UCO Stormproof Match Kit Review

Overview

The UCO Stormproof Match Kit is a 25-match backup fire-starting system built around a floating, O-ring-sealed ABS case. It’s aimed at backpackers, hunters, and emergency-kit builders who want a redundant ignition source that still works after a swim in a creek or a gust of wind — not a primary stove-lighting tool for daily use.

Key Specs

Spec	Detail
Weight	48.0 g (1.7 oz)
Match length	7 cm
Quantity	25 matches
Burn time	Up to 15 seconds per match
Strikers included	3
Case	Waterproof floating ABS plastic, O-ring seal

Performance

The core claim — that these matches relight after being submerged in water — holds up in independent testing, not just UCO’s marketing video. One reviewer who dunked a lit match found the claim that they’ll burn when wet or even after being dipped in water is not a gimmick, and the flame dulled when underwater but sparked right back up to full flame when it was pulled back out. Another tester reported the same result, noting the match then re-ignited upon being removed from the water.

Windproofing is the other headline feature, and it’s arguably the more useful one on trail. Multiple independent testers tried to blow these out and failed — one wrote I tried blowing one out with my breath and wasn’t able to successfully do it, while another compared the effect to trick birthday candles: when exposed to wind, the UCO match resembled those birthday candles that you can’t blow out, and it kept relighting, proving its windproof claim. That’s a real advantage over a Bic lighter in a gusty col or a standard match that gutters out in seconds.

Burn time is the trade-off for that wind resistance. At up to 15 seconds per match, you get roughly three to five times the burn duration of a kitchen match, which one reviewer confirmed by comparing them directly: the UCO Stormproof match burned hotter and considerably longer than the other two matches tested (a strike-anywhere match and a standard waterproof match). That extra time matters when you’re trying to catch damp tinder rather than dry birch bark — it’s enough runway to actually establish a flame instead of just igniting and dying.

The case itself is a legitimate upgrade over a Ziploc bag or a repurposed pill bottle. It’s got an integrated exterior striker, room for two spare strikers, an O-ring seal, and a lanyard loop, and testers who dunked the whole container found it did in fact remain waterproof — both the matches and the cotton remained dry. It floats, too, which is a small but genuinely useful detail if you’re using it near water and drop it.

The complaint that comes up most consistently across owner reviews isn’t about the matches failing to light — it’s about what happens once they do. Because they burn so hot and so long, you cannot casually blow them out or wave them dead the way you would a normal match. One long-term user learned this the hard way while lighting a camp stove: we found that out when lighting a camp stove, and then found us with a burning match that we could not extinguish…thankfully, we were near the campfire, so tossed the match in there. Plan your disposal (dirt, water, or an existing fire) before you strike one, not after.

A few reviewers also flagged the striker pads as the weak link in the system — not unusable, but less forgiving than the matches themselves, with one noting the pads “could be better” and may take extra effort to get a clean strike. Keep the spares dry and don’t count on the primary striker surviving heavy field abuse indefinitely.

Worth flagging for full transparency: the match tip contains perchlorate, the same compound found in flares and fireworks, which carries a California Prop 65 cancer/reproductive-harm warning. It’s not unique to UCO — most match compounds use similar chemistry — but it’s worth knowing before you toss loose matches in a pocket kids dig through.

Pros & Cons

Pros

• Genuinely relights after full submersion — verified by multiple independent testers, not just marketing
• Very difficult to blow out in wind; noticeably more reliable than standard matches or an open-flame lighter in gusty conditions
• 15-second burn time gives real margin for catching damp or marginal tinder
• Floating, O-ring-sealed case is a meaningful upgrade over DIY waterproofing
• Cheap insurance at under $10-13 for 25 matches plus 3 strikers
• Compact and light enough (1.7 oz) that there’s no excuse not to carry a backup

Cons

• Once lit, they’re hard to extinguish — you need a plan for putting them out, not just striking them
• Striker pads are reportedly the weakest part of the kit and may need patience or careful technique
• Burn hot enough that you shouldn’t hold the treated end or linger too long before dropping to tinder
• Perchlorate in the match tip warrants normal caution around kids and disposal
• Overkill as your only fire source if you’re already carrying a reliable stove igniter or lighter — this is a backup, not a replacement

Who Should Buy This

This kit makes the most sense as a backup or emergency fire source rather than a primary one — think bottom-of-the-pack insurance for backpackers, a glovebox or bug-out-bag staple for preppers, or a hunting/fishing kit addition where wet hands and wind are the norm rather than the exception. If your trips rarely leave dry, sheltered conditions and you already carry a mini Bic, you may never need to reach for these — but at 1.7 oz, there’s little argument against tossing a kit in anyway.

Verdict

The UCO Stormproof Match Kit does what it says: the matches relight after being dunked, they’re stubbornly hard to blow out, and the floating waterproof case is a genuine upgrade over jury-rigged storage. It’s not a primary fire-starting tool and you’ll want a plan for extinguishing a lit match once it’s burning, but as cheap, lightweight backup insurance for wet or windy trips, it earns its spot in the kit. I’d rate it a 7.5/10 — reliable and well-built, just don’t expect it to replace a good lighter for everyday use.