You might call us latter day Boy Scouts, but we at Gear Patrol have been riffing on a certain theme of late: Be Prepared. It’s just that you never know in what situation you might find yourself, and, when the unexpected strikes, a man wants to be able to be decisive and take charge, knowing that he’s equipped with the gear and the knowledge to see the situation through. It’s all very primal. To that end, what’s more primal than good old fashioned fire?

Tool Logic must agree, because they’ve brought two great “just in case” items together - an outdoors knife and fire starter - in the form of the SL Pro 2. This knife combo isn’t anything overly complex or elegant or pricey; it’s just a good solid addition to your pack anytime you wander off the beaten path. Tool Logic’s SL Pro Outdoor line is a combination of a 3″ 50/50 serrated blade (forged from 420J2 Stainless Steel), an emergency whistle, a bright LED flashlight, and one other tool of your choosing. That bonus is either a magnetic flashlight base,  a Magnesium alloy fire starter, or a diamond sharpener.  We like to go with the flammable model; hit the jump to hear why.

We tested the fire starter model (SL Pro 2) and recommend that as the most useful of the three, your specific needs notwithstanding. Making fire out of nothing at all (not to be confused with an Air Supply hit) is one of the most difficult survival skills to master. I don’t know about you, but should I ever have to spend the night exposed to the elements, I don’t want to be relied upon to generate the required friction of my own volition. The SL Pro 2’s fire starting abilities made quick work of my test wad of tender, and I surmise they’d be equally effective in the back country as in my back yard.

The Verdict: Unless you took your Bear Grylls pill this morning, check your pride and pack a tool that can start a fire. The SL Pro 2 will get the job done. That, and its integrated LED flashlight will help you find that lost granola bar at the bottom of your bag.

Cost: $39