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Home , Survival kit, Tinder

OFFBEAT EUGENE NIELSEN C’mon Baby, Light My (Survival)

ability to start a fire is a striker to ignite light dry . PYROVAULT THE key factor in surviving in Zippos do have their cons. The Thyrm® LLC has come out with a new the wild. It can mean the difference evaporates quickly with the standard product called the PyroVault™ that’s between life and death. The condi- housing. It’s not weather-resistant. designed to improve the classic Zippo tions won’t be ideal. You need redun- And it has a candle-like flame, mak- for outdoor and survival applications. dant ignition methods to ensure at ing it difficult to ignite things on the The PyroVault is a heavy-duty hous- least one works in any environment. ground and in windy conditions. ing that accepts standard Zippo-style Butane are less prone to inserts, including both fluid THE SURVIVAL LIGHTER evaporation and are available in direct and butane direct-flame models. A good lighter cannot be matched for flame (-like) models. But they The PyroVault is made of rugged, its all-around utility and convenience. don’t perform well in colder tempera- heat-resistant polymer and is O-ring It will always be the quickest and sim- tures. The boiling point of butane is sealed to keep the elements out and plest method of starting a fire. Most approximately 32.9° F at sea level. Ad- minimize evaporation. It has a spring- of the time it’s all you need. A Zippo® ditionally, direct-flame butane light- loaded cap for one-handed opera- lighter along with a couple of dispos- ers don’t work at elevations greater tion and an integral low-profile PALS/ able butane lighters take up little than about 8,000 feet above sea level. MOLLE clip to attach it to your gear. It space in your pack or bug-out bag. Disposable butane lighters have a is self-standing, allowing for hands- The Zippo lighter is considered by candle-like flame similar to the Zippo free use with a fluid insert. many to be the best long-term sur- and perform better at higher eleva- Thyrm also offers a classic Zippo vival lighter in the world. It features tions than their direct-flame counter- fluid lighter with the Thyrm logo. It a simple, bulletproof design. All parts parts, although cold temperatures are may be purchased at a discount with are replaceable and it comes with a still an issue. the PyroVault or separately at addi- lifetime warranty. It can use almost Disposable butane lighters are in- tional cost. Thyrm is hoping the fluid any liquid fuel that will ignite when expensive but more prone to breakage (classic Zippo insert) appeals to those exposed to a flame. If you don’t have and failure, which is why it’s always who may need to “field refuel” since, fuel or a wick, you can still use the wise to carry more than one. as mentioned, they work with lots of

U.S. Air Force officer builds fire to help combat frostbite and hypothermia during SERE exercise. Knowing how to build a fire is one of the most important .Photo: U.S Air Force

76 NOVEMBER 2018 | www.SWATMAG.com different flammable liquids possibly found in a survival situation. Thyrm doesn’t plan to offer butane inserts for the PyroVault, as the butane inserts are imported. The company also feels butane inserts are geared more toward urban use or where sus- tainability isn’t an issue. Butane in- serts, such as the Z-Plus Extreme, can be found on Amazon® for around $18. The PyroVault is exceptionally well- designed and well-made. I consider it a must-have for anyone who carries a Thyrm PyroVault is designed to Zippo. “up-armor” the classic Zippo lighter for outdoor and survival applications. ESEE FIRE KIT It’s made of rugged polymer and is A (ferro) rod is indispens- PALS/MOLLE compatible. able as a back-up fire-starting option. Ferrocerium is a pyrophoric alloy that usually includes iron, cerium, and The Fire Kit has a removable/re- Thyrm PyroVault accepts standard . When struck, a ferro rod placeable 1.75-inch ferro rod. The han- Zippo-style lighter inserts, includ- produces hot sparks that can reach dle is made of heavy-duty black-anod- ing both fluid and butane direct-flame models. It is O-ring sealed for weather temperatures of 5,430° F. ized aircraft-grade aluminum alloy and resistance and to minimize evaporation. Ferro rods and other methods that provides a good grip. The handle also create sparks provide a reliable meth- serves as a waterproof container, with od of ignition that works in conditions plenty of storage space inside for tinder 4.5 inches in overall length by 0.5-inch where lighters and would fail or other user-supplied survival gear. wide and weighs only four ounces. As but require more preparation and can Survival tips and ground-to-air sig- with all ESEE products, the Fire Kit is be difficult to use in less-than-ideal nals are silkscreened on the handle. exceptionally well made. It comes with environments. The cap is O-ring sealed and has a a -sized plastic card with fire- I went with the ESEE® Fire Kit from 20mm Grade A button compass with building instructions. ESEE /Randall’s Adventure & large, luminous markings. It also has a I keep SOL® Tinder-Quik™ in my Training. All ESEE products are the lanyard hole that allows you to attach Fire Kit. It’s waterproof, easy to light, result of extensive real-world expe- a wrist lanyard or tie or clip the Fire Kit and burns for one to two minutes, giv- rience. The Fire Kit is not only a last- to a belt, pack, or vest. ing time to start a fire. ditch fire starter but a mini The Fire Kit is lightweight and takes container as well. up very little space. It measures only SUMMING UP The Thyrm PyroVault and ESEE Fire Kit are outstanding products, and they’re made in the good ole USA, as are Zippo lighters. The PyroVault is available in Black, Flat Dark Earth, Ol- ive Drab, Rescue Orange, and Urban Grey. It has an MSRP of $29.99. Thyrm offers a Thyrm logo Zippo for $14.99 with PyroVault or $19.99 without. The ESEE Fire Kit has an MSRP of $57.95. A 12-pack of SOL Tinder-Quik runs about $4.00. SOURCES THYRM, LLC ESEE Fire Kit is a “last-ditch” fire www.thyrm.com starter (ferro rod) and mini survival kit ESEE KNIVES container that includes a 20mm button RANDALL’S ADVENTURE & TRAINING compass in the cap and survival tips (256) 613-0372 printed on the body. Watertight www.eseeknives.com capsule has plenty of storage space www.randallsadventure.com for survival essentials. TENDER CORP SURVIVE OUTDOORS LONGER (SOL) RIGHT: Compass has luminous dial (800) 258-4696 with large, easy-to-read markings. www.surviveoutdoorslonger.com

www.SWATMAG.com | NOVEMBER 2018 77