Helios is refueled. It MAKES A DIFFERENCE where this lever is set. To fill the Helios, for example, the lever should be set to its lowest (-) setting. If it is kept at its highest setting you will only get a partial fill and the lighter is out of fuel in no time, creating the impression that it isn't working properly. The instruction sheet has info on proper settings for various altitudes and weather conditions, as well.

Here is another tip: for some reason, your fuel will light much more easily if the Helios' flame touches the fuel FROM ALONG SIDE IT, rather than from underneath. I am not sure I understand why this is so but there is no question about it. Placing the Helios underneath your fuel will sometimes just char it, whereas placing it alongside ignites it immediately.

My Helios has had no reliability issues at all. I have had it several years and it seems to work as well now as when I bought it. I am confident that the Helios could successfully light a fire in weather conditions where most other methods would fail and that is the only justification I can think of for this kind of an expense in a lighter.

I suspect some have assumed that their Helios is broken due to user error, including the possibility that it was simply not refueled properly. I hate seeing a product getting bad reviews because of user error, if this is indeed what happened.

Having said this, I am giving the Helios just four stars rather than five due to its expense. Contrary to several other reviewers I am of the opinion - based on my experience - that the Helios is a high quality product. I have some old fashioned notions about value, though, and have a hard time thinking it is worth the full retail price that is asked. I was able to get a deal and am happy to have one of these lighters. But for a five star rating, I'd like to see this selling for about 20% less.

After reading the reviews online (mostly 2 star via backpacklight and here) I decided to take a chance and give this lighter a try since the ascetics caught my eye.

Don't bother. The thing lit once and hasn't worked since. I read through the instructions again and tried different levels of fluid with the selector, but--after a single use--it's dead.

Consider this a warning--it's a real waste of money.

Nice looking, mine performed great, for about a month, then literally fell apart. It isn't of any higher quality than an average five dollar butane lighter. Grossly overpriced. It has the looks, but it lacks the quality. When a 99 cent Bic disposable outlasts your cool looking 35 dollar lighter, you'll realize, like me, beauty really is only skin deep.

Bruntom stormproof lighters USED to be some of the most reliable I have ever used. They USED to be tough as nails and able to stand up to most anything. My dog got a hold of one about 6 years ago tried to bite through it and couldn't. They lighter was bent (its a Rockweiler) but still worked and to this day it still works. Fast forward to the last month when I wanted to get a few more backups of this once great lighter. I have had 2 fail within the last month. Yes 2. This is a serious flaw in quality control. It's likely made in China and has taken some major steps backwards. 2 failures in a row is unacceptable. I was a bit surprised to see how lowly these reviews were. Now I know why. Things have changed for the worse in these intervening years. Do not waste your precious money on this worthless imitation of a lighter. Amazon should be ashamed to keep this in their inventory. Brunton should be ashamed. I'm done with Brunton. End of a bad story.