Fire is an important tool in both recreational and disaster situations.  There are many ways to start a fire but one of the easiest is with a match.  Regular matches work fine most of the time but if conditions are wet, rainy, cold, or windy, these won’t work well.  That’s why I recommend multiple sets of stormproof matches for anybody who wishes to be better prepared.

I already had matches and a waterproof cases already but was looking for something better.  My current setup left something to be desired so I purchased three sets of the UCO Stormproof Match Kit at my local outdoors store.  I’m glad I did because these are a significant upgrade from what I currently have.

The day after I purchased these, I decided to give it a try to see how well everything worked together.  The case itself is well-made and has a O-ring at the bottom of the threads, which keeps it water-tight when the cap is attached.  What’s nice about this case it that is has an abrasive striking surface on the side.  This makes it easy to light any match without looking for something to strike it on.  I lit a match to see how it burned which was a little bit differently than normal ones.  The flame took a while to get going but when it burned the orange material it had a good strong flame.  What was good is that after it got to the non-treated section of the match, it burned out.  This is helpful because it reduces the risk of burning your fingers while attempting to light a fire.  I will definitely be adding these to my go bag, car kit, and my camping gear.

Pros:  The built-in abrasive pad is very handy for striking matches.

Cons:  The smoke from the matches is notably smellier than regular ones.

If you don’t already have stormproof matches, I suggest you get a couple of these.  They are a low-cost (~$7) way to ensure you can light a fire when conditions are bad.

Overall Rating:  8/10

Click here to purchase the UCO Stormproof Match Kit with Waterproof Case, Orange