Re: [at-l] Matches

[Owen <jrowen@ibm.net>]

Bucky wrote:
> 
> >Good old waterproof matches seem to work well for me.  REI makes ones that are
> >longer than most and seem to stand up better.
> 
> Has anyone ever had a problem with plain kitchen matches in
> damp or wet weather? The only time I've had strike anywheres
> fail me was when I tried to use ones that were very old (at
> least five years old, possibly ten).
> 
> I've never understood the popularity of waterproofing matches,
> except for creating a fail-safe emergency supply. If kept in a
> waterproof case, standard matches ought to be plenty reliable
> and no more prone to failure than a disposable lighter.

I have never had luck using waterproof  matches on the trail. My problem
was not the match per se, except that they break so easily and blow out
if there is the slightest breeze, but having something to strike it on.
With the constant damp, the boxes they come in just fell apart. Or if
they didn't  I couldn't get the match to light and would just take off
all the abrasive.  I used the free ones for a while, then switched to
lighters. We always carry a spare lighter, and have never had a problem
with them.  If you do, you could always try a pipe lighter - those are
built to burn sideways.

Ginny

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