Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

Having been something of a Gerber fan for life with their multitools (I've had the same model on my hip daily for the past 8 years), seeing that they partnered with Bear to create a line of survival tools automatically sealed the deal on this firestarter. The beautiful thing about this device is that it's compact, sturdy, watertight and most of all keeps your hands safe and comfortable when trying to get a fire going. Everything else--from the printed SOS/Air rescue instructions printed on the outside to the tight little space for tinder in the cap and the added whistle is just icing on the cake. There's little else to be said other than what others have already pointed out, but I would like to add just a few more. * I managed to cram another four cotton balls into the cap, providing me with tinder for quite some time. * The complaints in other reviews about the lack of a longer cord to wear the device around the neck should be taken with the device's weight in mind--while not heavy in the hand, I certainly wouldn't want this thing thumping on my chest all day as I walked around--it definitely isn't light when it comes to your sternum. It's ideally suited to shove into your coat or pants pocket, ready to go in moments. * When you first use the striker against the ferrocerium rod, don't be discouraged it isn't sparking--the black coat around the rod needs to be stripped away to get at the metal to create the spark--a few good strikes against it and your intital attempt will yield results in a matter of seconds. * The guide incidentally has a few touches all its own: the side is printed with a 10-inch measurement and even suggests using the guide as an impromptu dewcatcher for drinking water if the situation calls for it. Nothing about this device or survival guide is wasted.