[pct-l] Esbits and Wind....

[Sevenon7th@yahoo.com]

You wrote:   
   
  However, on my last training hike in a very windy Joshua Tree park I 
found
them difficult to light.  I am considering getting one of those 
wind-proof
butane type lighters.  There is one that has a telescoping extension 
that
extends a couple inches to use it like a long match.  I think that 
might be
the solution.  However, I do not to consider how long it will last and 
how
often to refill it, etc.

I used esbits for 5.5 months in '05 on the pct.  There were a few times when they were impossible to light due to wind.  I went without coffee and hot food at those times.
   
  I don't think that the butane lighter would be an effective fix for this issue, as in windy conditions, even with extreme lighters,  you can get them to ignite, just not to stay lit.   One solution that I did apply effectively was to carry one of the military issue tablets (the little stinky purple thing in the khaki foil pouch).  You can buy them at a surplus store for around .50 cents.  They will light and stay lit in extreme wind conditions.  I would carry one of these, and shave some of it onto the esbit tablet.  It would in turn cause the esbit to light and stay lit.  
   
  I also got really creative with building rock shelters for my stove in windy conditions, which did not always work, but many times it did suffice. 
   
  Just my 2 cents....
  Splash '05
   

 
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