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Not all storm matches are created equal. Some perform when others won't, some catalyst material so far down the matchstick that you'll burn your fingers while using them. Some catalyst coatings are thicker and more easily lit than others.
[singlepic id=1055 w=225]UCO stormproof match $5/50 GearScout Approved
PRO: If matches are your thing, UCO is your match. The are huge and burn vigorously in a howling wind and rain for 20-25 seconds.
CON: The matches come with a couple of spares in the cardboard box, but you'll still have to baby them. The thick, waterproof coating is hard on strikers, though. These aren't light-anywhere matches.
[singlepic id=1053 w=225]Diamond Strike Anywhere 10 Pack $7 (These aren't billed as survival matches, but we tried them to see how they did in a pinch.) PRO: These are great for lighting a stove or some newspaper on a bluebird day. Strike them on a stone or zipper and you're hot. CON: As a survival match, pass. They are toothpick-sized kitchen matches with a tiny strike tip.
[singlepic id=1054 w=225]ProForce Storm and Survival Matches $5/$9 2/pack Storm and Survival are sold as different matches by Proforce, but the only difference we found was the package they come in. The Storm come in cardboard matchbox, while the Survival are sealed in a rigid waterproof plastic tube. PRO: The matches are more compact than the UCO matches and burn just as hot. CON: The smallish match burns fast (about 10-12 seconds) and are a bit hard to hold when that flame crawls within millimeters of your fingertips.
