Tinder is a lifesaver when it comes to starting fires.
Without it, you’ll be stuck holding a lighter to a piece of wood for a very long time (if you even have a lighter).
Tinder is what helps get a fire going.
It lights easily and creates a starter fire that you can then feed larger sticks and logs into.
To make things easy for you, we’ve compiled a list of the best materials used for tinder.
And we’ve split them up into two categories, naturally occurring and man-made, just in case you’re already out in the wilderness and don’t have time to run to the store.
What Is Tinder?
As Wikipedia puts it, tinder is easily combustible material used to start a fire (source).
Material is easily combustible when it is open and finely divided.
The best tinder will catch fire from a single spark landing on it and will burn easily.
This helps to get your kindling to burn, which will allow you to add larger material and create a sustainable fire.
Without tinder your best bet is to create fire using existing fire.
But unless you want to waste all of your lighters fuel lighting a larger branch, check out the tinder materials below.
Naturally Occurring Tinder Materials
While there are some man-made tinder materials that light up immediately, sometimes you won’t have them readily available.
When your stock is running low, be on the lookout for these great natural tinder materials.
Fatwood
We love using fatwood because it is a tinder that will light even if it isn’t dry.
Fatwood is resin-induced tinder found mostly in the stumps of pine trees.
It’s best to harvest from rotting pine stumps.
This allows the most time for the resin to gather in the stump.
Fresh pine will produce little to no fatwood.
If you cannot find a stump to harvest, it’s best to use another material for tinder.
Dead Grass
Everywhere you travel you can usually find a patch of dead grass.
This material works great for tinder as it is dry and airy.
Be sure to gather as much as possible when using grass as it burns very quickly.
Have small twigs close by to add to your tinder to get the best results.
Dried Leaves
Dried leaves can be found in abundance, especially where there are a lot of dead trees around.
Lighting dried leaves is also very easy, and will help you start your fire in no time.
Keep in mind that leaves will not light if they are wet, so if it is raining you won’t have too much luck collecting them off the ground.
Instead, look for freshly dead trees that still have leaves on them.
Oak and beech trees tend to hang on to dead leaves fairly well.
Another place to look is in large piles of leaves.
While the outside layers will be wet, there is a chance that the center will be dry and perfect for tinder.
If no dry material can be found, you can dry out your tinder by placing it in between your layers of clothing.
Spanish Moss
You can find spanish moss hanging from trees and in piles on the ground.
This plant, similar to grass, is very airy and is easy to light when dried out.
Look on tree branches and on the ground near trees and you will often find spanish moss in abundance.
Punkwood
Punkwood is found in rotted or softer areas of a dead tree.
Punkwood will light very easily, so long as it is dry.
You can often find punkwood while searching for fatwood as the dead tree will be found very close to the stump.
Wood Shavings
Any dried piece of wood can be shaved down into tinder.
Simply find a dead piece of wood that is dried out and scrape your knife down the log to create wood shavings.
Gather the shavings together and create a spark to light them.
You may also want to create a feather stick to help your kindling catch fire as well.
Various Barks
Palm bark will often be dried out even if found near water and makes a great source for tinder.
Simply harvest the bark like you would small kindling.
You can also turn the bark into small shavings to light them even quicker.
Cedar bark is often found completely dry (even on healthy trees) and can be peeled straight off the tree.
To harvest cedar bark for tinder, tear the bark off in long strips.
Sagebrush bark is fibrous, similar to palm bark, and can be lit very easily.
Peel off a few strands of bark and fluff them up to create tinder.
Birch bark can be distinguished by its white color and almost paper-like thinness.
Peel off a few layers to make the perfect tinder to start your fire.
Coconut Husks
Coconut husks can be separated into thin, fibrous strands that light very easily.
Once you’ve lit the outer strands, the tougher inside of the coconut shell can also be used for kindling.
Pine Needles & Pine Cones
Similar to fatwood, pine needles and pine cones contain sappy resin that lights really easily.
Pine needles don’t get damp easily so they are often a good source of tinder even when it’s wet.
Both the needles and cones can be found in abundance on the forest floor.
Take a bunch of needles and set a spark to them to light easily.
To create more surface area for the spark to burn, crumble the pine needles into smaller pieces and bunch them together.
You can also use a lit pine cone as an improvised candle.
Coal & Tinder Fungus
Also called King Alfred’s Cake and cramp balls, coal fungus can be found living on dead and decaying trees.
Dried coal fungus will take spark and set alight very easily, so grab a bunch to prepare for your kindling.
Tinder fungus grows on living trees and can be distinguished by its horse hoof shape.
Tinder fungus works really well for holding an ember, and was used in ancient times for transporting an ember to a new location for firemaking (source).
Fortunately, that method of holding an ember still works today and tinder fungus works great for tinder (go figure).
Man-Made Tinder Materials
If you’ve had time to prepare your fire making kit, chances are you will already have some of these materials at the ready.
If you are looking to create a fire without the use of natural tinder, check out these man-made materials that work great for starting a fire.
Cotton Balls
Cotton balls are made of pure cotton.
And cotton happens to be very flammable!
Take a couple of these and fluff them up.
Then strike a spark into them to get an ember going quickly.
For a waterproof tinder material that can burn for minutes, coat your cotton balls in petroleum jelly!
Jute Twine
Carrying some twine is always a good idea for multi-purpose use.
Jute twine has many uses, one being a great firestarter.
Simply unravel the twine to get thin fibers that will light extremely easily.
Lint
Dryer lint will light quickly when a spark is introduced.
That’s because most of that lint is cotton.
Don’t have any dryer lint with you?
Take a look at your clothes.
Chances are you are wearing cotton and can harvest some of those loose lint fuzzies to create some tinder.
Char Cloth
Char cloth is super dried material that will form an ember at even the smallest of sparks.
You can either purchase char cloth or make it yourself.
Grab a small piece and use your striker to create a spark.
It usually only takes one spark to light the char cloth and it holds an ember really well.
Paper
Paper is of course a great material for tinder.
It’s thinly sliced pieces of a tree!
Paper on it’s own will hold an ember fairly well and can be used in a pinch to create a fire.
Tampons
Tampons have more than one use out in the wilderness.
If you don’t have any tinder and need to find some, you can use the cotton from a tampon to get a fire started in no time.
Steel Wool #0000
Steel wool burns fairly well, and they make super fine wool (#0000) that will light from a small spark.
Just make sure it’s #0000 if you are planning to use steel wool as tinder!
Magnesium Shavings
Magnesium shavings are highly combustible when a spark is introduced.
You can purchase magnesium blocks specifically used for tinder, and they will often come with a ferro rod attached to the side (like this magnesium fire starter kit from Amazon).
To use magnesium to light a fire, simply scrape an edge of the magnesium block with your knife to create shavings.
Then use the fire lighting method of your choice to shower sparks over the shavings.
Magnesium burns very quickly so have your kindling ready!
What Materials Do You Use For Tinder?
Now that we have presented you with numerous ways to start your fire, it’s your turn.
What tinder is your favorite for fire making?
If we missed a great firestarter material, let us know!