polySTRIKER™

The polySTRIKER exists to fill the minimalist niche without giving up design or usability. Made from recyclable ABS plastic, it weighs less than half an ounce, which removes the last excuse for not having a dedicated fire starter in every pack, glovebox, and jacket. It is the lightest, most affordable way into Exotac's firestarter line, and it does not feel like a compromise in the hand.

The reason it works as well as it does is the striker. The polySTRIKER uses the same innovative tungsten-carbide striking tool as the nanoSTRIKER, built into an easy-to-use tool that snaps cleanly into the handle when it is not in use, so there is nothing to lose and nothing rattling loose in your bag. Tungsten carbide is far harder than the steel edge most cheap kits include, and it carves material off the rod instead of skating across it.

The 3/16-inch ferrocerium rod is small and light but strong enough to hold up to regular use, and it is rated for up to 1,000 strikes. Like every ferro rod it sparks at roughly 5,500 degrees Fahrenheit and works when wet; just pat it dry before striking. The included lanyard is 550 FIRECORD, so the cord itself doubles as emergency tinder when you strip the outer sheath and expose the inner red strand.

To use it, build a loose bundle of fine, dry tinder, wrap the lanyard around a few fingers to secure the handle, hold the striker at an angle, and scrape with moderate, quick pressure. The polySTRIKER is offered in Black, Grey, and Orange, and it is covered by Exotac's lifetime warranty. Step up to the polySTRIKER XL for a larger rod and a glove-friendly handle, or to the machined nanoSTRIKER XL for an aluminum body. Either way you keep the tungsten-carbide striker and the replaceable rod, which are the two features that separate a real fire starter from a gift-shop novelty.