Lightning Strike Standard Fire Starter by Holland

Buckle up, I got some things to say and I wasn't paid to say any of it. :)This arrived two days quicker than scheduled, so that was the first big plus. I did some comparative testing with other firestarters I have and I really expected this thing to be at least a little bit of hype. So, I'll just go over a few things:First, it's a firestarter that can carry a generous amount of tinder. You might think it seems a little large, but when considering the amount of tinder it can carry and keep dry, you'll quickly overlook it. In fact, if you get the MINI version, all you are doing is sacrificing dry space to store tinder because the extra weight and space is negligible. If you manage to exhaust the tinder they provide, you can make more, order more, or just start stuffing it with your favorite shavings. They don't lock you into a proprietary tinder arrangement.Second, the concentration of sparks is definitely not hype. Not only will it light even the most stubborn tinder very quickly, but a lot of ferrocerium firestarters you find yourself taking extra care to position your hand and fingers, boot, etc to avoid stray sparks that aren't doing anything to help you start a fire.Third, you can rotate the rod to even out the wear on it and replace it easily by using the set screw. Take care of it, and this thing could last you a lifetime.Fourth. There doesn't seem to be anymore weight than necessary to keep it sturdy and reliable. Yes, it's a few extra ounces in your pack that some of you ultralighters might throw a fit about, but I think the extra couple of ounces are a small price to pay for such a cheap life insurance policy.If I had to fuss, yeah it's a little expensive. But it's about on par with what I pay for other American-made machined-aluminum products. And that fuss was mainly with regards to my concern that I haven't tried the product before or seen it demonstrated in person. (Maybe, it's all hype?) It's not that I didn't think it was worth $70, it's that I was worried that it wasn't. You start to feel a LOT better about the investment when you have it in your hands. Would I have paid less than $70? Gladly. Do I think it is worth $70? Yeah, it is. I don't feel cheated at all.I can't make an honest comparison to other firestarters. It's just in a different league. It kinda reminds me of the "permanent match" but without the messy reliance on fuel and you'll get a LOT more fires out of it before you have to change the rod in this thing. I guess I'd compare each strike with this thing to a good storm-proof match. I'd compare carrying one of these things to carrying a large box of those matches or maybe a fully fueled Zippo and an extra bottle of butane. I still carry a few storm proof matches as a backup, but this is now my primary firestarter and it's the first time I felt like I wouldn't feel concerned if I didn't have the matches to fall back on.Oh, and a nice touch? The handwritten "Thank-You" on the invoice. Right back at you, Richard and Peggy. :)

I've used this quite a bit and accidentally left it on the tailgate of my truck and it was run over by another vehicle at least once, which broke the cap and bent it a little, but I was able to mostly fix it with a rubber mallet and replaced the cap with a bar stool leg.As for the construction, you can see being ran over by a truck didn't completely flatten it but was easily fixed with just a few strikes with a rubber mallet. Though with normal use, dropping and such I don't think this tool would ever break.Needless to say, when I thought I had lost this tool I was heartbroken. It works very well for a ferro rod this size, I love the design of the barrel so you can easily put the sparks in the direction you want especially if you're using a small backpacking stove where the space might be a little tight.I've seen the other lightning strike, the small one and I'd say it's definitely worth it to get the bigger one, seems like it's easier to hold and the extra fire starters are definitely worth it. The fire starters seem to work very well by the way.I'm wondering if there's a replacement cap? The cap I have works OK now but I liked the orange one it came with since it was easier to spot at night.

I HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH THE PROMOTION OR SALES OF THIS PACKAGE!!!!amazing product.. I am someone who is quite hands on (a do it it yourself kind of guy lol). I have experience hunting and a bit of a survivalist. I HAVE TO SAY THIS IS THE EASIEST and most weather secure ALL IN ONE package for starting fire. I will still Carry lighter and storm matches but I wont be using them. This is SO easy and it ALWAYS feels good to turn spark into Fire.I especially enjoy the way the Lightning Fire Starter CONCENTRATES the spark in one direction. I have lit fires by using dry paper, toilet paper, dry leaves and damp twigs without even using the Kindle that comes with product (btw There is LOADS of Kindling that comes with product) FIVE STAR RATING...Well worth the price (lets keep giving back to our AMERICAN products) SUPPORT our positive COMPANIES.. If you have doubt watch the video of the father son that invented this. What a great investment. THANK YOU GUYSS

OK.....I thought how can you improve on something as simple as a ferro rod and carbide striker...well this is DEFINITELY how. Now..is this compact, no...BUT what you lack in compactness, you gain in function. The length add to your being able to HOLD the rod better than a 3 or 4 inch ferro rod bu itself. The fact that the striker is attached via shock cord IN the unit is a good idea. The fact that the rear of the handle is hollow and you can store tinder (and it comes with a ton of compressed tinder) in it with a water-repellent (not water proof) cap and the groove in the front of the handle lets you get good purchase on the striker when making sparks. the GENIUS of this is that because the ferro rod is surrounded by the handle the sparks are directed AT where you want to make them. Place the open end at the tinder and bingo! All the sparks go right to the tinder, not a splatter of them where 1/2 of them don't even hit the tinder. This has become my favorite ever since I bought it.

I have owned around 10 different fire starters and have various opinions about them ranging from "very unimpressed" to "pretty good". But this unit is by far superior to any of them. It's durable, easy to use and puts out an amazing volume of sparks. Without a doubt, this is the last fire starter I will ever purchase. No need to look any further.Short of carrying self-igniting tinder, this is the standard that all the others can only hope to attain.