nanoSTRIKER™ XL

Exotac set out to build a ferrocerium fire starter that was high quality, genuinely tiny, and completely self-contained, and the nanoSTRIKER XL is the result. The whole tool collapses down to something you can leave on a keyring as ballast and forget about until the moment you need fire. There is nothing separate to lose: the striker, the rod, and the lanyard are all part of one object.

The striking tool is stainless steel with a tungsten-carbide insert, one of the hardest practical materials for the job, and it is designed to outlast even a heavy user. The 1/4-inch ferrocerium rod throws the largest shower of sparks of any fire starter this size, burning at roughly 5,500 degrees Fahrenheit, and it works whether it is wet or dry. When the rod eventually wears down after up to 3,000 strikes, the 001100 refill kit replaces it in seconds rather than sending the tool to a drawer.

The body is CNC-machined in-house in the USA from high-grade 6061 aluminum and anodized in one of four signature Exotac colors: Black, Gunmetal, Blaze Orange, or Olive Drab. It is waterproof and carries a keyring hole plus a 550 FIRECORD lanyard whose inner strand can be burned as tinder in an emergency.

Ferrocerium fire starters work best with fine, dry, high-surface-area tinder: dry grass, wood shavings, cotton, dryer lint, or a purpose-made tab like quickLIGHT. Build a loose bundle, wrap the lanyard around a few fingers to lock the handle, hold the striker at an angle, and scrape with moderate, quick pressure so the tool carves material off the rod. Beyond a campfire, the nanoSTRIKER XL is the fastest way to light a balky camp stove. It is the flagship of Exotac's firestarter line and is covered by the lifetime warranty. Owners routinely report the same rod lasting years of trips, which is the entire argument for a machined tool over a disposable one.