My camp stove let me down in a drizzle, but I figured out a fix

I was camping last weekend and a light rain started. My portable stove would NOT light, no matter what. The spark maker got damp and failed. Now I always put the lighter and fuel in a sealed bag. This small step made a BIG difference next time. I tested it at home with a water spray. Keep your fire starter DRY or you'll have no hot food.

4 comments

4 Comments

harris.andrew2mo ago

My cousin swears by keeping a small silica gel packet in his stove kit, says it soaks up any hidden moisture. I always thought that was overkill until my own stove sputtered out in just high humidity, no rain at all. It made me realize the spark gap can short out from damp air, not just direct water. So now I double bag my lighter with those ziplocs and toss in a gel packet too. Your spray test is smart, but try it on a humid day to really see the difference.

lewis.brian2mo ago

Ever try uncooked rice as a cheap backup?

blair702mo ago

You really trust those little silica packets in the field? I find they get crushed to dust bouncing around in a pack... then you've got a bigger mess. Dry rice in a film canister has never failed me, even when my gear takes a dunk.

ruby_wright1mo ago

Last summer my camera lens fogged up so bad in the Smokies I missed a whole morning of shots. I used to laugh at those tiny packets too, calling them a waste. Now I keep a few in my lens case and my stove bag after a similar humid day failure. The rice trick is solid for big moisture, but those gels really do pull the damp right out of the air.