I was recently reminded of this… I was posting about it in another venue where I thought they might want to know (since the discussion touched on Bic lighters for survival) and, of course, realized that I had nothing at all about it in my own venue, so I’m going to plagiarize myself. Maybe later I’ll sue myself over it. It’s the American way..
If, as I do, you like the Bic for short-term survival scenarios (storage in kits, get-home bags etc.), especially if you’re not a smoker, you might want to check out the FireSLEEVE from Exotac, who are known for making high-quality, rugged products related to fire starting. It’s a thick silicone sleeve that the ubiquitous Bic slides into with a thick, tight-fitting rigid cap.. don’t know what polymer it is, they never seem to say, but it’s not polystyrene or anything very cheap, it feels like something durable. It turns the standard Bic lighter into something far more waterproof, durable, that floats and is less prone to loss with some capability to be set in the “on” position while still being lightweight. It does add considerable bulk, but all in all I think it’s a good tradeoff for emergency/survival kits, glove compartments, maybe wilderness, rural and maybe even suburban carry.. maybe not for dress slacks.
I’ve got three of them, one I use on my frequent day walkabouts where I’m doing miles and trying to avoid much weight, two go into packs. It’s even available in a glow-in-the-dark (GITD) version.
There is a little loop or strap in the silicone that is intended… intended… to be worked into place over the button of the lighter to hold it on. I’m assuming this is for stove or lantern lighting mostly, as you certainly wouldn’t want to leave a Bic lighter burning for protracted periods. It’s my least favorite feature of the fireSLEEVE, it works, sort-of, but you have to use it to depress the button before thumbing the flint striker wheel, and when you do try to spark it it’s difficult not to knock the strap off and turn the gas off. It takes some practice. I guess if you needed the feature often you’d get used to it.
I’ve got two of the GITD and one black, but with the GITD please remember the eternal principle: it only takes ONE bright object to be noticed, but EVERYTHING needs to be subdued to remain unnoticed. However rare it may be, sometimes your life my hinge on remaining hidden, and that’s more important to being able to find a lighter in the dark easily. On the off chance that there IS someone else in the woods with you, you don’t want to be a beacon at night. If the need to remain unnoticed occurs suddenly, it’s typically too late to start hiding stuff.
I should also mention that I haven’t had good luck storing Bic lighters for long periods once they have been used. I’m not sure why, they seem to do fine if they’ve never been struck. Not long ago I found 5-6 of the things that had been in a box for something between ten and fifteen years, and only one of those would still light. Most would not spark, as though the “flints” themselves had deteriorated. That becomes a catch-22, you don’t want to store one in an emergency kit that you might depend on without knowing that it works, but validating that it works seems to “start the clock” on a limited shelf life. I’m guessing if you’re willing to change the lighter every five years or so, it should be fine- so you might want to test it and write the date on the side with a Sharpie or something, it’s the sort of thing that you’ll think you’ll remember but won’t after all that time.
Bottom line, this may not be what you’d want for your main EDC, it isn’t that for me, but it’s a very welcome product for other niches, and makes the Bic suitable ENOUGH for emergency or survival use to avoid more expensive solutions, especially for various kits or options. I think I’d always want a ferrocerium rod as well, but when time counts, which it always does for hypothermia, a lighter is very nice to have.
– Robert the Wombat
Later:
Don’t really know anything about it, or the vendor, but I stumbled across this; similar in concept but not materials or execution, a protective case for the Mini-Bic lighter:
E3 Supply Co. Vintage Motorcycles & Handmade Leather Goods
Hey, they sell P38 can openers, they must be decent people. 😉
– Robert the Wombat