Why you'll love it: The Überleben Zünden Bushcraft Ferro Rod Fire Starter couldn't be much simpler to use, and it provides more than 12,000 strikes.
Ferrocerium is a metal alloy comprised primarily of iron and cerium. When struck in the right manner, it produces copious showers of sparks that can exceed 5,000 degrees Fahrenheit in temperature. In case you were wondering, that's more than enough heat to ignite a fire.
The Überleben Zünden Bushcraft Ferro Rod Fire Starter is nothing more than a thick rod of ferrocerium with a thick wooden grip attached to one end that comes accompanied by a striking tool. It's nothing more than that, because there's nothing more needed, provided you have gathered suitable tinder and laid a decent fire.
I've used many different ferro rods over the years, and frankly, there's little to distinguish most of them. The Überleben Zünden Bushcraft rod is notable for two reasons, though. First, the wooden handle provides a good, solid grip and it looks better than the plastic grips on most options. Second, the included striking tool doubles as a miniature multitool. The tool has two different scraping surfaces for sending sparks showering off the ferrocerium rod as well as a bottle opener, a built-in hex wrench, and a little ruler.
Using a ferro rod like this couldn't be much easier: You rake the striking tool along the side of the rod and create showers of sparks. The trick with these sorts of fire starters is to master creating a proper tinder bundle to receive the sparks and having carefully selected wood (or other fuel, like pinecones or peat) at the ready.
Once you have scraped away the protective coating that comes on a new Überleben Zünden Bushcraft Ferro Rod, you'll be making sparks like a pro in no time. Spend lots of time practicing tinder and fire preparation, though.
People love the Überleben Zünden Bushcraft Ferro Rod Fire Starter, with this can-do tool enjoying a 4.8-star rating on Amazon. One owner shared my sentiments, saying the "wood handle provides an excellent grip," while another satisfied fire maker named Kimberly said it was "small enough to carry ... with no problems and durable enough to be confident that it will be protected in my pocket."
Professional outdoorsmen and outdoorswomen are also fans across the board. A writer with Geek Prepper praised it as a "premium fire starter" and lauded its plentiful sparks. In a video review from CT Bushcraft, the reviewer used the tool on camera and called it "an absolutely amazing product."
Pros: Lasts for thousands of uses, durable construction, easy to use
Cons: Requires decent knowledge of tinder preparation
Buy the Überleben Zünden Bushcraft Ferro Rod Fire Starter on Amazon for $16.00 to $33.91