Fire Starter Survival Tool, 5/16″ Ferro Rod with Paracord Lanyard, Multi-Tool Striker and Wooden Handle, Flint and Steel Fire Starter Kit for Your Hiking, Backpacking and Camping Essentials

To start with for you fellow lightweight hikers,: this piece of kit is 65 grams or 2.3oz, or 61 grams if you remove the low quality whistle.I have used several types and sizes of ferrocerium/ferro-rods as well as firestarters that are magnesium bars with a flint side. Frankly all that use has bee in evaluating and or practice with my kids while outdoors/camping, since for most people a bic type lighter, and if need be, accelerant soaked starters, is 50x easier. Still it is always good to have several methods handy and with which you have practiced a bit.So small ferrocerium kits like this have their place as last resort. If you throw this in a go-bag or car, and go to use it one year — or even 50 years — later, it is going to work. Whereas butane or liquid lighters will have their gas leak or evaporate out.In terms of comparing this to other similar rods this is on the small side. Because of the way one tends to use these, a longer thicker rod is easiest to use, as you get a better grip. One that is an inch or two longer will, after room for your hand to hold it, will give you twice as much area each stroke. This will be even more noticeable in adverse, eg cold, wet or damp conditions. Also a longer rod will allow you to try and scrape a pile of magnesium chips from the rod without igniting it early. That method, making a small pile of chips/shavings from the rod and putting that tiny pile in/on your tinder will light even poor quality tinder.Overall, given the cost of this kit, it is a good value for emergency use. If you are going to regularly use it. I recommend getting a slightly thicker and longer one.Finally, if you do get this, get several and practice with one. You will have to scrape off painted surface to practice with it. But keep the painted surface on the others, as the painted surface is a protection to reduce risk of accidental ignition