Typically I’ve always got storm proof matches in my fire kit. We have looked at the UCO Storm Proof Matches in the past and I must say I was impress then and still am. I was also informed by a Military SERE Instructor that they use the UCO Storm Proof Matches when instructing their students on fire making in survival conditions. The only downfall to any match is the burn time. Because of that I carry a combination of the UCO Storm Matches and either cotton balls saturated in Vaseline or Mini Inferno Fire Disks. That way I can light the match in less than ideal conditions and be able to ignite the cotton balls or Mini Inferno which both have burn times of several minutes. That allows me time to get both the tinder and kindling burning and have a sustainable fire. Now I don’t mind carrying some redundancies, but I also don’t want to carry a lot of gear. Thankfully UCO has answered that call once again.
I recently got my hands on the UCO Sweetfire Strikable Fire Starter. These combine the durability of the Storm Proof Matches and the burn time of the Mini Inferno Disks allowing me to carry one less item (Sorry Mini Inferno). The UCO Sweetfire is ignited just like you would a normal match. Once ignited the burn time is 7 minutes. That 7 minutes will give you plenty of time to get a sustainable fire going.
In a true survival situation you’re probably going to be hungry, cold and wet. These conditions will diminish your fine motor skills making it extremely difficult to accomplish any task that requires some dexterity. Even striking a normal match or the storm proof matches will probably result in several broken matches and alot of frustration. The UCO Sweetfire Fire Starter answer this call as well. They are large enough to get a good grip on while striking. They will also NOT break while striking them across the large striker on the side of the box they are stored inside. Well done UCO! You have created a WIN WIN product with these.
Specifications (courtesy of ucogear.com)
- Made from sugarcane waste — Bagasse is a fibrous sugarcane by-product and is used around the world as a renewable biofuel.
- 20 individual ‘Points’ conveniently connected & ready to break-off and use.
- Each Point burns for 7 minutes each.
- Strikable tip, can be used with striker on box, eliminating need for matches.
- Infused with vegetable wax, UCO Sweetfire is good for the planet & great for every adventure.
- Package Dimensions: 6″ x 1.125″ x 5.5″
- Weight: 4.9 oz. (82 g)
- MSRP: $5.99 direct from UCO Gear
