The Armchair Outfitter

The Zippo lighter is such an iconic product that I hesitated to review it.  After all, who hasn’t owned or at least used a Zippo?  I recently added another one to my small collection, and I realized I was taking a vital piece of equipment for granted by not mentioning it on the site.

When I go into the woods, I carry at least two completely independent methods of making fire.  If the circumstances warrant, I’ll carry three.  One of those methods is always a Zippo lighter.  I’ll grab a cheapo disposable lighter as a backup, and I’ll add matches if I think the risk of a survival situation is particularly high.  The remoteness of the location, the nighttime temperatures, and the likelihood of a dunking or a soaking all factor into my decision.  As I learned years ago in Hunter Safety Course, the most common cause of death in hunting accidents is hypothermia.  Temperatures in the 40s and 50s can be cold enough to settle your hash if your clothing is wet and you have no heat source.

Even if you are not in a survival situation, a fire can do quite a bit to lift your spirits if you are facing the prospect of a unplanned night in the open.  As shown in the photo, the Zippo will maintain a flame without your having to hold down two safety catches and sign a waiver.  This makes it much easier to light tinder with freezing hands.  After just a short while lit, it serves as a mini hand warmer once you close it.  The Zippo folks tout it as windproof, but I would say extremely wind resistant is a more apt description.  You can blow it out, but it takes some effort.

Zippos are and always have been made in the U.S.A.  If you ever have a problem with a Zippo lighter, you can return it to their plant in Bradford, Pennsylvania, for repair.  Here is their guarantee taken directly from their website:  “Any Zippo pocket lighter, when returned to our factory, will be put in first-class mechanical condition free of charge, for we have yet to charge a cent for the repair of a Zippo pocket lighter, regardless of age or condition.  The finish, however, is not guaranteed.”  Folks, for any company to display that much confidence in their product speaks volumes.  

As noted, the guarantee covers only the functioning of the product and not the cosmetic finish.  I once picked up a Zippo in the middle of the road that looked as though it had been run over several times.  Recognizing the familiar shape, I pulled my truck to the side and went to get it.  I was looking forward to testing the famous Zippo guarantee, but I did not get the opportunity.  The darn thing lit on the first strike as soon as I had refilled it with fluid.  It’s not pretty, but I still use it.  Speaking of pretty, they come in every finish and design you could imagine.  My newest one is bright orange so I can find it if I drop it in the woods, a fate I suspect was the end of an olive drab one I owned years ago.  As an added bonus, the logo  encourages support for conservation of owls.  I am for it, I say.  I am for it.