While I love gadgets and gizmos as much as the next guy, I'm not a big fan of anything that runs on butane (lighter fluid). It doesn't do well in extreme cold. I'm not a big fan of the heating things with sticks. They feel heavy to me for the amount of warmth. If I wanted "canned" heat, I'd toss some tear-and-use chem heaters in my fanny pack. I'd probably use them by tucking one under each arm to help my core temperature.
The best way to have a "white man's fire" is to build your fire at the base of a good dry snag. Under the right (or wrong) conditions, you can get a 40' tall campfire. Don't ask me how I know this.
If you get a fire going, you can heat stones to act as body warmers. They can work pretty well and toss off a good amount of heat over the course of a cold night. I also think some guys neglect building a reflector. This not only throws more heat but it helps draw the smoke. (Some guys never figure out why smoke follows them.)
I suggest the rules of "three" when it comes to making fires. Always carry at least three separate ways to make fire. Always carry three separate tinders. Always carry firemarking supplies in three different places. Continuing on the theme of "Don't ask me how I know," but it is possible to tear off a fanny pack and scatter its contents over a hundred feet of steep mountainside. It's also possible to tear the pocket off a wool shirt or to fall in such a way as to empty one's pockets. It's also possible that a container that starts out at the beginning of day as "waterproof" can, through hard work and amazing luck, become "waterlogged." You may never need three ways to start a fire, but when you do, it's good go have them.
Hunting success is 90 percent hunter, 10 percent weapon.
