Fire Craft & Stove for the Trail - Bushcraft meets Ultralight Backpacking

In this article we look at one of the fundamentals - Fire, or to be more precise the best way to create it and a thought or two about when and where it is appropriate to use fire, together with a suitable stove option for sustainable ultralight trail walking.

Basic Stove Lighting / Fire starting Kit, Note how the BIC lighter fits perfectly in the Victorinox Sheath with the Climber  model Swiss Army Knife. Also note the secure water-tight container for the matches. 

On the one hand fire has been so fundamental to the development of our species that it seems like an injustice to not own the ability and primitive skills to make it from the natural materials around us as a right of passage. On the other hand it seems like a nonsense to not take advantage of our latest and most convenient technology for making a controlled fire. i.e. a lighter/ ferroceum  rod or matches.

How we are intending to cook and keep warm on the trail has a direct knock on effect which will govern our other gear / outfit selections. In simple terms our choice of  cooking arrangements has an associated 'flammability' risk.  Open wood fires at one end of the spectrum and a controlled gas cartridge stove flame at the other end of the spectrum. So its easy to see why outdoor outfitting falls broadly into two camps. One camp using the latest synthetic fabrics & down filled clothing  / sleeping bags to keep warm - perhaps using a controlled gas or liquid fueled camp stove to cook. The alternative outfitting style utilizes more natural fabrics and materials such as wool and treated cotton canvas around an open wood fire or biofuel / woodburning stove ( wood burner ).

In truth both outfitting systems can work - but mixing the systems needs careful fore-thought. To give an example or two - A Nylon coated down jacket is not going to be ideal if you intend to cook on an open fire regularly - those stray sparks and embers are likely at some stage to burn a hole or two in the outer shell of what may have been an expensive jacket, soon after the down will start to drop out of the holes and the jackets functionality is compromised. Looked at the other way around using a light weight wool or alpaca blanket would often need a warming fire to keep the camper warm, especially in colder weather. The more traditional approach relies more heavily on open fire as an integral part of that backpacking style. The higher tech approach uses a controlled flame in the form of a stove.

As most trail walking in the UK involves complying with extensive legislation, and 'no fire' bylaws - I go with the higher tech approach and my own outfitting reflects this. Irrespective of the legislation I also 'prefer' ultralight gear on trail walks, as I do not so much notice the pack on my back so I immerse in the surroundings better. 

As a practitioner of  'leave no trace' backpacking - building an open fire on the trail, for me at least, comes with genuine feelings of guilt and a sense that something is not quite right, due to learned perceptions of how to act as a responsible person where land has to be shared with other people and the creatures and flora that inhabit our Isle. Lighting fires, cutting greenwood sticks for pot hangers, and building fire breaks along a national trail would quickly denude resources no matter how responsibly we tried to act. This is due to the volume of foot traffic along the trail and the limited natural resources. There are so many other ways to interact with nature - sustainable food foraging, medicinal plant and tree identification, watching the habits of wildlife, studying geology and so on that I can feel close to nature - thereby increasing my 'bushcraft' or 'wilderness' type skills without needing to build open fires and roast squirrels.

To build a fire without causing offence or being considered a nuisance would exist only once we have gone beyond the edge of civilization, beyond hinterland, truly into the wild or remotest areas as it were. Here we have reached that place where fellow man, and 'bylaws'  are no longer exerting reasoned influence on our personal liberty. At this distance from habitation, we will have gone further than the point where land owners are forcing their reasons whether rightly or wrongly as to whether we can build, own or access fire as that fundamental human tool. In the UK there are few places such as this, In England & Wales in particular finding an appropriate place to use fire will be very difficult, we may have a right to roam in some places, but that is all.  Fires, fishing, foraging & wild camping in most national parks and along trails are usually strictly forbidden. In Scotland, things are slightly different but even here it would be impossible to guarantee every night of a 100 mile trail that a fire could be responsibly lit, particularly in dry weather. For all these reasons a stove of some description will need to be carried on the trail, and so the overall outfitting style / decision is made. We will have to rely on down or synthetic insulation to keep us warm, perhaps choosing a great view as a focal point rather than a fire. That being said there are still options using a wood burner type stove to practice our fire-craft in a controlled and more socially responsible way.

Wood burning  / wood gas stoves which burn biomass collected from the floor throughout the day are a great option. However, do not expect everyone to appreciate or understand the merits of such a stove. Of course 'we' understand that what we are using is environmentally friendly but many of those looking on see similarities in essence to a disposable BBQ set on bricks. Its a fire but not a fire that leaves a mark on the ground if used correctly, for example if sat on a rock, log or raised off the ground in some other way. People, and in particular camp site and land owners will tolerate it where for example a disposable BBQ would be acceptable.

As an added benefit - some light weight wood burning stoves work perfectly in conjunction with the coke can type alcohol stove which can be used at times when burning wood is either not convenient or possible. The stove becomes a pot stand / windbreak . This marriage is made in heaven & brings together the requirements of ultra-light weight backpacking with bushcraft elements so in my opinion is perfect for an extended trail walking scenario. In my opinion, it is the perfect compromise between environmental sustainability, safety and social responsibility. Through interacting with items collected using such a stove encourages the uptake of knowledge about tree species, as different woods burn differently. It is also fulfills a primitive way of interacting with the wild space without causing any long term damage or seriously denuding resources. A few sticks from the ground, an empty pine cone or two and  a few handfuls of dead leaves become the fuel for the stove for those times when a fire is appropriate and denatured alcohol another renewable resource is used when it is not.

I am a trail walker so my ultralight tarps and down filled clothing and sleeping bags are highly combustible. In essence with this type of kit I avoid large fires and poorly controlled flames /sparks at all costs - so I would rarely if ever use any kind of sizeable open fire. The wood burner / alcohol stove option still has flammability risks when say compared to a cartridge stove , but is much more controlled than an open fire.

My Primary Fire Kit. ( Shown above )

For trail walking, long distance walking, scouting, or hiking as some may prefer to term it my fire kit for lighting the stove could not be simpler. I carry a basic lighter such as a BIC or similar in my every day carry kit in my backpack, which is really never used, it acts as a spare. Another similar lighter is placed in my Victorinox sheath together with my SAK ( Victorinox Camper model ) which is either on my belt or in the zipped pocket of my trousers, so is accessible at all times.  A few waterproof matches in a separate waterproof container stay in my backpack also. Matches are great for lighting fires in Bothy fire places and for pushing into the base of a wood stove to light tinder. A few balls of cotton wool and a tiny tin of  Vaseline which can be used to rub into the cotton wool to make a small firelighter is also useful. The Vaseline is multi-purpose, it also serves as a lip balm, or water filter 'o' ring lube.  If  I were canoe / dinghy camping or heading into very remote areas I might also take a Ferro Rod as these will throw a spark even when wet from salt water.

I am amazed at how long a BIC lighter will last, start thinking months of stove lighting. It won't work when soaking wet which a Ferro rod will, but in reality you can dry a BIC in minutes in your pocket. I would not be surprised if  1000 or even 2000 very controlled strikes were possible from one BIC lighter. I would choose a BIC as my first choice as they are very reliable but I have had long term success with the Poppell and Caio brands also.

Emergency & Alternative fire lighting options:

You can use the spine of a carbon steel knife in lieu of the steel in an emergency, which is a good argument for carrying one on the trail. 

Although to date I have never needed to 'rely' on these skills, I do  practice and enjoy creating fire by percussion, in my case a small Viking / Lapland inspired steel and piece of flint used to ignite charred wood and other materials held in a small tinder tin - The whole kit weighs just under 100g. Provided I do not lose the steel element of the kit I could create fire for the rest of my natural life from this simple kit if necessary. It is also worth noting that a high carbon steel uncoated knife spine such as an Arthur Wright & Sons Ettrick or lamsfoot style knife or an Opinel carbon no8 could be used instead of a dedicated steel with alot practice. The knife being multi-purpose versus the dead weight of the steel.

A mint tin works well as a tinder box, I use the ones sold in M&S. Altoids tins are another good option. Another great thing about the mint tin is that the seal around the lid and hinges is not perfect, so if you throw wood in it and then let the lid rest closed without snapping it shut we can char wood and other materials in readiness for the  'next' fire on top of the lit stove. With this method of stove lighting we are always thinking at least one fire ahead. Once the smoke ( gases ) stop leaking from around the edge of the tin, take it off the heat and snap it shut to starve the burn of oxygen. Perfect tinder for the next time fire is needed.

On the point of tinder, there are many fungus' and trees which have suitable barks around to make superb tinders, however I would never exploit such resources along a national trail. Best to carry these in if you are intending to practice at camp. I prefer not to take such resources from along national trails. A good option is to collect tiny pieces of white dry rotted wood from the trail floor. Charred and retained for use inside a tinder tin works perfectly well enough. A reliable ember is available with practice in seconds with this method of fire lighting.

Interestingly 'Otzi the iceman' that lay in ice for over 5000 years had a similar set up in his belt pouch which consisted of flint rocks, and a flint knife together with 4 pieces of tinder extracted from the horseshoe fungus ( Fomes_fomentarius ) which upon analysis showed the remains of iron pyrite on its surface. Although the iron pyrite rock itself was not present amongst his remains it is clear that it had originally been part of his fire starting kit. An pyrite rock can throw sparks, although not ass effectively as the steel does in my kit. Experts suggest that Otzi may have carried smouldering coals of charred fungus in a birch bark container using maple leaves to wrap the coals from camp to camp - Essentially a wooden tinder box!

An alternative back up kit that essentially would weigh nothing is the knowledge to create primitive fire from friction - bow-drill, hand-drill or fire-plough. Again this looks like great fun to learn, probably better suited to warmer / drier climates than ours admittedly. Fire created this way would not be a quick solution in an emergency situation unless you had made the neccessary kit in advance

I have practiced building modest fires mainly at home or on permitted land from gathered standing dead wood, either by using a single match or by throwing sparks from my flint and steel kit into a tinder box to create an ember. In 20 years of  hill-walking, trail walking and camping / adventuring I have 'never' needed to build a large fire. In fact I do not know of anyone else that has 'needed' to build a great big fire on the trail either through survival necessity or otherwise.

Along the trail, fire building can be pretty inconvenient and leaves unsightly scars by the uninitiated, We cook at camp in the evening and boil water for drinks in the morning. Trying to start, control, relight and extinguish an open fire to this pattern v's a compact wood stove or alcohol burner - for me for me the stove wins.

Conclusions

 I never set off along the trail having the intention of building a fire but I am ready to construct and manage a fire should the need arise, such as in a truly survival situation. In this circumstance fire will make water safe to drink, dry wet clothing, provide a micro-climate. and act as a signal. In short I aim to keep the shrinking wild areas as pristine as I can. Probably the stove with the least environmental impact would be the stove made from recycled materials, and burn alcohol which is a renewable resource, such as the coke can type stove. Such a stove teams well with a compact wood biomass stove which in some circumstances can be used to enable us to enjoy a connection with fire that in our every day lives we have all but forgotten. Such stoves also provide a great focal point and are practical for quick lighting and stove ignition with a little practice.

I have often thought about using a Ferro rod in place of a lighter as these sticks are good for a few thousand strikes, even when wet and they will light a stove. This may be a good option for dinghy cruising or canoe camping especially, where there is some risk of total immersion in salt water.  In the end I decide not carry a Ferro rod because even expertly used they often take several strikes even to light a canister stove, 3000 degree F sparks fly everywhere which could set my tarp alight if its in the vicinity and it basically only does what the flint does on a regular lighter in a less controlled way. There is no magic, it is just a lighter really. In a long term survival situation it could even run out of sparks, what then? Best to carry a lighter as the most convenient way to light the stove  and some initial fires if needed, but have practiced how to make sparks from other things such as knives, traditional steel and rocks. I find I learn a lot more about tinder and fire lighting doing it the hard way with a traditional flint and steel rather than the surety of success virtually every time with the modern ferro rod. Using flint and steel in this way encourages us to look in much more detail at what is around us, a further level of understanding of our natural worlds resources opens up to us.

I hope Otzi would agree!

I have described my own fire / stove / stove starting preferences in this article from the standpoint of a regular trail walker in the UK. I am looking for lightweight convenience with minimal impact upon the environment I am walking through. I practice other methods of fire starting as this could be a lifesaver and its really good fun to practice our basic bushcraft skills. I fully realize that my personal set up may not be right for everyone. The fun is working out what will work for you in your setting and enjoying the process of experimentation.


Thank you for reading, please as always do not hesitate to drop me a line or comment.

Way of the Backpacker