I don't mind using fatwood but in my area evergreens are not very common. I like to think of tinder being of two forms. One is stuff that you gather opportunistically as you are walking around. It can be birch bark, or dried grass tufts like the tops of phragmities. The other is the emergency tinder that is easy and guaranteed to light under duress. The petroleum-jelly cotton balls and other synthetics work really well for that.

In my case, since fatwood is not readily available from nature and I have to buy it, I prefer the coglan firesticks. Basically the same kindling bit as DotD's emergency starter without the match. I actually prefer the coglan fire sticks to fatwood just because it is so easy to scrap a fine powder with the knife edge that is readily lit with the fire steel. On fatwood its not that bad to do, but it can be finicky, more so then the coglan firesticks.

kgd- A person has to adjust for the area they are in for sure.Knowing what lights easily- or what stays dry can save your life. Also- if you are in an area that just doesn't have much- best to be prepared. Good observation on your part <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumbup.gif" alt="" />

This is the kit I carry with me everywhere for firestarting. From left to right:

Petroleum coated cotton balls, Coghlan firesticks with starter, Coghlan Fatwood,
Magnesium, and Bic lighter

Dotd, this is the fire kit I carry with me. Quite a bit bigger then the pocket tin ones. At one point, I had everything (first aid and fire/shelter) crammed into an overinflated adventure medical kits bag. However, accessing stuff from an overfill nylon bag just isn't convenient. It certainly doesn't do to have to dump out your medical supplies on the ground in search of a match <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" />

Then I settled on these lock'n'lock containers at wallmart. I have one for first aid and one for fire/shelter/water. I find it rather easy to just transfer for two tupperware containers from my EDC bag to a day bag or multi-day carry.