Best Survival Lighters | Tested & Reviewed
A lighter is a simple but important tool for survival. Staying warm and dry, creating light, purifying water, and cooking food can all be done with a humble lighter.
I’ve been reviewing survival lighters for several years now, and have lifelong experience with them from my time in the military, lighting campfires, and everyday use. I like to test them with data-driven approaches to find the absolute best for survival situations.
My top recommendation is for the humble BIC Classic, which is easily modifiable and affordable for any survival kit.
If you want a more versatile option out of the box, the Explore Arc Lighter is waterproof, windproof, and can be recharged indefinitely. I also suggest a unique torch adapter that works very well to light damp wood and tinder.
Contents (Jump to a Section)
In this latest update of the best survival lighters, additional pictures have been added, and new selections have been made.
Best Survival Lighter
BIC Classic
Simple, Inexpensive, and Dependable
Best for: Survival kits & EDC
*Price at time of publishing; check for price changes or sales.
The classic BIC has been hanging around convenience stores since 1973. The disposable lighters are dirt cheap, and although they no longer have adjustable flames due to safety concerns, they are still infinitely customizable.
Specifications
- Quantity: 12
- Ignitions: 3,000 (one-second lights)
- Fuel: Isobutane (non-refillable without modification)
- Size: 3.25″ x 1″ x 0.5″
- Weight: 0.77 ounces (full)
Many pocket survival kits use the humble BIC as a base, wrapping tape and cordage around the handle and adding other accessories like razor blades to pack some versatility in your pocket.
I like the orange color in my survival and fire kits, because I don’t like to lose my firestarters in the woods. Orange is easy to spot and is also a great color to associate with fire.
If you are stocking bulk lighters or running a simple solution for your everyday carry, it’s still tough to beat the price of a BIC Classic lighter.
Best Arc Lighter
Explore Arc Lighter
Weatherproof, Rechargeable, and Dependable
Best for: Windy conditions
*Price at time of publishing; check for price changes or sales.
Charging technology and batteries have advanced significantly over the years. When the first weatherproof arc lighter emerged on the scene several years ago, it cost over $30. They were also saddled with a lower-watt-hour battery and limited by the micro-USB port.
Specifications
- Ignitions: 196 (one-second lights)
- Fuel: 18 Wh battery (1.5-hour recharge with USB-C)
- Size: 2.7″ x 1.9″ x 0.5″
- Weight: 1.5 ounces
Fast forward to today, and we have inexpensive arc lighters that perform fantastically in any weather conditions. Paired with a solar power bank to recharge through the USB-C cable on the go, you can use this lighter almost indefinitely.
One downside to this lighter is that, despite having twin plasma arcs that are unaffected by wind, it can struggle with damp tinder. This is because those arcs don’t generate heat like a flame.
There is enough room in the cap to store a small piece of tinder or char cloth, so you’ll have a better fighting chance in wet conditions. I also keep my tinder wrapped up in my fire kit to prevent soak-outs, too.
If you are looking for the best option for a huge range of situations, a Weatherproof Arc Lighter is what you need.
Best Torch Lighter
SOTO Pocket Torch
Dual Fuel, Refillable, and Reliable
Best for: lighting damp tinder with high heat
*Price at time of publishing; check for price changes or sales.
SOTO may be mildly obsessed with blue flames, from their innovative Japanese stoves, and now their unparalleled lighter from Japan. This unique jet torch cannibalizes your cheap disposables for fuel and turns them into a hot and efficient monster.
Specifications
- Ignitions: 4,800 (one-second lights)
- Fuel: Encapsulates disposable lighters
- Size: 4.3″ x 2.4″ x 0.9″
- Weight: 1.8 ounces (full)
With a flame topping out at 2300°F (1300°C), you can even solder with this beast just by loading it with a disposable. You can refill the included empty disposable easily with a direct butane adapter.
If you are looking for the best refillable lighter, you can’t match the SOTO Pocket Torch.
Comparison Table
| Survival Lighter | Recommendation | Price* | Fuel Type | Ignitions | Weight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BIC Classic | Best Overall | $14 | Butane | 3,000 | 0.8 oz |
| Lcfun Explore | Best for Windy Conditions | $9 | Electric | 196 | 1.5 oz |
| Soto Pocket Torch | Best for Wet Conditions | $26 | Butane | 4,800 | 1.8 oz |
The Lighters We Compared
Our research narrowed the field down to several types of lighters that we compared: BIC, UST, Coleman, SOL, Exotac, Zippo, SOTO, Maratac, Vertigo, Clipper, and more.
You can see our full list of review criteria below in the What to Look For section, with an explanation for each. The Zippos had some issues with evaporation, but butane lighters simply didn’t have the longevity to justify the weight.
We’re always looking for new and better gear, so if you have a lighter that performs well for you, let us know in the comments. We review most of our tested gear annually so we can try to get it in the next roundup and see if it will beat out our top picks.
Why Trust TruePrepper
Being able to create a fire on demand is critical for survival. Fire is useful for cooking, boiling, warmth, light, and more. And despite all of the cool options there are for survival fire starters, a lighter is still the fastest and easiest to use of them all.
I’m Sean Gold, and I created TruePrepper over 10 years ago to further explore everything related to prepping and survival. As part of that journey, I’ve been testing and reviewing lighters under a survival scope for several years now.
Before that, I used lighters in the military, in the woods for campfires, and as part of my EDC loadout. I enjoy approaching my review of them in a data-driven way- whether it’s freezing them for performance tests or timing how long a continuous flame/light lasts.
What to Look For
The best survival lighters have a few features to look for:
- Value
- Fuel Type
- Reliability
- Size/Weight
- Versatility
When you get the right blend of these, you can find the perfect lighter to start a fire when your life depends on it. Below, we break down what each of these features means for the types that truly set themselves apart.
Value: Cost vs. Benefit
The amount of money you spend on something like a lighter shouldn’t blow out your entire budget. They are not especially expensive, and you probably already have some in your junk drawer.
You never want to spend too much money on one resource, even when it comes to fire tools. It’s better to diversify your spending to make sure you are covered for a wide range of scenarios.
Fuel Type
There are many types of fuel to turn a spark into a flame, but superheated air between two contacts performed the best. Sure, there are some drawbacks to arc plasma lighters, but the potential longevity is hard to overlook.
Traditional gas and liquid fuels are common, including:
- isobutane
- butane
- propane
There are also a few wick lighters and match-strike options out there, but they weren’t worth the hassle with the better options readily available.
One of the newest types of lighters, the arc lighter, uses an internal battery as its ‘fuel’, and can usually be recharged for massive reusability.
If you pair an arc lighter, power bank, and solar panel: you have unlimited fire-starting capability (in theory).
Reliability
When you use a lighter, you want a flame. If it can’t produce a flame due to rain, wind, cold, or other conditions, then you’ve got yourself a paperweight and not a lighter.
Older models of plasma arc lighters had some issues with cold weather (batteries don’t like it), but that seems to have improved from what we saw and more recent reviews.
Just like matches, tinder, and other fire-starting supplies, you’ll want to keep your lighter close and dry anyway for the best performance.
Size & Weight
If it weren’t for size and weight issues, you could just start every fire with a flamethrower. Small, lightweight, and storable all make for good lighter characteristics.
You also want to be aware of the leakage potential when you store lighters with liquid fuel. I had a liquid fuel candle leak in my bug out bag once, and it was a complete mess. Make sure the thumb button on your BIC can’t be pressed when you stash it.
Versatility
Some lighters are versatile beyond their flame. Whether they can strike a spark even when they are empty or their housing is suited to be wrapped in cordage and tapes, lighters often are the cornerstones of versatile survival kits.
Keep an open mind when it comes to resourcefulness, and you’ll be able to figure out a solution for nearly any situation.
How to Modify a Survival Lighter
There are many ways to modify lighters for survival, but one of the most popular platforms to start with is the simple BIC. Most modifications start with shoring up deficiencies, like weatherproofing and fuel limitations, and then expand into adding extra functionality.
Some of my favorite modifications include:
- Wrapping a lighter in waxed jute – bend the jute to light and use a flame extension to save fuel and access hard-to-reach spaces.
- Wrapping small strips of duct tape – tape is always useful in a wide variety of situations.
- Removing the child safety – get rid of the extra ring on top of a Bic, and you can roll-start it and flick it more easily.
- Weatherproofing – I like the FlameNest for the Bics.
Why Standard Lighters Fail in Survival Scenarios
There are several failure points that typical lighters can run into when you are using them for prepping or survival.
You can buy a lighter designed for survival from the ground up, or modify standard lighters to avoid these pitfalls.
Fuel Evaporation
O-rings are useful with lighters beyond the waterproofing- they can also prevent butane from evaporating over months of storage.
I modify my Bic lighters with an airtight case (FlameNest or EXOTac), not just to protect them from water, but also to keep the isobutane fuel from escaping.
Altitude Issues
If you are in an area over 8,000 feet above sea level, butane lighters and torches will struggle to light. Switch over to arc plasma or flint-based lighters as a critical backup for high elevations.
Cold Weather
Cold weather can be a big issue for lighters (and most other survival gear). Freezing temperatures can stall gas vaporization and limit battery discharge effectiveness.
To combat this, keep fuel-based lighters close to your body heat (ideally in an internal pocket) to keep them warm enough to fire up quickly. If you don’t remember to do this, you can try to warm a lighter by rubbing it between your hands/gloves for several minutes.
Sources & References
All of our experience and the testing we do to determine the best survival lighter are useless without listing our research sources and references. We leaned on these for the book knowledge that we paired with our hands-on testing and practical survival experience:
Jae, J., et al. (2007). A Study on the Possibility of Ignition by Disposable Lighter. Journal of Korean Institute of Fire Investigation. Volume 10. Issue 1. Pages 59 – 75. (Source)
Mac Rae, D. (1989). Plasma arc process systems, reactors, and applications. Plasma Chemistry and Plasma Processing. Volume 9. Pages 85S – 118S. (Source)
Viscusi, W., et al. (2022). The Broad Impacts of Disposable Lighter Safety Regulations. Journal of Benefit-Cost Analysis; Cambridge University Press. Volume 13. Issue 2. Pages 149 – 165. (Source)
Conclusion
A lighter is cheap, lifesaving, and versatile. It’s one of the foundational pieces of any survival kit, and it won’t break any budget.
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- Best Survival Tinder for Fire Starting
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See more of our expert-written guides, resources, and reviews in your search results – add TruePrepper as a preferred source.
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Just a note on the Bic lighters. As a guy who frequently winter camps, I’ve found they often won’t light when stored in my pack or a jacket pocket when it gets below freezing, and reliability gets worse as the temps drop further. While they will eventually light by warming them up with your breath, body heat, or by zipping the flint wheel over your leg a bunch of times, this can prove difficult if your hands are numb and you are already in dire need of a fire. I ALWAYS carry one in my front jeans pocket – your body heat in that pocket is just enough to prevent this, and it will light the first time every time as expected. I do carry plenty of spares in the pack (and BOB, BOV, cache(s), as well as alternate fire lighting means), but I always have one at the ready in my jeans pockets. I’ll also add forget about the other disposables! They aren’t worth the pennies saved – stick with the Bic brand for the best reliability.
Adevărat! Brichetele BIC chiar sunt și vor rămâne perfecte și de încredere pentru orice scenariu dramatic în care te poți afla instantaneu, și de care ai nevoia disperată pentru a aprinde un foc salvator. Am 10 bucăți în trusa mea de supraviețuire, mai am și două torțe tip jet de la Rothenberger Industrial( brichete de calitate germană pe care le recomand 100%). Nu le fac reclamă, doar că am fost pus în situația dramatică de viață și de moarte care m-au ajutat enorm să supraviețuiesc aproape o săptămână în pustietate rătăcit. Niciodată nu plec de-a casă fără cel puțin tre- patru brichete la mine