i am officially going to die

[adularia]

Day 1 with camp stove: Have so far failed to light it. Open box of Bisquick just kind of sitting there and mocking me. Thank god my survival doesn't depend on this.

Oh, wait.

Spent match count: 12

eta: It helps considerably to actually open the pressure valve before pressurizing it; thanks, gfish.

Comments

[marginalia]

omg do not die!

[northernflights]

Matches are not the best tool for lighting stoves, especially on a trip involving long-term exposure to potential wetness. You REALLY want one of those magnesium bars with the striking surface that makes sparks when you run a knife over it. Waterproof and indestructible, perfect stove-starting tool, can be tethered to a belt loop with nylon cord or fishing line to ensure it won't be lost, and also useful for emergency firestarting (by making a little pile of magnesium shavings and using that to start your tinder) if you're ever separated from your gear. You know the Alaskan saying that "what you have ON you is what you have with you"? Your magnesium firestarter, and your holstered Leatherman tool or knife on your belt, are two things you 'd best keep ON you.

[adularia]

Noted. We were going to get a long-necked butane lighter, but I like that idea better.

I have both a Leatherman and a knife. Which do you think would be superior on a belt? Both?

[northernflights]

Well, a Leatherman certainly is a superset of a knife! Notably, many models have an excellent saw blade, which is about half as useful as a hatchet for building small fires. The usefulness of pliers is of course debatable.

[adularia]

Pliers are always a win when boating. I've not had cause to use pliers on a canoe YET, but it'll happen.

My Leatherman has a small but aggressive sawblade, yes. It is in some ways suboptimal compared with the serrations on the knife. Still, probably slightly better-suited.