A game-changer for winter campfires

Picture this scenario: you arrive at your campsite just after dark; it’s cold and damp, as it’s been raining for most of the day. All you really want right now is to get a fire going to generate some warmth, but all of the kindling you can put together is damp, and despite your best efforts with firelighters, it just won’t ignite. Sound familiar? This is a common scenario in the Western Australian winter months and sometimes even into early spring. The only real solution I had come across in recent years was to pack expensive fuel-impregnated kindling and firelighters into the 4WD for these trips, but recently I came across a better, more compact solution: the Dark Mode Emberstrike Pro.

This unit is essentially a compact blowtorch that emits an incredibly powerful flame; it’s essentially a mini flamethrower! It’s constructed from stainless steel with a wooden handle section and comes in three pieces—these can be assembled in two different formats based on how long you require the shaft to be. For lighting campfires I found the short shaft to be more than adequate, but if you were using the unit to lance weeds (another potential application), the longer shaft would certainly be easier on your back.

The blowtorch is super easy to set up, with standard male/female threads that screw together with O-ring seals. Gas flow is easily regulated using the needle valve that integrates into the housing where the gas canisters are mounted. The best part, though, is that the unit uses standard butane canisters for fuel, meaning that for those of us who run Jetboil stoves, etc, the same canisters can be used to power the Emberstrike Pro. Also included in the package is a compact piezo igniter and a felt-lined drawstring carry bag.

I put the Emberstrike Pro to use on a trip in early spring and was incredibly impressed with the results. It was quick and easy to set up, and holding the piezo igniter at right angles to the muzzle, it ignited the torch quickly (I would advise not to stick it into the muzzle, as once ignited, the flame instantly protrudes around 10cm from the end and is incredibly hot). Turning the gas flow up a notch and aiming it at the kindling mound I’d set up, it only took ~20 seconds of heat to properly ignite the kindling to a point where I could then lay the larger pieces of Jarrah on top. Had I been using firelighters, this would have taken substantially longer! After use, the muzzle cooled down in ~5 minutes and the unit was disassembled and packed up in the space of 30 seconds.

I highly recommend the Emberstrike Pro for campers and hikers, it’s a quality product that gets fires going quickly utilising fuel sources that most of us already carry. It’s also very reasonably priced at $82.

For more information go to: trydarkmode.com

By Matt Payne