Kupilka Firesteel 8 is an essential tool for every adventurer. With this award-winning Firesteel, you can light campfires in any weather, thousands of times.
The ergonomic handle of the Firesteel ensures a firm grip even with gloves on. The tool produces sparks up to 3000 °C, which can ignite fire even in damp conditions. The Firesteel comes with a compact striker, tied to a reindeer leather cord. The rod is made of ferrocerium, and the handle is made from Kupilka’s own Kareline Natural Fibre Composite.
Kupilka Firesteel was awarded with the Scandinavian Outdoor Award: Hardware Winner, and the ISPO Award: Outdoor/Tools & Equipment Winner in 2019. The product is designed in collaboration with Karu Survival, a company specializing in wilderness and survival skills.
This time, Kai Lehtonen tested the Kupilka Firesteel. Read below for Kai’s experiences with our tool:
There is magic in fire. It warms, illuminates, and creates ambiance. It has the power to bring out our truest selves and connect soulmates. The presence of fire can even be a meditative, spiritual experience that touches the very core of our being.
Fire-making is one of the fundamental skills of camping. Around the campfire, the best stories of the past are shared. Fire enables the preparation of camp meals, warming up, drying gear, and signaling in emergency situations. It makes camping and overnight stays in the wilderness possible.
Learning to make a fire is not difficult on its own, but it does require some effort. A fire never ignites by itself as it always needs an igniting factor and kindling. Some kind of fire-starting tool is therefore essential for a camper. A good fire-making tool must be reliable in various situations, have sufficient ignition power, and be compact in size. We tested the performance of the Kupilka Firesteel 8 in camping use.
When using the Firesteel, preparation and good kindling are the key (Pictures by Kai Lehtonen)
Kupilka Firesteel 8 consists of a ferrocerium rod with a shaped handle, a scraper, and a reindeer leather cord that binds the parts together. The concept is simple but effective. The handle of the Firesteel is made from natural fibre composite, as are all the Kupilka products, and is available in several different colors. The handle of the tested Firesteel is in the Original brown color, which pairs well with the brown leather cord.
The manufacturer has clearly focused on the ergonomics of the handle, providing a good grip both with bare hands and even with gloves on. The handle is designed for a three-finger grip. The cord is a good idea for a portable tool. It keeps the rod and striker together, and on top of that it can be used to wrap the parts of the kit together, or to attach them to your backpack. The length of the leather cord is slightly generous. This makes it easier to attach and wrap the parts together, and it did not cause any issues during testing. The cord is also easily shortened and re-tied.
The striker is compact but serves its purpose. Its knife-like shape makes it easy to handle, but the grip part is small, and its ergonomics are not the best. I believe the set would be better if the striker also had a separate, thin and ergonomically designed handle. I recommend the manufacturer address this shortcoming in the next version.
When using a fire striker, the challenge is to direct the sparks onto tinder in such a way that the tinder stays in place and does not scatter. Wet weather also brings its own challenge to lighting a fire. A pile of dry sawdust and wood shavings ignited quickly. However, at a damp and windy campsite, lighting thin wood shavings was unsuccessful despite repeated attempts. Lighting a newspaper was successful both with compressed paper and at the edge of the paper, and even through a hole made in the middle of the paper. A crumpled brown paper bag also ignites easily with Firesteel, as long as it is torn slightly, and the torn edges are bent towards the ignition point.
Although making a fire with Firesteel is quite reliable, it is always good to carry another fire-making tool as well (Pictures: Kai Lehtonen)
Kupilka Firesteel produces a good amount of sparks for its size, but their ignition power is limited, as is typical for this type of fire starters. However, the ignition power could be increased with a thicker ferro rod. I recommend the manufacturer use a thicker ferro rod in the next version.
The importance of good initial preparations and suitable tinder is emphasized when using fire strikers. In very windy conditions, ignition may not be successful, at least not easily. Using good tinder, such as newspaper or other processed materials when needed is perfectly acceptable even for an experienced outdoor enthusiast.
In camping, it is recommended to carry at least two different fire starting tools. If one fails to start a fire or malfunctions, you still have another option. Firesteel cannot be recommended as the sole fire starter in all conditions, but it should almost always be carried along. Always ensure fire-making success by carrying another fire starter tool, such as a storm or plasma lighter, with you.
A fire striker is always a ready-to-use ignition tool that lasts a long time and requires no maintenance. The advantages of Firesteel also include safety; when kept in a pocket or backpack it does not pose an unintentional ignition risk, especially when tied together.
Overall, the Kupilka Firesteel 8 can be recommended to almost every adventurer. It fulfills its basic function as a fire starter well and is always ready for use without the need for maintenance. When using a Firesteel, preparation is the key. Additionally, it might not create a fire in the quickest possible way under all conditions. Using Firesteel forces you to build a campfire carefully, which in itself can be a time-stopping experience. Making fire with fire starter rods involves nothing artificial. It is a natural experience and a moment when you feel truly alive.
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