Outdoor Element Best sellers, deals, coupon code & our review

About Outdoor Element

Outdoor Element is a small Colorado gear company built around one theme: always carry more than one way to make fire. Their about page says founder Mike Mojica, a mechanical engineer who worked in aerospace and military vehicle modifications, left his job in late 2017 to start the brand. Many products combine a blade, carabiner or pen with a ferro rod, striker and tinder storage. The store lists about 94 products with a median price of $14.95, which reflects how many items are accessories and refills. ### What the catalog looks like

The heart of the line is the Feather knife family. The Scout Feather Adventure Survival Knife ($59.95) pairs a fixed blade with a fire steel, and its listing says Backpacker Magazine named it best survival knife. The Folding Feather EDC Pocketknife ($39.95) uses a 2.75-inch VG-10 steel blade, and the Phoenix Talon ($119.95) is a D2 steel hunting blade. Smaller fire gear includes the Fire Flute ($27.95), a whistle with tinder storage and a ferro rod, and the Fiber Light EDC Fire Kit ($9.95). Camp kitchen items such as the scrub 'n scrape cleaning kit ($9.95) and the OmniTensil utensil system fill out the Camp Kitchen category, along with replacement forks, spoons, chopstick heads and toothbrush heads. ### What sets it apart

Most knife and camping brands sell fire starters as separate items. Outdoor Element builds them in: the Firebiner is a fire-starting multitool carabiner, and the upcoming pen-metheus hides a ferro rod in a pen. The brand also sells replacement ferro rods, sheaths, clips and blades for its own tools, which helps a $40 to $60 knife last longer. Bundles like the Backpacker's Bargain ($101.44, 9.4 ounces total) and Base Camp Bliss Bundle ($147.76) take about 20% off the retail price. A closeouts section sells discontinued or cosmetically flawed items. ### Shipping and returns

According to their shipping policy, orders are processed in 1 to 2 business days and usually ship by USPS from Colorado, with 1 to 5 day transit. Standard shipping is free above a stated threshold, though the policy text does not name the amount; check the cart. Orders ship FOB Origin, meaning responsibility passes to you once the package leaves, and the company says it is not liable for loss or damage in transit. They offer a paid protection plan, Dollar Defense, at checkout. International orders ship worldwide and buyers pay duties. The refund policy allows returns within 30 days for unused items in original packaging with proof of purchase and prior authorization. Sale items cannot be refunded, and exchanges are only for defective or damaged items. Contact is by email (contact@ and sales@outdoorelement.com) and a PO box in Englewood, Colorado; no phone number appears in the pages we reviewed.

What stands out

• Fire built into the tool. Knives, carabiners, whistles and even a pen carry ferro rods and tinder.
• Replacement parts sold. Ferro rods, sheaths, clips, blades and utensil heads keep tools in service.
• Bundle savings. Several bundles are priced about 20% below buying each item separately.
• Named, engineer founder. The about page explains who started the company and why.

Our favorite Outdoor Element products

• Fire Flute: Combines a loud emergency whistle, tinder storage and a ferro rod in one $27.95 tool.
• Scout Feather Adventure Survival Knife: A $59.95 fixed-blade survival knife with an integrated fire steel that the listing says Backpacker Magazine named best survival knife.
• Folding Feather EDC Pocketknife: A pocketknife with a 2.75-inch VG-10 steel blade and jimping for grip, priced at $39.95.
• Fiber Light EDC Fire Kit: A complete $9.95 EDC fire kit that the listing says can start up to 5 fires, a cheap add to any pack.
• Phoenix Talon Survival Hunting Knife: A D2 steel skinning and gutting blade for $119.95, made for field dressing.
• Backpacker's Bargain: A 9.4-ounce backpacking gear bundle at $101.44, about 20% off buying the pieces separately.