Customer Reviews

Windmill Trekker Stormproof Lighter (Smoke Green)

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I purchased this lighter from REI on sale so that I could have a reliable, and durable lighter while back packing. REI no longer sells this item so I am writing a review here.

At sea level this lighter starts most of the time it takes quite a bit of adusting of the gas to get it to work reliably. When it is on it gives off a hot blue flame that would in most cased be "wind proof" it is also very fuel efficient.

When I took this lighter up into the mountains on a back packing trip however this lighter refused to start for me. I was at 11,00 feet and no matter how I adjusted the gas setting it just wouldn't go. I had to use my $0.88 Bic lighter that I brought as a back put to light my stove.

I might just be bitter to write a review like this, but when you are cold tired and hungry at 1100 feet you'd be just as disappointed as I am when an expensive piece of gear fails you.

Bottom line - I can't say that this lighter was faulty because it did work at sea level but a lighter that cost $50+ dollars should outperform a Bic lighter at 10,000+ feet.

I've had one of these for over a year now, and overall it's a pretty good lighter.

The problem is, it's designed for things like high altitude camping, mountaineering, etc. where the ambient temperature is often below freezing. I was hiking in Yosemite last weekend with my wife, we went up the Yosemite Falls Trail to the top. Once there, this lighter wouldn't fire up even once, no matter the fuel setting or the strike pattern I used on the igniter button. There was plenty of fuel in it and I could hear the piezo trying to spark, but don't think it was able to. Even as it was, it wasn't that cold up there... between 30 and 40 F.

I decided to investigate further. Up until this trip, it had always been highly reliable, with few missed starts. So I put it in my freezer for about 15 min. to see if it would or wouldn't work... no dice. Did not generate the smallest spark from the piezo. I could hear the fuel coming out through the burning coil, but there was no way to get it to light until I warmed it up. Once warmed up, it worked fine again.

This seems to me to be a fatal flaw in the design of this lighter, considering it's target users and activities for it. Most people who are going to be counting on this lighter are going to be in cold environments. The only solution I've been able to come up to solve the problem is to replace the lanyard cord with one about 4x longer so I can wear it around my neck under my parka in those conditions to try and keep it warm by keeping it next to my body. I'll have another chance to test this out in March and see if it solves the problem as My wife and I are going back to Yosemite to do some more hiking up from the valley floor. I'm hoping this solution will solve the problem of this lighter failing to perform in cold weather.

UPDATE (8/2/11): Spent a week at Lava Beds National Monument last week camping and caving with my wife and kids. It was warm, even at night, so issues with cold were not a problem for the lighter, but we were at an altitude (4700 ft.) However, despite the warm weather, the darn thing simply wouldn't light at all, again no matter the fuel setting or the strike pattern.

In short, if you want a cool lighter for sea level and warm weather, this one is fine. If you're planning on really using this while adventuring (back packing, camping, climbing, caving, etc.) in any kind of inclement conditions or at altitude, it's a worthless POS. Look for something that will reliably light in adverse conditions; THIS LIGHTER WILL NOT.

Windmill lighters have refill hole on the bottom without protection which allow dust to easily pass the hole during refill. So the filter can clog even when refilled with purest fuel.

I will not order anything else from this manufacturer. Since being "bought" by revere supply (essentially the same company with most of the same people), they will no longer honor my warranty on this lighter.