überlebenHexå Ferro Rod Fire Starter for Survival – Up to 20,000 Strikes, 1/2" Thick Hexagon Fire Steel with Striker and Lanyard – Waterproof Flint and Steel for Camping

Yes, you can purchase a ferro rod at virtually any sporting goods store for a fraction of the price. Common are the magnesium blocks with a small ferro rod glued in on one side with what looks like a small chunk of spent hacksaw blade spray painted black and attached by one or those little strings of metal beads that never stopped anyone from stealing a pen from a bank teller window, ever.On such cheapies the ferro rod can fall out of the magnesium block which is not good when you really need to spark a warming fire.Enter the Uberleben (English translation “to survive”) Hexa.This one is different. This one is special. This one just feels “right” in an unquantifiable sort of way. One look and you just know it’s a good design.The hexagonal shape makes it easier to spark a fire and lets face it: the time you absolutely NEED a fire could well be the time you’re compromised mentally and/or physically in some way. Early into hypothermia we humans get uncoordinated and less cognitive. You can’t think the way you normally do and you’re shaking and maybe frustrated and all sorts of things and the fire you need to get through the night might not be so easy to make.Which is why I like the flat sides. You can slide the spine of any decent knife fixed blade knife down the flat side and get a shower or sparks, and the more sparks the better.(And on a related aside: the SOG Pillar is an awesome all around fixed blade for just under 200 bones. It’s made in the USA of good S35VN steel but more importantly it has a large, squared sharpening choil that can put a good scrape on a ferro rod while keeping the edge pointed at the tinder and away from you.)This ferro rod has a metal tool tied to it with a leather strap that could easily be replaced with paracord or what have you, and that little chunk of metal is good for shaving tinder from sticks and likely even for striking the rod though it’s not as heavy as a good camp knife.The Uberleben Hexa appears to be a good piece of essential kit. One I’m sure will get it’s share of use over time. About the only real problem you could ever have with it would be to lose it.You could go cheaper. You could go more expensive. But this one is about right.Maybe if you’re a hardcore hiker who measures your gear by fractions of an ounce this one wouldn’t pencil out. For the rest of us it’s worth making a little bit of room in the backpack to accommodate.You’ll want to carry more than one source or fire, and this would be a good one to include in the gear.And DO go for the 6” model because again: the time you really need to spark up a fire could well be the time when you’re not firing on all eight due to the situation at hand and the more sparks you can get for your efforts, the better.As for myself, I am already considering buying another. Maybe even a few more for gifts.

This ferro rod is amazing and produces the largest brightest sparks I have ever seen on a ferro rod. The consistency is insane I definitely would recommend this product. The value for money is definitely worth it

I usually buy Firesteel products but decided to give this brand a try because of the unique shape. I am glad I did because the formula gives off big blobs of molten fire that works far better than just sparks. The large flats give you excellent purchase to hold and provides a larger striker area. The included striker has a sharp side that does a good job shaving off product. I don't have enough time with it to tell if it will dull in time. There is a half round cutout on the end intended to assist in shaving wood for tender which I have not tried. I use Firesteel strikers for the most part. This is a really well thought out and well made high quality formula that gives immediate results that round rods can't compete with. The price is about right for the shape. I highly recommend this product for your truck box, bug out bag, backpack, or go to striker for the gas grill.

It works to start fires.

Just received my Hexa. This is my first ferro-rod, so I can't compare its performance to other products, but:Pros:- Easy to use- Compact size (received a 3" rod: more on this later)- Scrape-y dongle thing does a decent job making sparks once the outer coating of the rod has been scraped off (doesn't take long).Con:- This is an Amazon problem not a product problem, but: thought I was ordering a 6" rod based on every photo being of the 6" product and the lack of any buttons for selecting a size when ordering. On receiving the product I went back and checked the text description of the item and it does indeed specify a 3" rod (my mistake, sort of). Was going to order a second one in 6" format (since I have already played with the one I received, but I still want a longer one and having two wouldn't be a bad thing) but can't even find a way to order the longer rod: the product page says, "3" or 6" lengths," but there's no UI option for selecting a size or model, and if you just add the product to cart it defaults to the 3" version. Hopefully this situation is resolved by the time you, dear reader, come to purchase your ferro rod.

Nice and large! Thanks for the great product at a good price and fast shipping

This thing spits sparks like no other. I use it every time I camp. This and some firestarter material and a little patience always yields a solid fire. Small footprint in my ruck is always appreciated. This product delivers exactly what I need out in the bush.

Awesome, works GREAT!