Lighting with a lighter – including in wind, wet and cold

A simple gas lighter contains liquefied gas, usually butane-based, kept liquid under pressure. When the valve opens, gas flows out. A spark from a wheel and flint or a piezo element (a crystal that makes a small electric spark when pressed) ignites it.

For gas to flow out, the liquid inside the lighter must evaporate. That works only when it is warm enough. Butane evaporates poorly at around freezing point; the colder it gets, the less pressure builds up inside the lighter. Then the flame becomes tiny or fails completely. Body heat restores the pressure.

By the way, the flint in a lighter is made of the same material as a ferro rod, only very small. The wheel scrapes off particles that glow as sparks and ignite the gas.

In the cold: carry the lighter in an inside pocket against your body and take it out only to light. If it has already cooled down, warm it in your hand or under your armpit for a while before trying again. A lighter on the outside of the pack is often useless in frost.

In the wet: a wet wheel gives no sparks. Shake the lighter, blow the wheel and flint dry and roll the wheel several times over your trouser leg or palm until it sparks again. Constantly spinning a wet wheel only rubs your thumb raw.

When lighting: kneel with your back to the wind, shield the flame with your body and hand, and hold the lighter at an angle so the flame reaches the underside of the tinder without burning your thumb. If the tinder does not catch within a few seconds, it is usually too wet or too coarse – then it is more worthwhile to find better tinder than to hold the flame to it for minutes.

Simple gas lighters are cheap, light and give many ignitions. On opaque models you cannot see the fuel level – check it before every trip or choose a transparent lighter. Gas can run out unnoticed.

Windproof or jet lighters produce a focused, wind-stable flame. But they use gas faster and usually rely on piezo ignition, which can fail when wet. Petrol (fluid) lighters often work better in the cold than gas lighters, but their fuel evaporates over time, even when they are not used.

How well a lighter works in the cold depends heavily on the gas and the model. Manufacturer information and your own tests tell you more than general limits. Because any lighter can fail, a second ignition method belongs with it, such as matches in a waterproof case or a ferro rod.

A lighter is under pressure. Next to the fire, in direct sun or in a hot car it can burst. Do not keep the flame burning for long at a time either: metal parts get hot and the casing can be damaged.

Windproof and jet lighters have a barely visible, very hot flame. Keep fingers and sleeves away and check that it is really out. The fuel of a petrol lighter must never be poured into a fire as an accelerant – that applies to all flammable liquids.

Keep lighters out of children's reach. Air travel has special rules for carrying them – check the airline's regulations. And as with any fire: check the local rules and the wildfire danger beforehand.

Winter hike: the lighter from the lid pocket of the pack only clicks. Instead of throwing it away, you put it in your trouser pocket or under your jacket for a few minutes and then try again. The flame often comes back.

After slipping into a stream: the wheel is wet. Shake, blow dry, roll it several times over a dry sleeve – it usually works again afterwards. In the meantime you can prepare your tinder so the first sparks are not wasted.