As a hunter, camper and backpacker in the great state of Montana, having a reliable and lightweight firestarter is a must. From starting a little lunch fire in November on the mountain to an evening campfire on an early April or May hike into a lake, I need a product that will start quick and work with wet tinder.
The Zip Firestarters are exactly that product. I tested both the Superstarter (pictured left) and the Wood Firestarter (pictured below). Both got my fire going really quickly in the snow with damp wood I found near my camping spot. 
I used two of the Superstarters on my first fire. After trying it out though, I can say, you could easily get your fire going with only one, even in snowy or damp conditions. These are excellent for a backpacker or hunter who strives to keep their pack as light as possible (mine is under 13 lbs.). The cubes take up very little room and weigh next to nothing. This is awesome for a longer pack trip that requires morning and evening fire starts over multiple days. Despite their little size, they burn for up to 18 minutes, allowing your tinder to dry out and get burning. They do flame so you don’t have to worry about a punk like lighting problem (like toilet paper).
To Use:
- Build your fire teepee, with small logs
- Place one or two wrapped Superstarter(s) under your teepee
- Light the starter
- Add larger fuel as necessary
As for the Wood Starter, this is a larger starting product perfect for the out of vehicle camper or a single night pack trip. Same as the Superstarter, all you have to do is light the wrapper on both ends. This product replaces both your need for newspaper and kindling, creating a hassle and mess-free fire. No more hauling kindling and newspaper with you. All you need is a match, the firestarter, and fuel for the fire. This provides extra room in your pack for more marshmallows!
Larger than the other starter, this product burns for up to 45 minutes, and is great for deeper snow conditions or damp lakeside tinder. If you are going to pack this Wood Starter hunting, I would recommend wrapping the product in plastic as it is very fragrant. The Superstarter has no smell outside its plastic wrapper.
These products are also great for grilling and indoor fireplaces. You can pick up a pack of 12 Premium All Purpose Starters at Walmart for only $4.84. That is under 40 cents per fire. My pack will have these at all times from here forward.
Zip carries a host of other products as well, including a S’Morezy log and cooking fuel that can be paired with the Boilex.
