Being able to start a fire is one of the best skills you can develop. It also usually requires some form of kindling or fire-starting material to make the task of building a fire easier and simpler. You also want to get that fire started quickly before it gets dark. Here’s a quick review of Instafire.
RW, Jr. left me in charge of the firewood for a short boondocking trip we were on and unfortunately my wood pile had gotten wet from a brief rain shower the day before. Wet or even damp wood can be extremely difficult to start a fire without some help along the way. It was time to check out the firestarter product from Instafire.
Instafire is fairly inert and very safe to handle. Although you should be able to start several fires with a single package, I opted to use the whole package. It does start easily with a match or a lighter and doesn’t flare up like charcoal starter or other readily flammable types of firestarters. It comes in a fairly rugged package that still manages to be easily opened by hand. A pile of the Instafire mixture was dumped in my hand and then added to the wood in my fire pit. With a quick flick of my Bic, I had a decent flame going right away.
It also burns really hot!
Advantages of Instafire:
!. It’s very safe to handle (non-toxic) and doesn’t impart fumes to items being cooked over the fire.
2. It lights easily with a match or lighter. These are the two most common means of starting a fire used by most people on a regular basis in most circumstances.
3. It works well for starting charcoal without the usual fumes from charcoal starter or ashes blowing in the wind from using newspaper.
3. It burns extremely hot and handles large chunks of damp wood with ease.
Disadvantages of Instafire:
!. It can be a little pricey but is available in larger containers to reduce the cost.
2. Although the package stated you could start several fires with a single package, it’s difficult to gauge how much is needed when your wood is wet or damp.
Instafire worked really well to get my fire started. It had no problem with getting my damp wood chunks burning. In less than thirty minutes, we had a decent fire. I probably wouldn’t use it on a regular basis but having some handy in case your firewood is wet or damp couldn’t hurt. It can also help if you have someone that has a low tolerance for some of the other types of chemical firestarters.
Got firestarter?
Staying above the water line!
Riverwalker