Being in a Survival Camp has taught me a valuable lesson - I'll always carry tampons when venturing into the wilderness.
In the heart of the Peine district, Stefan Winkler's Survival Camp Wense offers a unique learning experience for those interested in wilderness survival skills. Among the various techniques taught, the camp showcases unconventional methods for starting a fire using everyday items.
One such method involves using a tampon, a battery, and a Kinder chocolate bar. Although no direct search results were found detailing this exact combination at the Survival Camp Wense, the process aligns with common survival fire-starting knowledge using improvised materials.
The tampon acts as tinder due to its cotton content, which catches sparks easily. A 9V or AA battery can be used to generate an electric spark by connecting both terminals with a fine conductive material, such as small steel wool or metal foil. The spark or heat ignites the cotton fibers of the tampon.
While chocolate itself is not flammable, its melted sugars might help in combustion by aiding the cotton in catching fire once ignited by a spark. However, it's important to note that the Kinder chocolate is more of a survivor’s treat than a fire starter in this scenario.
The general method for starting a fire with these items is as follows:
- Expose the tampon as tinder by pulling it apart to increase airflow and surface area.
- Use a battery to generate an electric spark by connecting both terminals with a fine conductive material.
- After you have a glowing ember or small flame, carefully blow on it to grow the fire.
Stefan Winkler, the camp's founder, demonstrates this method at the Survival Camp Wense. He also teaches participants how to start a fire using more conventional methods, such as birch bark and other natural materials.
Birch tree, considered an ultimate survival plant, is a valuable resource in the wilderness. Its sap can be drunk, and its bark can be used to start a fire. To start a fire with birch bark, one needs birch wood, birch bark, a knife, and a fire steel.
The Survival Camp Wense offers day and weekend courses for those eager to learn these skills. Participants learn about using a fire steel to create sparks and ignite the birch tinder, as well as other essential skills like filtering water, building shelters, and making fire.
Stefan Winkler, an experienced survivalist, has accumulated his knowledge through books, personal experience, and military training. He emphasises the importance of carrying these items during long hikes for potential emergency situations.
For those seeking a challenge, the Survival Camp Wense offers an opportunity to learn and practice survival skills in a controlled environment. With quick successes achievable in a short amount of time, one can gain valuable knowledge about wilderness survival.
- Incorporating unconventional materials into outdoor-living skills, Stefan Winkler's Survival Camp Wense teaches participants how to start a fire using a tampon, a battery, and a Kinder chocolate bar, demonstrating the ability to create fire with available items.
- Away from the improvised methods taught at the Survival Camp Wense, Stefan Winkler also encourages learning home-and-garden skills, such as starting a fire using birch bark, which is a valuable resource in the wilderness and can be utilized for fire-starting.
