Compact Fire Starter for Your Next Camping Trip

Last month, I went camping for the first time. I never imagined how difficult it would be to start a fire without the right tools. I spent a cold night without being able to cook crispy skillet meals, and I left determined to find a simple, safe way to start a fire. That's why today, we're going to build a very compact fire starter that is easy to make and convenient to carry.

A fire starter is a tool or device designed to help ignite a fire quickly and reliably, especially in outdoor settings. It’s commonly used by campers, survivalists, and outdoor enthusiasts to ensure they can get a fire going, even in challenging conditions like wet weather. Whether you're looking to cook a meal, keep warm, or simply enjoy a campfire, a fire starter can be a lifesaver (literally, in survival scenarios).

Following the instructions in this instructable will take you no more than 15 minutes, so let's get started!

Materials You'll Need:

1. Cotton
2. Petroleum jelly (Vaseline)
3. A cutter or sharp knife
4. Two ping pong balls

Start by cutting a hole in one of the ping pong balls. It doesn't need to be perfect—this ball is destined to burn at your next campfire! I used a cutter and made a square hole for simplicity.

Next, cut the other ping pong ball in half, but be careful to leave a small piece uncut, so it acts like a lid or case. This will serve as a container to store the first ping pong ball.

Now, it's time to get your hands dirty! Take some cotton and thoroughly coat it in petroleum jelly until it looks like the photo. Once coated, stuff as much of the jelly-coated cotton as possible into the hole of the first ping pong ball.

Wipe your hands and the ping pong ball with a piece of paper or cloth to remove any excess petroleum jelly.

To finish, place the filled ping pong ball inside the cut ping pong ball. This will help prevent the cotton from spilling out and protect your other gear from getting greasy during your trip.

You can repeat this process as many times as you want! It's easy and fun to make multiple fire starters.

Using this fire starter is very simple. Remove it from its protective ping pong shell, ignite the cotton sticking out of the hole, and place it under the logs of your campfire. A fire starter like this will burn continuously for about 25 minutes, giving you plenty of time to get your fire roaring! 🔥

-----

I hope you enjoyed reading and building this instructable as much as I did. If you're planning a family camping trip, the kids will love getting their hands messy with the cotton and petroleum jelly mix.

Enjoy your next camping trip, and don't forget to click the I Made It button if you build your own fire starter! Thank you so much!