Does the Fat Rope Fire Stick Really Work in Wet Conditions?

There are many “things” in this world nowadays, and that includes the Fat Rope Fire Stick.

Technology and other modern conveniences don't do much for our core as human beings. There are only a handful of things that we need to survive and maintain life. You don’t need modern technology, fancy clothes, cars, or the fancy gold watch.

What you do need to do is to break your needs down to the basics. You need water, nutrition, and shelter from the elements. If you have these three necessities, you're able to survive on planet earth.

But first, wait a minute. What do all three of these items have in common? They require FIRE for us humans to be able to use them as we need! Water uses fire for purification, food often cooks in it, and humans need to stay warm! When the SHTF, fire will be an essential element for survival, regardless of who you are and what your preparedness plan looks like.

But, contrary to some folks' belief, fire doesn't occur at the snap of a finger.

Ladies and Gentlemen, I would like to introduce you to an exciting piece of survival kit, the Fat Rope Fire Stick.

What Is a Fat Rope Fire Stick?

The Fat Rope Fire Stick is a fibrous fire starting material that was created to make lighting a fire fast and easy. It is composed of pure cotton and, according to their website, impregnated with a proprietary “high gasification formula.” The Fat Rope Fire Stick measures in at 6″ long, 1″ 1/8 wide, and weighs just over 3 ounces. The cotton is woven in a way that allows it to be cut to size and broken into thousands of fire-igniting micro-fibers.

One Fat Rope Fire Stick will last a considerable amount of time, depending on the size you cut it.

What's the Hype?

As we discussed earlier, fire is essential. But depending on the circumstances, it can become a difficult task trying to get a fire started. If it's raining or damp out, it can become tough to find any dry materials for your fire and nearly impossible to start a fire fast enough due to all that moisture. And, of course, that's the time when it's needed most. Cold-related injuries can be very serious and even deadly. Often cold weather is combined with wet or damp weather like rain or snow. Your ability to start a fire under difficult conditions can literally be life-saving.

As well, there's the matter of a lack of experience. A lot of people have really never tried to light a fire. As one city girl learned the hard way, it wasn't as easy as lighting a match and throwing it on some wood in the fireplace. Learning to reliably build a fire under even the best conditions takes time that you might not have.

Having the ability to start a fire regardless of the conditions, experience levels, and available supplies is imperative when SHTF and you need it most.

So What About this Fat Rope Fire Stick?

The first and most important question: does it work?

After testing in both dry and wet conditions, I can confidently say that this product will deliver. Even after soaking the fibers in water for ten minutes, it still created a fire.

Using a Ferro rod, I was able to create a flame in under one minute. Although it did take a bit longer to get going than when it was dry, I was still impressed that it was able to burn with that much moisture. Another great thing about this product is that the “proprietary high gasification” formula used to impregnate the cotton does not evaporate when exposed to the elements.

After cutting into the Fat Rope Fire Stick, the remaining product still worked, did not dry out, and lit up like a champ.

Should You Carry It in Your Kit?

Decision time: Is the Fat Rope Fire Stick product worthwhile?

Operationally, this product has not failed me yet. It's not outrageously expensive. The underlying question is, are you willing to spend the money on a product that may be comparable to homemade solutions?

The other factor is the size. As preppers, we will spend $100 to save a couple of inches in our bug-out bags! Do you truly need six inches of fire starting material? However, that's a question you have to answer for yourself.

I recommend this product if you have the room to spare! After all, we can all use a plug-and-play solution to starting a fire in wet conditions.

~Nick