mini bic reliability

[Diane Pinkers]

I was at about 6200 ft, and around 48 degrees when I was cooking.  I put the lighter in my inside jacket pocket, while I was setting up the kitchen area. Lit the stove on the first click. So, at least this once, keeping the lighter warmer seemed to solve the issue.

I can never get those roller types to work, so it seems worth the gamble.

[Jerry Adams]

I think the altitude problem is more like at 10,000 feet

I routinely do 7000 or 8000 feet and never have a problem with piezo lighters

If it’s close to freezing or colder then yeah, helps to put in pocket to warm up

[Ben H.]

Jerry,

I had three of those piezo lighters you linked with me at Silver Lake in El Dorado NF (elevation 7200 ft).  Not a single one of them worked.  They all started working at Lake Tahoe (elevation 6,225 ft).  I think it was a bit colder at Silver Lake and I am sure that played a role, but this was in July… it wasn’t that cold.  I really like them, but that experience left me a scorned lover.

[Jerry Adams]

good info – maybe I should have said 7000, not 7000 or 8000 ? : )

those lighters and all butane lighters can start to not work at freezing or so, maybe even 40 F.  Armpits are considerably warmer than 40 F.

Individual lighters seem to be a little different.  One I have to click several times to light.  I leave that at home.  Another works every time.  I take that camping with me.

[Christoph Blank]

I’m looking for a lighter like the Soto, with a long handle. Sometimes I cannot cook without a windscreen due to “Foehn” winds in the european alps. A longer handle would be quite handy to reach the stove inside the windscreen. I’m using Esbit, so the options are limited.

Apparently there are only larger/heavier solutions though.

[James Marco]

I have had little trouble with a couple bics. The piezo ones do not work well in the hills. Avoid them and get a standard roller. Remove the finger guard by simply wiggling in a standard screw driver, and twist. The little bics do not have the same pressure at the jet as the larger ones. Below 40F they often have a hard time. Keep these in your pocket for warmth. Larger ones seem much better. Again, butane starts falling off rapidly after about 40F. I had a mini that got down to 20F and didn’t do anything but spark. After warming, I could hear a slight hissing from the jet. Apparently it was leaking. I played with the button a bit but lost most of the fuel. I gave up on little ones and went back to the regular ones.

[Jerry Adams]

“I’m looking for a lighter like the Soto, with a long handle. Sometimes I cannot cook without a windscreen due to “Foehn” winds in the european alps. A longer handle would be quite handy to reach the stove inside the windscreen.”

Get a stove with piezo lighter like the Soto Windmaster.  I’ve been using mine for years without problem.  Some people experience the piezo breaking, but that’s on different stoves.

I’ve just been trying the Pocket Rocket Deluxe which has a piezo lighter.  It seems like a knockoff of the Soto Windmaster.  It seems well made but I’ve only used it on a few trips.

[Christoph Blank]

Sorry, I forgot to mention that I’m using Esbit mostly – this limits the possibilities.

[Roger Caffin]

@Christoph
Yeah, I would like a light one with a long nozzle too. Piezo has problems at altitude. Can’t find anything.

Cheers

[Christoph Blank]

All the lighters with a longer nozzle, such as these are piezo unfortunately by design.
This answer might be interesting in regard to piezo at high altitudes: https://www.quora.com/Why-does-a-piezoelectric-igniter-function-poorly-at-high-altitudes

I normally use a BIC mini + storm matches as a backup in case it’s too windy.

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