Rate the Survival Experts!

**Sarge47** · 08-19-2010, 01:25 PM

Okay, here's your chance to rate these folks we all like to study &/or watch on TV. It's not a "Who's your favorite, that's why there's no poll listed. Just your opinion on how you rate them: #1; #2; and so on. they all market survival gear, so that should be included in your rating.

a.) Bear Grylls.
b.) Army Ranger Rick.
c.) David Canterbury.
d.) Cody Lundin.
e.) Dr. Ron Hood.
f.) Tom Brown.
g.) Les Stroud.
h.) Mykel Hawke.
i.) J. Wayne Fears.
j.) John D. McCann

My line-up would be sort of like this:
#1-Cody Lundin
#2-Dr. Ron Hood
#3-Les Stroud
#4-David Canterbury
#5-J. Wayne Fears.
#6-John D. McCann
#7-Mykel Hawke
#8-Bear Grylls
#9-Army Ranger Rick

I didn't include Tom Brown because I'm unfamiliar with his work. whenever this thread runs it's course I'll post the totals & we'll have a "Poll on how all these guys stack up!

**Sourdough** · 08-19-2010, 01:53 PM

#1) Major Fredrick Russel Burnham

#1a.) Fredrick Courtney Selous

#2) Colonel Townsend Whelen

#3) Bradford Angier

**RangerXanatos** · 08-19-2010, 02:07 PM

I haven't died yet, so does that make me an expert? If so, I want to be on the list.

**hunter63** · 08-19-2010, 02:09 PM

Originally Posted by Sourdough

#1) Major Fredrick Russel Burnham

#2) Colonel Townsend Whelen

#3) Bradford Angier

You hit that right on the head,
Add George L Herter

6) Bear Grylls.
7) Army Ranger Rick.
5) David Canterbury.
4) Cody Lundin.
2) Dr. Ron Hood.
1) Tom Brown.
3) Les Stroud.
Don't know) Mykel Hawke.
Don't know) J. Wayne Fears.
Don't know) John D. McCann

**letslearntogether47** · 08-19-2010, 02:26 PM

Originally Posted by hunter63

You hit that right on the head,
Add George L Herter

6) Bear Grylls.
7) Army Ranger Rick.
5) David Canterbury.
4) Cody Lundin.
2) Dr. Ron Hood.
1) Tom Brown.
3) Les Stroud.
Don't know) Mykel Hawke.
Don't know) J. Wayne Fears.
Don't know) John D. McCann

Mykel Hawke is the husband on the Discovery Channel show Man Woman Wild before Dual Survival.He also made a guest appearance of Bizarre Foods where he showed the host how to survive on a desert island.

I would rate:

1.)Cody Lunden
2.)Dave Canterbury
3.)Les Stroud
4.)Mykel Hawke
5.) Bear Grylles

Many of the others I have heard of but not really as familiar with them.
Like Ray Mears in the U.K.

**roar-k** · 08-19-2010, 03:21 PM

No Ray Mears?

**lucznik** · 08-19-2010, 03:22 PM

Originally Posted by letslearntogether47

Mykel Hawke is the husband on the Discovery Channel show Man Woman Wild before Dual Survival.

Based only on this description and the latest television commercial that I saw last night for Man Woman Wild wherein the guy is having his wife drink his pee, Mykel Hawke would not rate the list at all for me.

As to the others, I don't really think any of them are the "bee's knees" but as a purely relative rating:

1 - Les Stroud This is the "expert" with whom I am most familiar. That alone probably accounts for his rating. He doesn't (often) do stupid things, he doesn't fake his situations, he gives pretty good info.

2 - Ron Fontaine Good website, good info, great firesteels.

3 - David Canterbury Has some good, informative videos on the web. I don't agree with his "you must battle against nature" attitude. Not super impressed with some of the things he does on Dual Survival though, I think this may be Discovery Channel's fault as much as anybody's.

4 - Cody Lundin Obviously has a lot of knowledge. Loved the plastic-draped lean to he built on Dual Survival. His Happy-Hippy attitude is annoying and his "lifestyle choice" not to wear any kind of footwear is ridiculous.

5 - Ray Mears Have only seen a few videos on the web. Seems more like a journalist reading a script than an actual "expert" - though I could be wrong.

6 - Tom Brown Not very familiar with. He designed (and markets) an interesting, if not entirely practical, knife.

Doesn't Rate as an "Expert"
- Bear Grylls
- Mykel Hawke (see above)

Don't Know At All
- Army Ranger Rick
- Dr. Ron Hood.
- J. Wayne Fears.
- John D. McCann (I assume we're not talking about the Senator from Arizona?)

**letslearntogether47** · 08-19-2010, 04:02 PM

Originally Posted by lucznik

Based only on this description and the latest television commercial that I saw last night for Man Woman Wild wherein the guy is having his wife drink his pee, Mykel Hawke would not rate the list at all for me.

Completely agree.
I don't care for shows pushing"shock value".
So, Bear G. would be in that category as well.

**rwc1969** · 08-19-2010, 04:25 PM

I guess I rate em all the same. They're all doing what they love and getting paid for it so even though I have quarrels with all of them I rate em all pretty high.

**finallyME** · 08-19-2010, 05:32 PM

Les Stroud
Cody Lundin
Ray Mears
David Canterbury
Army Ranger Rick
Tom Brown
Mykel Hawke
.
.
.
.
.
.
Bear Grylls

The top 3 are pretty much the same rank. I like Dave, but I don't think he is in the same category as the top 3. I read all of Ranger Rick's books and liked them. I have just heard about Tom Brown and his school. I only listed those who I have heard about.

**Pal334** · 08-19-2010, 06:07 PM

My list:

1-Les Stroud. The only one I have ever felt compelled to do any reading on. Seems to have a common sense approach to things

Never to be taken seriously by me

Bear Grylls. A dangerous clown
Army Ranger Rick. Don't like his attitude

Don't know enough about to comment on:

David Canterbury.
Cody Lundin.
Dr. Ron Hood.
Tom Brown.
Mykel Hawke.
J. Wayne Fears.
John D. McCann

**NightShade** · 08-19-2010, 06:09 PM

#1 far and away... Tom Brown Jr...
He has written many books.. probably more than most of the rest put togeher..at least 16 i know of.. and has the life experience to back it up as well... His Tracker School has been around since 1978
for those not familiar with him i reccomend reading his books... His different survival manuals are among the best in their perspective categories.. But even better , in my opinion , are his assorted non-fiction novels based on his experiences... While being veryentertaining they are also extremly informative..
I reccomend starting with "The Tracker" then "The Search" (continues The Tracker) . as well as "Case Files of The Tracker"... all of his manuals are great too..theres 1 for kids..1 for medicinal and edible plants, wilderness survival, urban survival.. among others...
The movie "The Hunted" starring Tommy Lee Jones and Benicio Del Toro is loosely based on Tom Brown Jr., and he worked behind the scenes... the real story that the movie is based upon can be found in"Case Files of The Tracker"

**Winter** · 08-19-2010, 07:49 PM

There can be only one.

Hiroo Onoda

**Rick** · 08-19-2010, 08:14 PM

I would have to agree. He gets top bill just for doing it. There were a number of them that held out a long time. Practicing your survival skills for 34 years pretty much tops all the books anyone has ever written.

**chiye tanka** · 08-19-2010, 09:44 PM

Yep, Tom Brown at the very top! After that and in no order:

2.Cody Lundin
2.Dr. Ron Hodd
2.Dave Canterbury
5.Les Stroud
6.John McCann

The rest I don't know a lot about.

**BENESSE** · 08-19-2010, 10:26 PM

Well, my #1 choice isn't on TV or on anyone's list but he got my attention and he got me to stick with it. None other than J. W. Rawls.

**SARKY** · 08-20-2010, 04:21 AM

a.) Bear Grylls.
b.) Army Ranger Rick.
c.) David Canterbury.
d.) Cody Lundin.
e.) Dr. Ron Hood.
f.) Tom Brown.
g.) Les Stroud.
h.) Mykel Hawke.
i.) J. Wayne Fears.
j.) John D. McCann

Bear Grylls and Mykel Hawke don't belong anywhere near this list. Although I like Cody, he is locked into his genre of survival which does put him at a diadvantage in many situations. I've taken a Tom Brown tracking course and I can tell you he is incredible in his element.
so here is my top 3 I picked these guys because they are good all around survivalists and not specialists.
1:J.W. Rawls
2:Les Stroud
3:Ron Hood