Survivorman/Man vs. Wild.

[lucznik]

Saw "FAN vs. Wild" Wednesday. Oh my goodness, what a fiasco!

Bear takes two complete wilderness virgins, both of whom harbor serious phobias, and has them run through a bunch of "survival" exercises like rappelling down granite cliffs, waterfalls, and crevasses, glissading down mountain sides, fording freezing glacial-water rivers by walking/swimming through the fastest, deepest parts he could find, and foraging/eating a dinner-appetizer of raw rabbit heart and a breakfast of raw worms. It was hilarious!!!

The best parts included:

1. Watching these guys eat raw worms rather than use them for bait to catch the fish that just HAD to be teeming in the river not 20 yards behind them.

2. Listening the innumerable "Bear Love-Fest/Worship" comments made by these guys.

Some of my favorites came from the guy from NYC who said (among other things):

• "[Bear] can do anything; he can make fires, he can build stuff... hanging around greatness like that; some of it has to rub off eventually!"
• "If Hell had a boot camp, this would be it!"
• "This is it! This is the real deal! This is Man vs. Wild and it doesn't get any more real than that!"

3. Listening to Bear's voiceover commentary as he played the "HERO" and single-handedly saved these guys from their own inner demons and the ever-looming dangers of Nature.

I haven't laughed so hard in months. I really owe Bear a debt of gratitude for that.

[Sarge47]

Saw "FAN vs. Wild" Wednesday. Oh my goodness, what a fiasco!

Bear takes two complete wilderness virgins, both of whom harbor serious phobias, and has them run through a bunch of "survival" exercises like rappelling down granite cliffs, waterfalls, and crevasses, glissading down mountain sides, fording freezing glacial-water rivers by walking/swimming through the fastest, deepest parts he could find, and foraging/eating a dinner-appetizer of raw rabbit heart and a breakfast of raw worms. It was hilarious!!!

The best parts included:

1. Watching these guys eat raw worms rather than use them for bait to catch the fish that just HAD to be teeming in the river not 20 yards behind them.

2. Listening the innumerable "Bear Love-Fest/Worship" comments made by these guys.

Some of my favorites came from the guy from NYC who said (among other things):

• "[Bear] can do anything; he can make fires, he can build stuff... hanging around greatness like that; some of it has to rub off eventually!"
• "If Hell had a boot camp, this would be it!"
• "This is it! This is the real deal! This is Man vs. Wild and it doesn't get any more real than that!"

3. Listening to Bear's voiceover commentary as he played the "HERO" and single-handedly saved these guys from their own inner demons and the ever-looming dangers of Nature.

I haven't laughed so hard in months. I really owe Bear a debt of gratitude for that.

I watched a bit of it, those "fans" were just lucky that they weren't in Africa or Austrailia, then Bear would've had them drinking water out of a large elephant turd or drinking their own urine...two lucky guys for sure!

[Sarge47]

And BTW, didn't those two "fans" remind you of the Bare Wilderness guys?

[Rick]

If the producers really wanted a good survival show then the two guys should have run the camera crew off at gun point, kidnapped Bear and taken him into the wilderness to prove he can do all the things he says he can.

His best show was getting stung by the bee. That was one righteous bee!

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[TheWoodsman]

Les stroud is awesome and living his dream out there surviving.I would like to do that. His show teaches his methods of surviving, throwing out tips every few seonds (which is cool) but mainly the mental aspect (He shows that very good). Bear shows you what les avoids on purpose. Les says don't step in quick sand, bear says this is what happens if you go into quick sand (and jumps in). Both are good to watch and you can pick up odds and ends of techniques for your own personal info. I do favor Les way more though, keep it up Les,
Steve Burt

[Sarge47]

Bear shows you what les avoids on purpose.(like drinking urine!) Les says don't step in quick sand, bear says this is what happens if you go into quick sand (and jumps in). Both are good to watch(?????) and you can pick up odds and ends of techniques for your own personal info.(like how to squeeze water out of a large elephant turd!) I do favor Les way more though,(DUH!) keep it up Les,
Steve Burt

Just couldn't resist.

[miller4546]

BOTH SHOWS ARE Great, with draw backs....

MAN VS WILD
I live in Louisiana and have a wilderness survival school here i have been in survival since i was 7 years old, father was a military survival instructor and i would go with him and learn everything. my father told me , that one day i will need these skills to survive and it will prepare me for life.. it has.....after i graduated, i went into military served 15 years and learned as much as i could.. attended several military and civilian survival schools as well.

i received a call one day from a gentleman whom stated that he was affiliated to a Discovery Channel show. And they were filming in Louisiana swamps after Katrina. they offered me a consultation fee to help them and Mr. Bear Grylls to coordinate a route for his show. I agreed and meet the gentleman. He is a really great guy and we talked for several hours on and off. We spoke about his family, his training, etc. He is an SAS SOLDIER and took the legionnnaire training . he is highly trained and they are all crazy. to the point to psychotic> HE knows his stuff, but puts his life in danger alot. but shows you what and how to do things that others will not. he even went against my advice of several things. but he is a man and he signed a waiver....ALL IN ALL he is a good guy.....but a backup / safety crew 3 miles away for safety.

survivorman

no military training, that i am aware of, nice guy, he is not dead. but carries his own gear and very knowledgeable....multiple survival shows done with no help. but a backup / safety crew 3 miles away. very knowledgeable though

a new group
dual survival.. dave canterbury/ cody lundin

met both of them, this year while filming the episode on louisiana swamps... cody lundin.... barefooted surivalist with multiple books on the topic and very smart ... i trusted him. but held back alot and limited to only desert survival

dave canterbury. hot head, stole survival skills, advice and knowledge from people off youtube to include me, i did not have anything for this guy... i preferred cody over him...he used only things prevy to that episode from his youtube videos. everything was set up.. he learned off /stoled off youtube for each episode... he actually pulled his webpage .and.gear and marked up the price and ripped people off on his knives. and got his logo copyrighted.. not even his logo.... to make a quick buck.. i have nothing for this guy..everything he said was questionable....

again, safety crew only a 1/2 mile away and they stayed in a 45 acre area for safety issues....this was a joke....but easy

man, woman wild

mykel hawke. great guy. very knowledgable on survival and jungle, artic, desert, etc...military trained all survival schools, special forces trained, very cocky, met him once. this year..... good to go. hell he even brought his wife along and she was with him the whole time......safety crew 3 miles away for safety....

all in all my order.. but just my .02 cents
1) mykel
2) bear
3) les,
4) cody

[Alaskan Survivalist]

Aren't they all in it for the buck? Including yourself or do you run your school for free? There are millions of people out there that make the "experts" like amateurs just don't seek fame or fortune. I know dozens of Dick Phoenecki's that did not make a movie. Credentials don't count for squat. What matters is what you know, not that others know you know it. Unless of coarse you are in it for the bucks.

[hunter63]

Thats cool to have first hand experiance with most of them.

I always keep in mind that they are TV shows, better than a lot of sit-coms, 'reality shows, and most everything else, but still a show.

[EdD270]

Poll: Who is the better survivor?
My husband and kids love to watch these shows. Do you think they have anything to actually teach people about surviving in on "have-to" basis?

You ask two questions:
Who is the better survivor?
I'd have to guess it would be a toss up, since both are well trained and experienced, they both have the skills.
Do they actually teach people about surviving?
Les Stroud gives some good skill demonstrations and does show and explain how to do it on his show. But that don't really qualify as "teaching people", which takes much more time, repetition, supervised practice, etc.
Bear Grylls, on the other hand mostly deomstrates what not to do, and how to commit suicide in the wilderness and make it look like an accident. Not much of real use there, but it is entertaining to watch and that seems to be the sole goal of the show's producers.

[Sarge47]

BOTH SHOWS ARE Great, with draw backs....

MAN VS WILD
I live in Louisiana and have a wilderness survival school here i have been in survival since i was 7 years old, father was a military survival instructor and i would go with him and learn everything. my father told me , that one day i will need these skills to survive and it will prepare me for life.. it has.....after i graduated, i went into military served 15 years and learned as much as i could.. attended several military and civilian survival schools as well.

i received a call one day from a gentleman whom stated that he was affiliated to a Discovery Channel show. And they were filming in Louisiana swamps after Katrina. they offered me a consultation fee to help them and Mr. Bear Grylls to coordinate a route for his show. I agreed and meet the gentleman. He is a really great guy and we talked for several hours on and off. We spoke about his family, his training, etc. He is an SAS SOLDIER and took the legionnnaire training . he is highly trained and they are all crazy. to the point to psychotic> HE knows his stuff, but puts his life in danger alot. but shows you what and how to do things that others will not. he even went against my advice of several things. but he is a man and he signed a waiver....ALL IN ALL he is a good guy.....but a backup / safety crew 3 miles away for safety.

survivorman

no military training, that i am aware of, nice guy, he is not dead. but carries his own gear and very knowledgeable....multiple survival shows done with no help. but a backup / safety crew 3 miles away. very knowledgeable though

a new group
dual survival.. dave canterbury/ cody lundin

met both of them, this year while filming the episode on louisiana swamps... cody lundin.... barefooted surivalist with multiple books on the topic and very smart ... i trusted him. but held back alot and limited to only desert survival

dave canterbury. hot head, stole survival skills, advice and knowledge from people off youtube to include me, i did not have anything for this guy... i preferred cody over him...he used only things prevy to that episode from his youtube videos. everything was set up.. he learned off /stoled off youtube for each episode... he actually pulled his webpage .and.gear and marked up the price and ripped people off on his knives. and got his logo copyrighted.. not even his logo.... to make a quick buck.. i have nothing for this guy..everything he said was questionable....

again, safety crew only a 1/2 mile away and they stayed in a 45 acre area for safety issues....this was a joke....but easy

man, woman wild

mykel hawke. great guy. very knowledgable on survival and jungle, artic, desert, etc...military trained all survival schools, special forces trained, very cocky, met him once. this year..... good to go. hell he even brought his wife along and she was with him the whole time......safety crew 3 miles away for safety....

all in all my order.. but just my .02 cents
1) mykel
2) bear
3) les,
4) cody

Well now, I must respectfully disagree with you. I don't consider any of these guys survival "experts," but rather "survival instructors." I also don't hold it against them that they "stole" info as we've all learned from other people.

Here's the thing, I would hold people like PVC Outdoors, Pict, Ken, Crash, FinallyME, & Rick as "survival instructors" as well. It's NOT rocket science. so if we're looking at the 5 TV personalities, IMO it would go like this:

1.) Les
2.) Cody
3.) Dave

Mykel disqualified himself with the words "Happy Survivalin'" on his website as well as coercing his wife to drink his urine. Bear also for the same thing, drinking pee! Any TV "expert" that advocates something like this which every survival book quotes as a definite "no-no" is a danger to the young, impressionable viewers and should not be allowed on the air. AS mentions that no one could keep up on the trail with Bear & that also disqualifies him as that's not a trait to be envied. Running "willy-nilly" through the wilderness like a "striped-azz ape" is NOT survival, but stupidity. Cody Lundin goes barefoot because it slows him down, forcing him to concentrate on the terrain he's traveling across. Then there's the fact that the most experienced in any group trying to survive has to keep the best interests of said group in mind. Survival is about staying alive! It's about keeping those with you alive! It's NOT about the ratings! My buck-two-fifty!

[JPGreco]

My first thought when I first watched Man vs Wild was that Bear was an idiot for the things he did. I was so happy when they changed to style of the show to talking to the camera crea (acknowledged they were there) and when he stated that the things he is doing is a last resort type of thing (like when he jumps in ice cold water). Alot of that info is incredibly valuable and to see it is just another way to learn it, but its still crazy.

Les is my favorite. I would love to spend a few days out in the wild with that man. His other show, where he spends time with indeginious people is amazing as well.

Cody and Dave, eh, I can't stand the arguing. I do like Cody more though.

Man, Woman, Wild is interesting. More along the lines of Survivorman, where they get "stuck" with some gear. Its interesting seeing the dynamics of the situation with more than one person. I mean, if I got stuck with most of my friends, I'm the one with the most experience. The dynamics of talking someone who doesn't know their stuff through things is interesting (to me at least). They also acknowledge the camera crew which I like.

I would go:
-Les - just the man
-Cody - introduces a very unique approach, even if it seems idiotic at times (no shoes in the snow
-Bear - insane, but shows what to do in extreme situations. Yes, you should avoid them, but you gotta know what to do if it happens.
-Mykael

My idea for a show would be a true Survivor. Drop a bunch of people on an island, the crew films it all, they all get to bring a couple of things and thats it. Last man standing wins. They can go it alone, team up, raid other camps. Basically the only rule would be you can't severely hurt someone else or take prisoners... lol

[hunter63]

..................My idea for a show would be a true Survivor. Drop a bunch of people on an island, the crew films it all, they all get to bring a couple of things and thats it. Last man standing wins. They can go it alone, team up, raid other camps. Basically the only rule would be you can't severely hurt someone else or take prisoners... lol

They have on called "Survivor", the first of the genre, history making and still one of my favorites.
Now if they woud just not fog out the good shots.....................

[postman]

I can assure you that Les is the real deal. I recently took an advanced survival course with the same instructor that trained Les. His name is David Arama and he's been teaching wilderness survival for about 30 years. He runs a survival school in Ontario called WSC, which stands for wildernes survival challenge. He also trains military, police, and search and rescue.

[LongHuntre]

Ray Mears is the best IMHO but i really like Les

[Justin Case]

I watched LS new show "Beyond Survival" a couple of days ago, I seen this episode http://www.lesstroud.ca/beyondsurvival/ep2.php It was pretty Good ! looking at the link it looks like the show is all his,, Its on discovery but i "Think" he is the producer, not them..

[Pocomoonskyeyes3]

My idea for a show would be a true Survivor. Drop a bunch of people on an island, the crew films it all, they all get to bring a couple of things and thats it. Last man standing wins. They can go it alone, team up, raid other camps. Basically the only rule would be you can't severely hurt someone else or take prisoners... lol

I think they should do a "Survival Forum Challenge" Let each of the different Forums choose 10 or 12 of their "Best"(The forums choose the members to represent that Forum With no "Instructors" allowed[Forum Members that actually teach survival classes]) and do what you are suggesting here. Drop each team into the same area over a few weeks time with the only gear given being a map and compass for the group with a start and finish point. Plus 2 items per team member, with no more than 2 of each item being allowed (I.E. 2 knives per team,2 pots,2 ponchos,2 first Aid kits, etc.... The team that does the "best" wins so many points and then off to another environment, to start again. Kind of a cross between Dual survival and that Urban Group survival show(What was the name of that show?) that Discovery Channel did.

[OhioGrizzLapp]

In my humble opinion... both in the poll are idiots and will get someone killed, especially Bear Grylis. Bear is a liabilty and not an asset to true wilderness survival fans. After the first few shows, I stopped watching them. The only show I watch now is the Husband /Wife team and that is only because she is cute as a button and ya just have to love her Brit accent.

[Justin Case]

In my humble opinion... both in the poll are idiots and will get someone killed, especially Bear Grylis. Bear is a liabilty and not an asset to true wilderness survival fans. After the first few shows, I stopped watching them. The only show I watch now is the Husband /Wife team and that is only because she is cute as a button and ya just have to love her Brit accent.

Yeah, but the guys dorky-ness outweighs her cute-ness !

[bill452010]

Definitly Les over Bear.Les tests a piece of equipment every episode.The space blanket,better used as part of your shelter to keep you dry than as a blanket to keep you warm.Wire saw better as a snare than cutting wood,He not only gives real solutions to problems,he tests what novices may depend on because of good advertising.Bear I respect his skills,but he does way to dangerous stunts for the ratings.He reminds me of Ted Nugent.He is an awesome hunter and I respect his views on life and politics,but the way he tries to get them across hurt more than they help.Just my opinion.