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I got up at 6:30 to start the stoves for coffee on our outing last month and found only two matches left in the only matchbook (someone put the lighter and extra matches in a different bear canister). The wind blew out the first match, but luckily I got the stove started with the last match.
Not being a boy scout I started looking for high tech solutions. (Actually I had a magnesium-fire-starter, so I could have used it to start a pile of sticks on fire and used one of them to start the stoves.) See: http://www.survival-gear.com/magnesium-fire-starter.htm Waterproof matches seemed too low tech and some people have had bad luck with them.
Backpacker Magazine's 2010 editors choice soto pocket torch looked cool. Backpacker says "Just put a 50¢ lighter into this little widget, and you get a mini blowtorch that produces a small hot blue flame (like windproof lighters)."
Advantage seems to be it's wind-proof, flame shoots out instead of up when held sideways, the filament for the spark is inside and waterproof so it works when wet and your finger is not close to the flame so you can keep it on to cut a rope etc. without burning your finger.
$20 Solo Candle ligher is better. It has an extended tube which will go thru the baffle in a camp stove or BBQ like a match. $15 Temp: 1,800° F Dimensions: 3.75" x 1.25" x .5" Weight: 1.3 oz. See: candlelighter at basegear.com or solo-camping-lighter at gear.camping.com GetLit.com Disadvantage is you have to refill it with premium butane. Brunton firestorm lighter $40 Butane doesn't work above 7,000' YouTube Don
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