Butane lighter for outdoor

Erasmus

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Dec 29, 2004
Messages
1,077
Location
Belgium
Hi there,

Since several months I'm looking for a good butane lighter to use during camping trips. I have been looking for the Vector (by KGM) Gear but it's nowhere available and Vector confirmed the model is discontinued. Are there any other recommendations? Please only post if you have experience with certain lighters, thanks :) I'm new to the lighteraholism but I'd like to buy a good first one ;)

Thanks in advance for your help!
Raf
 

Gatsby

Enlightened
Joined
Jul 20, 2006
Messages
978
Location
Charlotte, NC
I've been completely satisfied with my basic Windmill butane lighter like this one - rugged, reliable and very very windproof. A bit more expensive but I've never had it conk out on me unlike some other lighters.

(Moderator note: Removed hotlinked pic IAW CPF rules...)
 
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AeroNautiCal

Newly Enlightened
Joined
Aug 2, 2008
Messages
12
Location
Stoke Newington, London, UK.
Hello,

I have two of these Silva Helios Storm Lighters and I am very impressed with them. They have a lanyard, fuel sight gauge, adjustable flame, are waterproof and float.

One lives in my personal survival kit in my PFD (personal flotation device, AKA life jacket) and the other in my day pack.

http://www.silva.se/templates/Products____97.aspx?epslanguage=EN&productId={1E485C83-ACC0-430C-8CD6-865C28E58413}

Hope this helps.
 
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doubleganger

Enlightened
Joined
Apr 18, 2001
Messages
322
Location
northwest MS
I've had to return my windmill lighter twice for repairs, once because the lid wouldn't latch down and once because it wouldn't light and I had never really used it very much at all. I've ordered a Vector Thunderbird hoping that a flint produced spark will be more reliable than pieszo. We'll see.
 

limetrude

Newly Enlightened
Joined
Aug 23, 2009
Messages
11
.02 on this for you since I own a Brunton Helios http://www.brunton.com/product.php?id=34 - got it nearly 3 years ago, use it often, and it finally failed this past summer when the sparking element died on me. No big deal as I always carry plenty of matches too... It works reasonably ok in colder weather, obviously butane is no longer a viable option at some of the truly cold temperatures unless you keep it close to your core... as to being windproof... I give it 5 stars on that. As to being waterproof - lets just say its good enough for me and has worked just fine after going in the river while attached to me :whistle: so no complaints there... unfortunately I spend a lot of time on a VERY silty river, and that super fine silt dries out and gets blown by the wind and just gets into everything and I suspect that is what caused my lighter to finally fail, as I noticed there was a decent dusting of silt collected in it... still worked if you had a spark to light it though

Heres the best part of the story though, Brunton stood behind it and in less than 2 weeks from me shipping off the old broken one, I had a brand new one in hand. Excellent customer service...

Like I said, I have not researched what all is available these days, but back when I got this it seemed one of the more reliable ones available and the above information gives you an idea of what to expect from it...

Don't forget to bring at least some matches too :twothumbs
 

doubleganger

Enlightened
Joined
Apr 18, 2001
Messages
322
Location
northwest MS
I've had to return my windmill lighter twice for repairs, once because the lid wouldn't latch down and once because it wouldn't light.

In my quest for lighter knowledge I came across the statement that 90% of gas lighters returned for service are fixed by just blowing compressed air into the burner to clean it. That well may have been all that was wrong with mine.
 
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