The best fire starters: firesteels, lighters and tinder

How do you choose a firesteel?

A firesteel works even when it's wet or windy: its sparks reach around 3,000 degrees, enough to ignite dry tinder. That's why it belongs in your backpack alongside a lighter, not instead of one.

• Thick or thin. The rods here range from 3.6 to 10 cm long. A thicker rod produces more sparks and lasts for years; a thinner one is lighter and fits on your keyring.
• Check the scraper. The sparks come from the steel, but the scraper determines how easy it is to use. A sharp, square edge works better than the spine of your knife, and most sets include one.
• Bring tinder. A spark without fuel stays a spark. Fatwood, char cloth or paraffin tinder will catch fire when birch bark and grass are soaked through.
• Practise first. Starting a fire with a firesteel is a skill, not a push-button job. Try it in the garden before you rely on it in the rain.

Light my Fire is the best-selling brand for fire starting, with its Bio series of handles made from plant-based material. The best-selling standalone steel is from Hultafors: bare, no frills, and popular for exactly that reason. Exotac and Casström are a step up, with brass and micarta.

Alongside everything you need to start a fire with a firesteel, you'll also find lighters and micro torches here.