Hi... I was 'playing' in the snow last week...or whenever it snowed last...I wanted to see how 'easy' (or hard) it was to light a Bic lighter with cold, wet hands. Well, it...more so than not...CAN'T be done...!! You may have a slightly better chance of getting a flame if the chrome 'guard' is removed...before-the-fact...!! So, if your Get Home Bag is only lighter-equipped...that might be a poor choice...!! Storm proof matches...from REI ONLY (per actual testing) might be a slightly better choice. However, my all-time preference for lighting a fire under harsh conditions remains the railroad fusee (road flare). They're easy to light...even with gloves on...!!
A candle is the trad method for tough conditions. You have to look hard for tinder in a wet forest. Sometimes the best solution is to split some small logs and branches to get to some dry wood. Cotton balls with Vaseline and plenty of other ingniters can help your chances.
