Rainbow flares have many different uses in the wilderness

Ever since cavemen discovered how to spark a few flames, mankind has always had a working relationship with fire. One merely has to look skyward on the fourth of July to see the colorful inventions that have resulted from this obsession. When camping in the woods, a fire can provide warmth and hot food to a group of hikers, or signal search and rescue teams in the event of an emergency. Brightly-colored flames can serve a similar purpose, and also add a unique form of entertainment to vacation taking place outdoors.

The Rutland Fire Clay Rainbow Flame sticks can turn any ordinary orange blaze into a kaleidoscope of brilliant colors. All a user has to do is place the sealed stick inside a campfire and lean back as flames change into shades of green and blue for up to 40 minutes. The special design makes these sticks safe to use inside a chimney as well.

"I was shocked as to how long this lasted," said a writer on CampingWorld.com. "Easily [lasted] 40 minutes to an hour. I bought one to try it out and I'm going back for more."

These rainbow sticks can be used for personal entertainment or for signaling an unexpected emergency situation, and should never be left behind when heading out into the wild.