I am both wealthy and a giant gearfag, so I've spent probably over $1000 on lighters in my lifetime. I've found only 3 lighters worth buying:
1. Disposable BIC.
The classic. Chuck it in a plastic bag for /out/ings.
Pros: Cheap, small
Cons: Neither wind nor water resistant
2. Windmill JP
The only "jet" lighter I've ever owned that I recommend. The TSA stole mine several years back and I haven't nabbed a new one yet. Uses butane.
Pros: water resistant, very windproof
Cons: quite hard to find, not TSA compliant, pricey, somewhat less reliable at high altitudes (although the catalytic coil alleviates this to a degree)
3. Douglass Field S
O-ring-sealed bar-stock lighter with several /out/-oriented features. Uses liquid fuel (like a zippo).
Pros: waterproof, wind resistant
Cons: pricey
All of the above lighters satisfy the following criteria: Durable, reliable, does not leak fuel
Things I explicitly recommend against:
99% of "jet" lighers: They are usually unreliable over time (especially if they use a cheap piezo converter), don't tend to handle altitude well, and are not TSA complient. Very few are water resistant.
Zippos: Not water resistant, and they leak vapors like crazy.
Ferro rods: These are cool in theory, but a giant pain in the ass in practice, especially if the weather is cold and damp and your hands are shaky. To reliably light a fire, you need a bunch of accoutrements like oiled cotton balls or whatever.
Peanut lighters: Meme, go out too easily
Arc lighters: meme, unreliable and not rugged
