No Matches? No Problem – Tips for Starting a Campfire Without Matches

One of the highlights of any camping trip is relaxing by the fire at the end of the day. Starting this fire, however, may not be quite as relaxing. Creating fire with modern tools is easy enough, but how do you make a fire without a lighter or if you forgot matches?

Here are five fire-focused camping tips to help you start a fire without matches on your next trip.

5 Ways to Start a Fire Without Matches

Before you begin making your fire, it’s essential to gather tinder, kindling, and fuel. Tinder is dry materials such as pine needles that will catch fire easily, while kindling is small branches to place on top of the tinder and encourage the flames to grow. Fuel is wood you can place on the fire to feed it over time.

Once you gather your materials and shape your tinder into a nest to catch sparks, put these five tips to work to start a campfire without matches:

1. Create Sparks

Create sparks by using a flint and steel starter from an outdoor supply store or scraping your pocketknife against a piece of flint. Strike your flint above your tinder and gently blow until the resulting spark becomes a flame.

2. Utilize Friction

Make a v-shaped notch on a board or log and choose a dry piece of wood to set end-down in this trough. Rub your hands together around the wood quickly to make the point spin while maintaining contact with the log. As the board or log begins to smoke, place tinder on top to feed the sparks.

3. Catch the Sun With a Mirror

Use a mirror to focus the rays of the sun on your tinder to produce a fire. If you don’t have a mirror, you can create one by polishing an aluminum can with a gentle abrasive like toothpaste or chocolate — just don’t eat the chocolate afterward, as it may pick up the toxic residue as the aluminum wears.

4. Focus Light Through a Glass Lens

Put your tinder on the ground, then use your glass lens to reflect light at the nest until it begins to smoke. After it starts smoking, blow on the nest until the sparks become a flame.

5. Always Carry a Tinder Kit

To give yourself a jumpstart on making a fire, bring a tinder kit with you. This kit can contain dry materials and a few extras such as cotton balls covered in petroleum jelly that will give you a leg up as you make your fire.

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You may be fine without matches, but having the proper gear is still essential to any camping or hiking trip. With DutchWare’s lightweight camping and hiking gear, you’ll be able to bring everything you need and more on your next adventure. Shop our selection today or fill out our online contact form for more information.

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