Review: Firestarter – Magnesium Capsules

Good on dry substrate; no good on damp / wet ground

November 4, 2018

The good

I did several tests with these. The capsules worked well when poured out in a concentrated pile on dry ground, wax paper, or any other dry substrate. They lit immediately. Short, fast burn — just as they’re supposed to.

If you squidgy the pile around with the tip of a knife, you can extend the burn time quite a bit. That can give you precious extra seconds to get your tinder to light.

The bad

Unfortunately, on damp ground or sand, I could not get the mag piles to light at all.

I tried matches, waterproof matches, lighters (bic-style and long-handled), and ferro rods – first I tried a typical rod, then I went to my serious, 1/2-inch diam rod that throws welding-like sparks. Still, I could not get any pile to light. Out of just plain stubborness, I held the long-handled lighter on one pile for over 6 minutes, and still could not get it to dry out enough or ignite.

The bottom line

My take is this: If you’re going to use these capsules, carry a couple scraps of wax paper to provide that dry substrate / barrier between the magnesium and the damp ground. As long as they’re in a concentrated pile on a dry surface, they work fine. Any exposure to damp ground, and you’re, hmm, out of luck, shall we say?

Still, for the size, weight, and convenience, I think it’s worth carrying a couple in your kit. There are times when you need a hot, fast burn to get another firestarter or the rest of the tinder to take.

• Ease of use: Easy
• Effectiveness (does it work?): Poor on damp ground, great on dry substrate
• Carry weight/size: Excellent
• Rating: 4 stars for form and function, with caveats