I think I've owned all of them and I have found they all work very well. Including the older style ones that are contained in a block of magnesium.
I have also found using a knife works a lot better than any of the strikers they usually come with.
I light fires with them regularly but that is almost always with some form of easily ignited fuel (lint, cotton balls, esbit tablet, dry moss, etc.) If I were shivering to death and all I had were some pine shavings and small tinder, I'd be using a match or a bic.
I know the argument is that they can work in "all conditions" but the reality is (as previously stated) a bic seems to work in all conditions as well. And I have found waterproof matches to be pretty goddammn waterproof. Not to mention I keep my fire making stuff in a plastic bag anyway. So if I do happen to fall into a lake, I should be fine regardless.
Travis
