Outdoor Blog

5 Stupid-Simple Ways to Start a Fire Pit

Published

4 years ago

May 20, 2021

Whether you’re in the backyard or out in the sticks, starting a fire doesn’t have to be a painful process.

There are countless ways to get your fire pit going, from the extreme survivalist DIY approach to the simplicity of a propane-fueled backyard fire pit. Of course, there are also a lot of methods in between. And this list is going to zero in on the easiest options out there and how to get the most out of them.

Sit back, relax, and get ready for a pain-free fire pit experience. Whether you’re heading out on the trail or preparing for a summer barbeque, these fire pit tups will get your fire started in no time. One of the big things to keep in mind is that preparation is key.

Think through what your goals are and make sure you have all the right materials on hand. And of course, always consider safety measures and be ready to put out your fire pit at any time.

An extinguisher is a must-have for fire safety at home and outdoors.

Before You Start: Fire Pit Safety

The first step to a worry-free fire pit experience is to make sure to keep safety in mind the whole time. It can be surprisingly easy to get caught up in the fun and forget about common fire safety rules. But the quickest way to ruin a night around the fire pit is with a bad injury or a dangerous experience.

If you’re using a gas-fueled fire pit in particular, be careful to read any safety labeling and make sure there aren’t gas leaks or broken valves before you start. You should also be careful about flammable liquids around a fire pit. Whether unrelated liquids like bug spray, or accelerants like lighter fluid, care must be taken with flammable material around an open fire.

You should not use accelerants with a gas-powered fire and if you use them with a wood-burning fire, apply them sparingly and make sure the container is far away when you actually start your fire. Finally, you should always be ready to extinguish a fire. If you’re at home, you should have a fire extinguisher in the house.

Consider storing one outside for the fire pit as well, either in the shed or garage, so that it’s closer. Out in the woods, you should have water or sand on hand to smother the fire when needed. Some fire pits can also be extinguished with a dome or lid that cuts off airflow to the fire.

5 Ways to Start a Fire Pit

So let’s dig into a few different ways to start a fire pit. Some of these are going to require special equipment and setup. Those are listed first. So if you’re reading this as you stand over an unlit fire, maybe skip ahead to the later suggestions.

Another thing to consider is how you’re using the fire. Some of these options are going to be better for cooking, while others are ideal for providing warmth. Consider your goals before starting your fire. And remember: always keep fire safety in mind.

1. Remote Ignition

The ultimate in easy fire start-up, a remote ignition system can be installed in most backyard fire pits, but you should check local regulations and confer with your home owner’s association before installing one. Amazing simple to use, remote-controlled ignition systems make any natural gas or propane set up even more convenient.

This is a great idea for those who plan on using their backyard fire put often. Most remote ignition systems also have important safety features, such as a flame sensor that will turn off the gas if the flame goes out. Still, you should keep an eye on your fire pit while it’s lit, especially if you’re using gas or propane.

One thing to keep in mind is that gas-fueled fire pits, whether remote-controlled or otherwise, won’t be a great option for cooking. You can probably make s’mores on them, but a gas fire pit is not ideal for more extensive cooking.

Close up of an outdoor fireplace with a big yellow flame and black background

Gas fire pits are easy to use and don’t need much maintenance. They also pollute less than wood fire pits.

2. Gas-Fueled Fire Pits

Let’s talk more about gas-fueled fire pits. In addition to considering remote-controlled ignition systems, you’ll need to be choosing between natural gas, butane, and propane if you want to go with a gas-fueled fire. Deciding between these three fuel sources can be tricky, but there are a few main things to consider.

Propane and butane are similar and will both be stored in tanks that you can change out and refill. Natural gas on the other hand, which is mostly methane, will need to be connected to your fire pit from a natural gas line. One consideration is that natural gas is the cheapest of the three options per BTU, but keep in mind it comes with some more extensive setup.

Other than that, propane performs better than butane in cold weather and stores more easily. You won’t see much butane available these days but it’s popular in some regions. Whichever kind of fuel you choose, gas fire pits can be a great option for keeping you warm, lighting up an outdoor party, and more.

They’re very easy to use and can make entertaining easy. If you want something more portable you’re going to need a propane or butane set up but for camping, there’s an even more portable option than a full gas-powered fire pit: the burner pipe.

3. Using a Burner Pipe

A stainless-steel burner pipe can be used to light a fire quickly, without tinder, or in damp conditions. There are many different forms of burner pipe available on the market, so look out for camping-specific products if you’re planning to take one out into the wilderness.

Some are designed with extra safety features to prevent wildfires or are designed for easy portability. The way it works is that you build a fire as if you’re going to light it in a traditional way. If you don’t know how to do this, don’t worry, we’re about to cover that in the next section!

Next, place the log-lighter below your firewood, where you’d normally put tinder and kindling. Then you can light the fire in the same way you would a gas-fueled fire pit. Turn on the gas valve slowly, light it with a long-handled lighter, and wait for your logs to light.

The big difference here is that you should turn off a burner pipe as soon as your logs are lit. Remember, the gas isn’t there to be the main fule, just get you started. This is a great option for a more portable way to use gas to get your outdoor fire pit started.

4. Traditional Tinder & Kindling Fires

As you can probably tell, gas is a lot easier to use than traditional firewood, tinder, and kindling setup. That said, there are some surprisingly easy ways to light a wood-burning fire pit as well. It all starts with gathering the right materials and getting things set up correctly. You can save a lot of time and effort by thinking through how you build a fire before getting started.

Building a Traditional Wood Fire

The first step is to gather the proper materials. Ideally, you want to have this done long before you actually need to use a fire pit. However, in the right environment, you may be able to source these materials pretty quickly. Keep in mind, different states, parks, and regions have regulations about sourcing firewood from the woods around, or bringing in your own.

Make sure you know the local codes and regulations around firewood before you begin. You’ll need three main types of fuel. The pieces of firewood itself, which will be logs or larger pieces of slab wood. Then, you’ll need kindling, which is small sticks, twigs, and other wood pieces, up to about a 1” diameter.

Finally, you need tinder, which will be dry grass, dry leaves, very small pieces of wood or wood shavings, or even items like balled-up paper or cotton balls. There are two main ways to build a fire. With both, you want to start by piling tinder in the center of your fire pit.

You want a good-sized pile. The more tinder you have, the easier the fire will be to light. Just make sure it’s lightly piled and not packed in in order to maintain enough airflow. Then you can stack kindling on top of that, sort of in a pyramid shape, using smaller pieces first. Now, you can either light the kindling first and add logs as it gets going, or you can set up the logs on top.

Lighting Your Fire

Most people with a lot of fire-starting experience will start the fire here and then add firewood. It can be easier, though, to start out with some firewood already stacked up. If you’re going to add your firewood in advance, make sure it’s high enough off the kindling to let the air reach it and yet close enough that it can catch the flames from the burning tinder and kindling.

You want to arrange the logs wither in a “teepee” shape, with logs leaned together above the pile of kindling, or a “log cabin” shape. In the “log cabin,” you lay logs in a Crisscross pattern around and above the pile of tinder and kindling.

Make sure some of the logs cover the center of the fire where your tinder will be lit! Remember, fire burns from the bottom up, so you want each successive size of wood on top of the smaller pieces. And again, airflow is important.

With either shape, you want to have gaps between the large logs and lots of space beneath them. Then, reach into this space with a long-handled lighter or long-stemmed match and light the tinder at the center. If you’ve built the fire correctly, the kindling will catch from there, and then the logs.

5. Faster Fire-Starters for a Wood-Burning Fire Pit

Okay, take a deep breath! While this sounds like a lot, starting a traditional wood fire is not all that difficult. And it’s easier than ever now that three are tools like starter logs, lighter fluid, and seasoned firewood available. One very popular fast-burning option for tinder is to use pinecones.

You can find your own: make sure they are completely dry, and look for broad, fanned-out scales. Or, you can buy pinecone firestarters from outfitters and hardware stores. You can also play around with the type of wood you use to get better results. In particular, look into using “fatwood” for kindling.

Fatwood is made of split pine stumps with a ver thigh resin content. So, when dried, they provide especially flammable kindling and can keep a fire going quite easily. Just having a little fatwood on hand can make starting a wood fire much, much easier.

The final factor to consider if you’re trying to make starting a traditional wood fire simpler and easier is moisture content. Obviously, you want to use dry firewood. But in particular, try to get firewood that’s been seasoned in a kiln. Seasoned firewood is much drier than anything you’ll find on your own and is a lot easier to light and keep lit.

Exercise plenty of caution when using wood shavings to start a fire as it can spread out of control very quickly!

Additional DIY Fire Starters

In addition to the traditional tinder options, like dry leaves, pine needles, and small twigs, there are a few other materials you can use for a quicker and easier fire starter. One really popular alternative tinder option is dryer lint! Everyone has some around and it works really well to get a fire started quickly.

You can also use bark shavings and birch bark in particular is very flammable. Or, try using wood shavings to start a fire quickly and easily. If you use these options, however, please be very careful about containing your fire. Wood shavings can blow away easily and they’re very flammable, so have a bucket of water on hand and pay attention to where your tinder is and what it’s doing.

How to Put Out a Fire Safely

As you can see, fire safety is an integral part of making fire puts simple and easy. The same is true when it comes time to end the night and put out your fire. Gas fire pits are pretty straightforward. You just need to make sure the gas is entirely turned off.

If you’re burning wood though, especially out in the sticks, you need to be very careful about putting out your fire. The risk of wildfire will depend greatly on where you are, the season, and the surrounding conditions, but really fires can get out of hand anywhere at any time.

This is why Smokey the Bear became so well known to campers. So how do you put out a fire safely? The best option is to wait until it burns down to embers on its own. There’s less risk of collapsing logs shooting sparks or hot embers out this way, but it also means you’re not wasting firewood by dousing it in water.

If you need to stop a fire earlier though, just pour water or sand over top and mix it with the dirt until everything is smothered. If you still see smoke, your fire is not out.

Final Verdict:

Starting a fire pit doesn’t have to be an all-day event. With a couple of simple tips in mind, you can be the hero of your next family camping trip and stay sane while doing it. In particular, using more flammable materials like wood shavings or “fatwood” can cut down on the time it takes to light your fire pit significantly while still maintaining the traditional campfire feel.

Still, for backyard entertaining and similar applications, a gas fire pit can deliver what you want.

Bonus tip: Consider using “trick” birthday candles as an easy-to-use fire starter like in this video.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iNKedISH2Hk

Outdoor Blog

How to Take Your Own Internet to Outdoor Events

Published

2 weeks ago

October 18, 2025

Jonas Muthoni

You’ve got the permits, the lineup, the stage design, and the crowd — but when it comes to WiFi, outdoor events can turn from dream festivals to data dead zones in minutes. Reliable connectivity is now as essential as power or sound. Whether it’s a music festival streaming to TikTok, a food fair using mobile POS systems, or a corporate brand activation relying on live dashboards, the internet connection is what keeps the gears turning.

But the truth is this: counting on venue WiFi at a large outdoor event is a gamble. Hundreds of devices fighting for the same bandwidth can jam up the signal before the headliner gets on stage. Public networks only have one backhaul connection, so your production crew, security cameras, and vendors could all be fighting with concert-goers streaming YouTube in the crowd.

So, if your aspiration is to keep the event chugging along like clockwork, the genius move is to bring your own internet — designed specifically for the occasion, private, and controlled by your event staff.

Why Venue WiFi Fails When Crowds Arrive

Let’s start with the numbers. According to Cisco’s 2024 Annual Internet Report, the average person now connects four to six devices at live events — phones, wearables, tablets, scanners, and streaming gear. Multiply that by 5,000 or 50,000 people, and you’re looking at a digital traffic jam.

Outdoor locations have a very minimal amount of wired infrastructure. The majority utilize older systems or common fiber links, which were not designed for thousands of users at once. When the signal is over-stretched, latency increases, access points fail, and the network grinds to a halt.

For event organizers, this is not only inconvenient — it’s a safety and revenue gamble. POS terminals won’t work. QR ticket scanners crawl. Even backup communication programs freeze.

The Smarter Solution: Creating Your Own Network

Constructing a stand-alone network for an outside event may seem daunting, but technology has made it relatively achievable. Instead of relying on one provider or tower, professional crews now use several sources of the internet to deliver redundancy and stability.

Outdoor WiFi specialists use multi-carrier cellular bonding, satellite uplinks, and WAN smoothing to keep traffic consistent even when one source is down. It’s a lot like having several water pipes feed one tank — if one pipe gets stopped up, others keep the flow consistent.

The best configuration depends on three variables:

Location: Urban park, remote valley, rooftop, or open desert all have different signal profiles and line-of-sight challenges.
Bandwidth Demand: Are you providing power to a 50-person AV crew or streaming to a million online viewers?
Duration: A day-long music festival versus a week-long brand tour will change the way you plan power, cooling, and redundancy.

Professional crews will often pre-deploy with site surveys — gauging carrier strength, spectrum congestion, and potential sources of interference such as LED walls or nearby broadcast towers.

Lessons from the Field

Outdoor WiFi would be a niche specialty, but in today’s world it’s simply part and parcel of modern event production. In the last decade, TradeShowInternet’s teams have helped support hundreds of big outdoor festivals and corporate activations, and there have been a few hard-won lessons along the way.

There was the time crews climbed a half mile up the flank of a Santa Fe mountain with over 200 pounds of gear to put in a solar-powered relay antenna for Red Bull’s Guinness World Record truck jump. A second assignment involved digging cable trenches through snake country in Los Angeles for Christian Dior’s fashion show.

When Univision taped La Banda on the beach in Miami, technicians climbed a 20-foot truss into a lightning storm to raise antennas. These are probably war stories, but they represent reality: each outdoor location introduces its own wildcards. Wind, weather, terrain, and local RF noise all push the limits of planning.

The lesson? Experience is as important as gear. Knowing when to use additional directional antennas, when to flip to satellite failover, or how to protect a router from 100-degree heat isn’t something you can read in a manual.

The Technical Side: How Redundant Networks Keep Events Alive

This is how seasoned outdoor internet crews engineer reliability into temporary networks:

Multi-Carrier Bonding: Equipment stitches together data from multiple cellular carriers (Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile, etc.) to maximize bandwidth and fill signal gaps.

WAN Smoothing: Packets are duplicated and relayed on secondary paths to prevent noticeable drops or hiccups in live streams.
Satellite Integration: Especially when out at remote sites or in mountain events where cell phone reception is spotty.
5G + LTE Hybrid Units: Combining newer high-bandwidth 5G networks with more predictable LTE offers well-rounded throughput.
Portable Mesh Access Points: Create overlapping areas of WiFi that eliminate dead spots across vast grounds or over tented locations.
Power & Weather Protection: Ranging from Pelican case enclosures to solar power solutions, all of which ensure uptime regardless of adverse weather conditions.

It’s a multi-layer strategy — not one device straining the load, but several working in tandem to handle bandwidth, robustness, and coverage.

Why Your Vendors, AV Staff, and Guests All Need Their Own Network Layer

External events normally have three distinct user communities that require the internet:

Production and AV Personnel – operation of live feeds, mixing panels, lighting, and communications programs.
Vendors and POS Devices – card transaction processing, QR menus, and inventory software.
Guests and Media – posting, uploading, or taking part in brand interaction activity.

Mixing them all on one open WiFi is risky. It provides security vulnerabilities and causes too much congestion. The preferred method is network segmentation, creating separate virtual networks that prioritize mission-critical traffic (production, POS, security cameras) and restrict non-mission-critical use like social browsing.

This is exactly how professional outdoor WiFi & Internet solution companies like TradeShowInternet build event systems. They design bespoke topologies that match the unique demands of every event, whether a food festival, marathon, or big corporate activation.

Budgeting and Planning: What Organizers Should Know

According to EventMB’s 2024 Event Technology Report, 73% of event planners say maintaining a reliable connection is important to attendee happiness, yet less than half have a standalone internet budget in place upfront while planning. That’s a recipe for last-minute scrambling.

For all to run smoothly, the network plan needs to be created alongside stage design and power planning — not an afterthought.

Some planning advice:

Start early: Conduct site surveys at least 30 days ahead of the event.
Prioritize wired backbones: Use fiber or Ethernet in production areas whenever possible.
Segregate guest WiFi: Utilize bandwidth caps or sponsored captive portals to control usage.
Redundancy: Cellular + satellite bonding is well worth the investment for mission-critical space.
Post-event review: Collect performance data to inform next year’s plan.

Real-World Use Cases

Outdoor connectivity is not just for music festivals. It’s a necessity for:

Marathons and triathlons – for timing chips, live maps, and emergency co-ordination.
Outdoor conferences or summits – where executives require office-grade internet to make presentations.
Food truck festivals and markets – all vendors need POS access.
Film and TV productions – production villages rely on low-latency connections for uploads.
Races and motorsport events – telemetry, live scoring, and media streaming.

Each of these environments needs a different trade-off among coverage area, upload speed, and mobility.

Why Experience Matters for Outdoor Internet Installations

Each outdoor location is unique. Trees, humidity, metal buildings, even bodies of water can affect wireless performance. Having individuals who’ve done hundreds of installations means fewer surprises and faster repairs when something unexpected happens.

That’s where TradeShowInternet, a leading outdoor WiFi & Internet solution company, comes in. The company has built up networks on deserts, beaches, helipads, mountain ridges, and pop-up brand villages — keeping organizers, vendors, and AV teams connected wherever the event is hosted.

Outdoor Blog

Outdoor Event WiFi: The New Backbone of Open-Air Experiences

Published

2 weeks ago

October 17, 2025

Jonas Muthoni

A concert in the canyon. A film night under desert stars. A bustling waterfront food festival with 10,000 guests. Across the country, outdoor events are turning parks, coastlines, forests, and fields into memorable destinations. But there’s one service now as essential as power, permits, and porta-potties: outdoor event WiFi.

Whether for ticket scanning, mobile POS systems, sponsor activations, or live-streaming performances, WiFi for outdoor events has become the invisible support that keeps everything running. Without it, payments stall, communication falters, and digital engagement stops.

Why Outdoor Event WiFi Is Mission-Critical

The outdoor events sector, from farmers’ markets to endurance races, is growing quickly. Allied Market Research predicts global festival revenues will exceed $50B by 2030. These venues offer unique charm, but they also pose a challenge: a lack of built-in internet infrastructure.

“Outside doesn’t mean offline,” says Emma Castillo, a production manager for festivals, film nights, and open-air corporate launches. “We rely on temporary internet for outdoor events to manage our security communications, allow vendors to keep selling, and ensure our livestreams don’t drop.”

Cellular service can struggle with the demands of thousands of devices. Some remote locations may not have any service at all. That’s where outdoor event WiFi solutions come in—portable, scalable, and designed for unpredictable weather.

How Outdoor Internet Keeps Events Moving

Today’s outdoor events rely on connectivity in ways that go far beyond letting guests post on social media:

Mobile POS & Cashless Payments – No signal means lost revenue for vendors.
RFID & Access Control – Real-time validation at gates and VIP areas.
Streaming & Social Content – From TikTok reels to sponsor livestreams.
Sponsor Engagement – QR contests, AR activations, and digital signage updates.
Safety & Logistics – Staff communication, emergency alerts, GPS tracking.

A recent Event Manager Blog study found 63% of sponsors now require guaranteed internet access before committing. Attendees want it too; more than half say connectivity is a key factor in their event satisfaction.

Outdoor Event WiFi Solutions in Action: “Lights on the Lake”

In June, the lakeside town of Lakeshore hosted a three-day open-air film festival. The views were stunning, but no wired internet was available, and mobile service barely worked.

The technical crew set up:

Multi-carrier 5G bonding for vendor and guest networks
Long-range weatherproof access points covering the pier and food court
A private secure network for organizers and emergency staff
A satellite uplink for backup

The festival processed thousands of transactions, streamed Q&A sessions with international filmmakers, and even operated a live voting app without a single connectivity failure.

Industry Perspective: Connectivity as a Core Utility

According to WiFit founder Matt Cicek, changes in event technology priorities have been significant:

“Five years ago, internet at an outdoor event was seen as a nice-to-have. Now, it’s as essential as running water and electricity. From safety coordination to sponsor returns, there’s too much at stake to leave it to chance.”

The Future of Temporary Internet for Outdoor Events

As events become more complex, WiFi for outdoor events from service providers like WiFit will play an even larger role. Expect advancements like:

Solar-powered network kits for sustainable operations
AI-managed bandwidth that adjusts to real-time crowd size
Edge computing for instant AR and interactive attractions

For event planners, the message is clear: the quality of your internet connection is as important as your stage, lighting, or sound system. The next time you’re booking a venue, remember—the crowd may be watching the performers, but they’re also looking at their screens. They expect both to work perfectly.

Outdoor Blog

Gear You Should Snag for the Great Outdoors This Season

Published

1 year ago

September 25, 2024

Caleb Cole

Outdoor enthusiasts know that having the right gear can make all the difference. Whether you’re hiking, camping, hunting, or engaging in any other outdoor activity, quality equipment ensures not only safety but also a better overall experience. As we head into a new season, it’s time to refresh your gear collection with essential items that will enhance your adventures. In this article, we’ll explore five pieces of must-have outdoor gear, focusing on both practicality and comfort.

Shooting Glasses Are Essential for Outdoor Adventures

If you’re heading out for a shooting range session or a hunting trip, investing in a quality pair of shooting glasses is non-negotiable. Eye protection is critical when engaging in any activity involving firearms, and shooting glasses are designed to keep your eyes safe from potential hazards like debris, shell casings, and even harmful UV rays.

Shooting glasses are a key safety measure that helps shield your eyes from impact and glare. The lenses are typically made from high-impact resistant materials that can endure tough conditions, making them a must-have for hunters, target shooters, and outdoor enthusiasts alike. Beyond safety, these glasses often come with polarized lenses to improve visibility in various lighting conditions. By incorporating shooting glasses into your outdoor gear, you’re ensuring not only better safety but also improved performance during your time in the wilderness.

What Should You Look For During Black Friday Hunting Gear Deals?

One of the best times to stock up on essential outdoor gear is during Black Friday. Black Friday hunting gear deals provide an opportunity for hunters to snag high-quality items at significantly reduced prices. Whether you’re after apparel, backpacks, or specialized equipment, Black Friday sales often feature steep discounts on top brands that every outdoor enthusiast should take advantage of.

This sale season is ideal for upgrading your hunting wardrobe and stocking up on essential gear that may normally be out of your price range. From weather-resistant jackets to durable boots and base layers, hunting gear can be pricey, and Black Friday is the perfect time to invest in the best equipment. By keeping an eye out for deals during this shopping period, you can save money while ensuring you’re well-prepared for your next big adventure.

Multi-Tools Are a Must-Have

Want to know the most versatile pieces of gear you can carry? It is a multi-tool. Whether you’re camping, hiking, or hunting, having a tool that can serve multiple functions is a game-changer. Multi-tools come equipped with a variety of features such as knives, screwdrivers, pliers, and scissors, all compactly housed in a single device that easily fits in your pocket or pack.

The practicality of a multi-tool is hard to beat. It allows you to tackle unexpected tasks, from cutting rope to repairing gear, all without needing to carry a full toolbox. When you’re out in the wild, you want to be prepared for anything, and a multi-tool ensures you’re ready to handle small emergencies or make quick fixes with ease.

Insulated Water Bottles Can Improve Your Outdoor Experience

Staying hydrated is one of the most important aspects of any outdoor activity. Whether you’re embarking on a long hike or spending hours in a hunting blind, having an insulated water bottle can make a difference. Insulated bottles have features that help to keep your drinks at the desired temperature for a long time, which is especially useful during extreme weather conditions.

These bottles maintain the temperature of your beverage—whether cold or hot—so you can enjoy refreshing water in the summer or a warm drink during chilly morning hunts. Insulated water bottles are also typically made from durable materials, meaning they can withstand the rigors of outdoor use without breaking or leaking. Investing in a high-quality insulated bottle ensures that you stay hydrated and comfortable throughout your outdoor excursions.

Durable Backpacks Can Enhance Your Outdoor Experience

A good backpack is the cornerstone of any successful outdoor trip. When you’re out in nature, you need a reliable, durable pack to carry all of your gear comfortably. Look for backpacks that are built to withstand harsh conditions, provide ample storage, and have ergonomic designs that distribute weight evenly to prevent strain on your back and shoulders.

Modern outdoor backpacks come equipped with multiple compartments to help you stay organized, as well as specialized features like hydration bladder compatibility, rain covers, and reinforced straps. By investing in a durable, well-designed backpack, you’ll have the capacity to carry everything you need—whether it’s extra clothing, food, or hunting gear—while maintaining comfort during long treks.