Skip to main content

The TekFire fuel-free lighter uses electricity to start your campfire

Looking for a quicker, more efficient way to get a fire started at your campsite? If so, a company called Ultimate Survival Technologies (UST) just might have a high-tech solution for you. UST has managed to give the humble pocket lighter an upgrade, creating a rugged, lightweight, and powerful alternative that is flame- and fuel-free, but can still help get a campfire started in no time at all.

The TekFire fuel-free lighter is powered by a rechargeable lithium-ion battery that generates an arc of electricity rather than sparking a flame. That electric current is strong enough to start a fire, however, making the TekFire a viable alternative to traditional lighters that use butane fuel instead. The high-voltage spark can quickly set kindling ablaze and is even wind-resistant, making it a handy tool to have when setting up camp after a long day on the trail. The lighter even works well at altitude where standard lighters can struggle to create a flame.

UST has designed the TekFire to be rugged enough to take anywhere, wrapping the lighter in a rubberized case that not only protects against accidental drops, but makes it easier to grip too. The lighter also features a spring-loaded wire latch and includes a paracord wrist lanyard that can be used as fishing line, sewing thread, or sutures in an emergency first aid situation.

Ultimate Survival Technologies TekFire Fuel Free Lighter Demo

The TekFire weighs in at a mere 1.9 ounces, which is actually about twice the weight of a standard Bic lighter. But, since it doesn’t contain any flammable liquids, it is much easier to travel with the fuel-free lighter. Campers and backpackers won’t have to worry about running out of butane at the campsite either. If the TekFire isn’t creating a spark, simply plug it into a USB charger or battery pack to power it up once again. The lighter’s small battery doesn’t take long to charge at all and a built-in indicator light alerts users when it is ready to go again.

Priced at $25, the TekFire is obviously pricier than a Bic lighter, but less expensive than Zippo pocket lighters. And since it is built for use in the outdoors and is completely rechargeable, it is probably a better investment for frequent campers. Find out more at ustbrands.com.

Kraig Becker
Kraig Becker is a freelance outdoor writer who loves to hike, camp, mountain bike, trail run, paddle, or just about any other…
Goodbye, coolers. The EcoFlow Glacier doesn’t need ice — it makes it
The EcoFlow Glacier is a fridge shaped like a cooler with its own battery,

Every cooler operates on borrowed time. It leaves for your camping trip brimming over with crisp produce and ice-encrusted beer that looks straight out of a Super Bowl commercial, and returns with a soggy block of foil-wrapped cheddar cheese floating in a pool of mustard water. Mother Nature always wins.

Perhaps that’s why I was so enamored when I saw the EcoFlow Glacier at CES 2023. Less a cooler than a mobile battery-powered fridge on wheels, the sleek electric Glacier not only obviated the need for ice, it would make ice for me in 18 minutes. My home fridge can’t even do that, and I didn’t even know I wanted it to until just now. When EcoFlow offered to let me try the Glacier, I envisioned sipping a perspiring glass of whiskey in the tropics and accepted the occupational hazards of my job.

Read more
I was wrong. E-bikes are so practical, they’re a transit cheat code
An Aventon Level 2 ebike sits outside a grocery store.

Confession: Despite loving both bikes and gadgets, e-bikes never excited me. Compared to my bicycle, e-bikes seemed unfair. Compared to my motorcycle, they seemed slow. Compared to my car, they seemed impractical.

But with $1,500 federal e-bike rebates potentially on the horizon at part of E-Bike Act, I decided it was past time to reconsider. Not just because 30% off would make them way more accessible, but because the entire idea that e-bikes could be worthy of a rebate changed the way I looked at them: less as toys, more as transit. Had I written off an entire way of getting around because I was looking at it the wrong way?

Read more
Upway launches one of the best marketplaces for certified e-bikes, new or not
Man holding ebike from Upway in a field, lifestyle image.

This content was produced in partnership with Upway.
It wasn't too long ago that e-bikes were a rare sight, but all of that has changed, and rightfully so. Electric bikes are all over the road these days, and there are many brands either venturing into the technology, to launch their own versions of the sustainable transportation option or reiterating existing and traditional designs. From Aventon to Schwinn, or RadPower to Momentum, with so many opportunities, the prevailing question is, where do you go to find the best deals and the best information about these brands and their e-bike models? The answer is Upway, the number one certified electric bike provider and an official partner to many of the aforementioned brands.

What is Upway, exactly? It's a marketplace, specializing in e-bikes, featuring an inventory that's sourced from some of the best brands in the world. There are American brands -- like Specialized, Cannondale, and RadPower -- and European brands -- like Riese, Muller, and VanMoof. The best part is the discounts, offering up to 60% off retail, for a plethora of brands. Upway is on a mission to make sustainable mobility affordable for everyone. It's also one of the best places to go for a new or pre-owned e-bike, and here's why:

Read more