Weka EDC Fire Starter Nano Striker XL Ferrocerium Rod Ultra-Portable Survival Tool 3000 Fire-Starting Strikes 3 Colors for Choice

Very satisfied! Shipping takes a long time but seller is up front about this, so not a problem, and the item actually arrived 2 days *before* the start of the delivery window in my case. It throws sparks excellently, even though I was using the wrong part of the striking tool on my first attempt (didn't read directions). Seems very solidly built, other firestarters I looked at have the ferro simply attached to a handle and not covered, so I was worried about the possibility of breaking in my pack if I bump up against a tree or set it down on a rock, but this one feels like you could run it over with a dump truck and still use it. Smaller than I thought it would be, but for backpacking this is a plus, however if you're thinking of using this as a kubaton or something it might be too small. The ferro rod is removable (screw-in) so you could take it out and use it for some sort of (very) small storage container if you prefer, or replace the rod (I'm guessing there is a replacement available somewhere? otherwise why make it removable?). The threading on both sides of the middle "hourglass" piece is identical, so I'm considering buying another and using the ferro on one side and removing the striker to put the "container" piece of the second on the other half with some flash tinder in it, then just using a knife as a striker. The rod *does* loosen easily so sometimes starts to get loose while trying to strike it, but I remedied this with a tiny piece of teflon tape around the threading on the ferro (didn't have any threadlock handy, but this would probably work even better). It does not have a magnesium bar to aid with damp tinder, as many firestarters do, but I have heard that you can carefully scrape the ferro itself into a pile and use it the same way (have not tested this myself, however). Comes with 2 extra rubber O rings (each place that screws together has one installed to keep water out), a mini split ring and piece of cord. I highly recommend this for the price, just make sure you order it well in advance of that big trip you're planning.

I order this on March 4th 2018 and received it on April 5th 2018. The size of this fire starter is big enough to easily hold and use but is also small enough to carry on your keys, carry in a pocket, etc. The striker throws a decent amount of sparks so no need to use a knife spine or another striker.I'm going to see if I can store a small slender piece of fat wood or a small cotton ball stretched and pressed like the shape of the rod into the spaces that the rod sits in when the fire starter is closed up. That way I will have a little fire starting material with me as a backup. I plan on using this fire starter as an emergency backup and something to grab and go if I'm going on a short hike. I knew I should have ordered two but I wanted to check the product out first but I will probably order two more to have on hand or give away.I found replacement rods of the same diameter with threaded ends a two pack but they cost more than this fire starter so with that being said this is definitely a emergency backup because replacement rods aren't widely available and shipping takes about a month.

I was looking for a compact ferro rod to keep in a backup emergency kit and settled on this due to the low-cost vs. features. Let’s face it, this is basically a knock-off of another company’s striker rod. Side by side they look almost identical. The build quality of this version isn’t as nice, but it’s sufficient. The actual ferrocerium rod screws into the aluminum carrier, but it isn’t the most secure fit. The striker portion was also glued into the cap at an angle, but it seems securely attached and it still works. If you’re looking for a low-cost alternative to the original, this is worth consideration. If this was your primary go-to fire striker, go with the more expensive option. It shipped directly from China and arrived in about two weeks.

Super compact and great quality, I keep one in my wallet and one in my EDC kit, it may not say it’s made by Exotac but in the instructions it says exotac so I think it’s made in the same factory or something, any way it’s great quality for the price.

Four stars instead of five because I ordered in January 22 and it finally showed up March 15. That’s a pretty long wait, even for something drop-shipped from China. Besides, Amazon’s “expected by” date was on March 5th.That aside, the ferro rod is the perfect size for lightweight carry. It works very well. The striker design makes it easier to spark than other ferro kits I’ve used; it has sort of an hourglass shape(see second pic). The machining and threads are a little janky, but it’s not a deal breaker. Overall, it’s not a bad deal at around five bucks.

This product is drop-shipped from a Chinese manufacturer -- it took 5 weeks for delivery. I do a lot of backpacking and wanted a fire starter that was as light as possible but still effective. This one is 0.7oz and about 4 inches long so it would fit easily into my ultralight setup. Unfortunately, it generates very few sparks, and only on the 4th or 5th strike. The rod is too short and too thin. Even at this price and low weight, it's not worth my carrying it.Now, if I was buying this for a young boy scout to take on a short weekend campout (where there would be backups) it would probably be fine. Well worth the low price for that type of low-risk usage....if you can wait that long for delivery.

I also have the $30 Nano Striker XL and don't see much difference. This product works just as good and about $23 less expensive.

I purchased this as a small alternative for a larger rod. However, when it got it, the thumb striker wasn't set properly and fell out after the first use. I switched to just using my knife. A few more times and the housing where the rod is screwed into just ripped. I struck it maybe a dozen times before I had to trash it.