With a company like Exotac, you can pretty much guarantee that you are going to receive an amazing product for starting a fire in any condition. I’ve been so impressed with their products lately, and I’m more than eager to get my hands on their stuff when it’s available. For this review, I’ll be focusing on the new nanoSTRIKER XL, which is an ultra-small and self-contained ferrocerium rod. The nanoSTRIKER XL features an all-in-one design that allows for it to be completely waterproof when not in use.
When you’re ready to use the nanoSTRIKER XL, you simply unscrew the striking tool and the rod holder from the main handle. You flip the rod holder around and screw it back into the handle and use the striking tool like you normally would on the ferrocerium rod. The rod itself is completely replaceable and is rated at 3,000 strikes from the striking tool. Once the scrapings from the rod are ignited you can expect it to burn at 5500°.
The body of the nanoSTRIKER XL is CNC machined and made of lightweight anodized aluminum. You really can use the ferrocerium rod for starting fires in just about any application. Wood shavings, tinder, dry grass, quickLIGHT, and other flammable material is capable of igniting from the sparks. The XL model has larger dimensions than the original and is great for larger hands and needing better manipulation.
The nanoSTRIKER XL is currently available for $29.95 from Exotac and is available in Black, Gunmetal, Blaze Orange, and Olive Drab.