Hair & Body
The Kupilka Fire Striker, My Favourite Camping Tool
When I first met the person who would become my spouse, I pretended to be very outdoorsy. I tried to impress her with my great passion for the environment by pretending to be into camping, hiking, kayaking, and snowshoeing. I found very quickly that I had to get into these things for the ruse to work. I bought a boatload of gear and headed out into the woods, to varying degrees of success.
What's the best fire striker?
The first firesteel I bought was a $3 flint and steel, and I hated. It was uncomfortable in my hand, I could rarely spark it, and because it was short, it was impossible to aim if I did get a spark. I looked like a total amateur-- I was never going to impress anyone with my vast outdoor skill and knowledge using that hunk of garbage. I tried a few different ferro rods after that and they worked better, but when I discovered the Kupilka my camping life changed forever!
First, the Kupilka fire steel has a very comfortable handle, so it won’t cut into your fingers while learning to spark a fire.
Second, the steel that comes with it is sharpened on one side, so it is really easy to scrape a few shavings into your tinder and to draw a spark off of the ferrosium.
Third, the Kupilka fire steel is long and pretty wide in diameter, so it is easy to aim and won’t wear down as fast as some others I have used.
The Kupilka Firesteel is lightweight, compact, and easy to use!
As soon as I started using the Kupilka, I was sparking fires on the second or third spark every time (although I really had to master the feather stick to make that possible too). I use it camping, in my backyard pit, and even in the fireplace now. I am grateful to Kupilka for helping me look (and feel) like a pro. Now that I actually am outdoorsy, it is one piece of gear that goes everywhere with me.
Once you pick up one of these striker and learn the art of striking a fire, I guarantee you won't want to go back!