The campfire is a part of camping that I really enjoy. Sitting around while shooting the breeze or just staring at the flames is one part but learning a fire building skillset is fun. The UCO Stormproof Torch & Bottle Opener is great for those times when conditions are not great or just getting a fire going quickly and easily is the goal.
The UCO Stormproof Torch & Bottle Opener is a refillable butane-powered lighter that comes is a protective case. The butane is not included but is easy to get at a local hardware or even a grocery store. The rubber cap on top includes a small carabiner. The cap seals everything up well but opening is pretty easy. I don‘t think I‘ll clip it onto the outside of my pack, but attaching to a loop inside a bag could be handy.
A big difference between your standard lighter and the UCO torch is the flame pattern. A miniature blowtorch is produced by driving out the butane with more force. You can point the flame sideways or almost straight down. The heat rising from the flames is the only problem. Lighting alcohol stoves is less stressful since the pointed flame lets you keep your fingers away from the initial “poof” when the stove lights. The ability to direct the flame sideways when lighting tinder for the campfire is also handy.
Instead of a flint and wheel, the UCO Stormproof Torch & Bottle Opener uses a push button piezo ignition to light its three burners. Pressing the ignition allows a protective cap on the torch to flip open before the torch lights. It makes a lot of heat, which is nice and can be very helpful with starting a fire in bad conditions. The flame height is easily adjustable but I tend to just run it on high. Of course, the torch uses a lot of fuel this way. Basically, three lighters are burning all at once since there are three jets.
With the Stormproof Torch inside the sealed case, it floats. I left the unit in a sink of water for 10 to 20 minutes and found no water inside. When held on the bottom, water seeped into the case. I had trouble getting the torch lit but with a little time it came back to life. The flame was poor until everything dried fully. Rain should never be a problem, but if the torch gets sunk a little work may be needed to get things going. The UCO Stormproof Torch is wind resistant, but shielding is needed in heavier wind or gusts. The bottle opener on the bottom of the hard case and will be great when sealed bottles are in camp.
The UCO Stormproof Torch & Bottle opener has an MSRP of $19.99, so buying one won‘t break the bank. A disposable, on the other hand, will cost a couple bucks. The more robust flame of the UCO torch and the ability to point the flame in a direction are features you won‘t have in a regular lighter. The durability of the UCO Stormproof Torch appears to be good since I have gotten it wet and dried it a few times now with no permanent damage. Click here to visit the UCO website.
– Mark
I‘d like to thank UCO for sending the Stormproof Torch & Bottle opener out for testing and review. I‘ll be carrying the torch with me through the upcoming backpacking season for more durability testing.