I don't ever look for the "best tender". I look for what ever is dry and thin. Collect as much tender, sticks and wood as you think you need, then double the pile and double it again.

In the midwest I have used dead dry pine needles, dead dried grass. I find that down in swamps or near water there is usually tons of dead dried plants still standing. I like yellow birch better than paper birch for starting small camp fires. The paper birch works better in a fireplace. Whatever you collect make sure it is thin and dry and you have much more than you think you need. If it is raining look under the heavy canopy of trees. I don't have any experience in the rainy nw, but I have never had any problem finding dry stuff in the rainy mw.