A Bag Of Chips Is The Perfect Fire Starter If All Your Tinder Is Wet

Campfires are an integral part of the camping experience. Inasmuch, most seasoned campers make it a point to pack fire starters and other campfire supplies in with their essential gear and equipment. They also make it a point to gather a supply of tinder, kindling, and firewood as soon as they make camp. However, even if you are well prepared, there are times when plans go awry. A sudden downpour, for instance, can be ruinous to your campfire building supplies. However, there are a number of genius hacks for starting campfires in these situations. In fact, if you happen to pack a supply of snacks, you may have just what you need to build a perfect campfire because a bag of chips is an excellent fire starter if all your tinder is wet.

Chips work well as a fire starter because of the ingredients used to make them -– corn, vegetable oil, salt. In combination, they create a fast-lighting, long-burning element that is a perfect fire starter. As a bonus, chips are packed in a waterproof bag and double as a great snack while hiking or camping, so you can kill two birds with one stone, so to speak, by packing a bag of chips for your next outdoor adventure.

Although chips burn well and are excellent fire starters, they are not effective as kindling. While a bag of chips tends to burn for a few minutes, there simply isn't enough substance to produce the heat intensity or duration necessary to catch larger pieces of wood on fire. So, you will still need a stash of kindling, along with the best campfire wood you can find.

Starting a campfire using chips as a fire starter is really no different than with many other fire starters. To start, build a pile of chips. Then, make a pile of kindling above it. It is best to form the kindling in an "A" or teepee shape with enough space between each stick to let some air pass through. Then, light the chips with a lighter or matches. Once the kindling begins to burn, begin adding progressively larger sticks and pieces of wood.

While any type of chips will work, many often wonder which chips work best. The majority of sources on the subject point to corn chips over potato chips. Both Rated Red and Far Out conducted tests to determine which type of chip performs best as campfire tinder. Each came to the same conclusion — Fritos come out on top, with Doritos coming in second. All other types of chips burn for far less time than the top two.