Entertainment

This 'Shark Tank' Product Could Be A Lifesaver

by Kayla Hawkins

Many of the products featured on Shark Tank have been very successful, but how many have literally saved someone's life? If you're interested in products that might have some life-saving properties, you'll probably be looking to buy InstaFire after the Feb. 17 episode of Shark Tank checks in on the camping product that allows you to start a fire in the most extreme weather conditions. And in an interview with Forbes after they scored a deal on the series, creators Frank Weston and Konel Branner said that they've heard from grateful campers who credit InstaFire with saving their lives. Banner quotes a happy customer who said, "I couldn’t even get dry pine needles to stay lit and I was in trouble, then I remembered I had some InstaFire ... and I think it saved my life."

It's winter right now, so those who are planning to go camping could need to consider the need to start a fire in some less than habitable situations. And in that situation, InstaFire will come in handy. According to the company's website, their main product is the "natural outdoorsman's fire starter," a small packet of material that can start a wooden campfire easily and in any situation — it doesn't need to be dry, and it can sustain a flame in up to 20-30MPH winds. The company also strives to be environmentally friendly, claiming that "InstaFire's leftover ash is a natural fertilizer. It nourishes the earth" in the Forbes interview. Because of the product's natural ingredients, it also means that you can cook over your InstaFire.

InstaFire, starts at $7, Amazon

Speaking of cooking, the company also offers what they call the "safest, easiest, and most economical way to light hard to start charcoal" — think of it as an alternative to lighter fluid. By the way, both starters are made out of a "patented blend of volcanic rocks blended with a hard wood pellet and coated with a food grade safe paraffin wax." So not only is it safe to use on your home barbecue, you can also tell your Labor Day guests that their burgers were made in the ashes of a volcano.

When InstaFire made a deal with Mark Cuban and Lori Grenier, the company pledged to focus more on online marketing, which means you can currently buy InstaFire online in several ways. First of all, you can buy all of the company's products through their website. The packets, which are available in eight-pack, 18-pack, and 30-pack sizes, range from $10 to $30. You can also get a one-gallon container of firestarter for $23.99, or super-sized doomsday prepper buckets for between $40 and $80 — depending on how many gallons you think you'll need.

If you prefer the ease of Amazon, InstaFire products are available there, as well (for slightly higher cost but a greater chance of free shipping). Additionally, if you still like doing all of your shopping at a brick and mortar location, first of all, congratulations, and secondly, you'll find InstaFire at Target, Walmart, and plenty of other stores. There's no shortage of ways to stock up on this product, which is a must-have for anyone who may want the ability to start a fire that will light quickly, safely, and without anything that will pollute the environment. It's Shark Tank approved — and right now, you can pick up some InstaFire and see it for yourself.