Whats the skinny on "fire pistons"?
I was enjoying my current issue of "The Backwoodsman" and I came across an article featuring the fire piston. I have seen these advertised in other magazines but this is the first time I had actually ever heard of someone using one. I always looked upon them as some kind of gimmick. After checking them out online I discovered they are kind of expensive, $50 for a basic unit. My question is this...are they worth it? I admit its pretty cool but would it hold up under actual survival conditions? I have been using my ferro rods without any problem for about 15 years, so I hesitate to try something new. Has anyone actually tried one? How well did it work in wet/rainy conditions? The video I watched made it look super easy, is it really so? The point in the article I read was that fire pistons ignite a coal rather than a flame. A coal, they argued, is much more difficult to extinguish than a flame is and thus is more reliable. I have started many a fire with traditional flint and steel and char cloth so I am familiar with using a coal to nurture a flame. I dont think my ferro rods will ever be replaced, but I like to have as many different ways to start a fire as possible.
