Recommended for Camping Survival Kit
Matches and lighters fail when they get wet or run out — a ferro rod keeps throwing hot sparks in wind and rain, for years. It's the fire source that always works.
Our picks are a proven pure ferro rod and an all-in-one tool with a built-in striker and whistle.
Ferrocerium rod that produces sparks over 3,000°C when struck. Works wet, lasts thousands of strikes.
Thicker rods (10mm+) produce bigger sparks and last longer.
A good metal striker is more important than the rod. Avoid plastic strikers.
Attach to your kit so you don’t lose it in the dark.
New fire steels have a black coating that must be scraped off before first use.
Hold the rod still against the tinder and pull the striker back. This prevents scattering your tinder pile.
A ferrocerium fire steel that throws a shower of hot sparks in any weather, even when wet. Works long after matches and lighters have failed, making it a reliable backup fire source.
A ferro rod fire starter with a metal striker, lanyard and built-in emergency whistle. An all-in-one fire-and-signal tool for a grab bag.
An oversized ferrocerium rod that throws a shower of hot sparks to light tinder, a stove or a storm kettle when matches are damp or gone. The extra-large 152mm rod is easier to grip in cold hands and lasts for thousands of strikes, and unlike a lighter it still works soaking wet. It takes a little practice to get consistent sparks, so try it before you rely on it.
Fifty natural wood-wool-and-wax firelighters that light with a single match and burn long enough to get a wood burner, stove or fire pit going, even in damp weather. They have no chemical smell, store for years and make a reliable backup for heating and cooking when the power is out. A pack lasts a long time.
Solid fuel blocks that light easily and burn cleanly, handy both for starting a wood burner and as emergency cooking fuel with a folding stove. FireDragon is widely used by UK cadets and campers because the tablets light even when damp and store indefinitely.
Wax-coated wood wool firelighters that catch from a single match or spark and burn long enough to get damp kindling or a stove going. They're a cleaner, more reliable alternative to paraffin blocks and don't taint food the way some fuels can, which makes them handy for an emergency cook set as well as the wood burner. Keep a few sealed in your fire kit as wet-weather backup for a fire steel or matches.
The main route into storm, power cut, warmth, water and car-kit guidance.
A practical first plan for lights, phones, food, warmth and checking on people.
Buyable kit picks for the most common UK storm and outage problems.
A printable checklist for cold weather, outages, travel disruption and home prep.