Bear Grylls...

[Larry Gude]

...just ate a camel spider and pee'd on his shirt and wrapped it around his head to help keep cool in the desert. Chomping down on the spider would be really tough for me.

Anyone got survival stories, real and/or training you've done that really works?

 

[glhs837]

Well, I did snap the tail off a lizard and gnawed on it a while. Didnt do much for me, besides taste like bloody rubber. Ate the fruit of a prickly pear catus, much better. A real high spot two hours into a three hour hands and knees evasion through waist high scrub in the High Sierra. About the rudest thing I saw in my training was after the instructor broke the neck of the nice bunny, and cleaned it. Cut a bloody hunk of tissue out of the chest cavity, held it to his lips, and blew. "The lungs can make a great fishing bobber".

I know my instructors (three different survival and evasion courses) would have said BG was an idiot with a lot of stuff he does. I know its entertainment, and done for shock value, and thats fine. But his choices are only logical if you have backup. Youd never take such chances with no help.

 

[hvp05]

But his choices are only logical if you have backup. Youd never take such chances with no help.

I saw a bit of one episode a few days ago where he climbed a [sandstone?] rockface with no protection. Pretty awesome, but not practical. That's why Les Stroud ("Survivorman") is better, IMO, because he gives information that even the unskilled traveler can use.

 

[AK-74me]

Les Stroud is much better, maybe not more entertaining, but gives sound advice most the time. Bear is a badass I am sure but does some dumbass stuff that if people followed would get you killed.

BTW anyone see the commercial for the new episode wear he picks that berry out of the Bear crap and eats it. What a Rick.

 

[Baja28]

We're all in survival mode the next 4 years.

 

[Larry Gude]

I think it would be worth noting, seeings how several people have said it, the things that Bear says to do that are actually dumb. I've got no dog in this fight, so, this is in the interest of good information.

 

[Baja28]

One of these idiots drank water squeezed out of elephant dung.

 

[Nickel]

We're all in survival mode the next 4 years.

Bear's on my team.

I think it would be worth noting, seeings how several people have said it, the things that Bear says to do that are actually dumb. I've got no dog in this fight, so, this is in the interest of good information.

Isn't he the "faker", though? I think maybe his show is more for shock value and Survivorman is more informational.

 

[Cowgirl]

We're all in survival mode the next 4 years.

Does this mean you're going to drink your own urine?

 

[Baja28]

Does this mean you're going to drink your own urine?

NO!! But I'll share my elephant dung with ya.

 

[Gwydion]

Les has said this is his final season because actaully going out for a week at a time alone and surviving greatly wears on you, mentally and physically.

Bear is lame. Everything he does has been made certain to be safe and he is never in any danger. So many reports of him staying in 5 star hotels while he was out "surviving", getting air lifted out, etc. A cameraman came out and said Bear ate three solid meals a day, provided by his crew, and a majority of the time he is out for less than a week, usually 3 days and nights, and they just cut and paste the "nights" to seperate the days.

 

[Bushy23]

Umm, duh. Bear's show is just supposed to be a few days. He is trying to find rescue. Survivorman is trying to live somewhere for a week. Kind of different. One is on the move, the other makes base camps. If you noticed, Survivorman usually has a lot more gear.

Nothing 5 star about eating fish, frogs, snakes raw! Nothing five star about climbing into a dead camel!!

 

[AK-74me]

Umm, duh. Bear's show is just supposed to be a few days. He is trying to find rescue. Survivorman is trying to live somewhere for a week. Kind of different. One is on the move, the other makes base camps. If you noticed, Survivorman usually has a lot more gear.

Nothing 5 star about eating fish, frogs, snakes raw! Nothing five star about climbing into a dead camel!!

Surviorman does not have anyone else with him, most shows I see he limits the amount of stuff he takes with him other than camera gear. He'll usually has nothing more than a harmonica and a multi-tool from the episodes I've seen. He did have a fishing rod once too.