Originally posted by mikegarland: Hmmm...I don't know. Let's see. If there were a cliff in front of both of them, Les would probably walk around, so that would put him behind by a couple of hours at least. Bear would just jump over it if it were only 30 feet high or so, but if it were higher, he would just climb down the face of it like a monkey and be at the bottom drinking fetid jungle water while he waited for Les.
Then there's the problem with glaciers and snow. Les would build a shelter and hunt for food, whereas Bear would slide down a couple thousand feet in just a few minutes on his backside. If the end of the glacier was too steep, however, he would try to find a series of ice caves to crawl through. Barring some unfortunate cave-in, Bear would be cooling his feet at the bottom of the glacier in an ice pool as he showed us how manly he was by counting the number of toes that had succumbed to frostbite. He would be grinning like a schoolgirl when Les showed up three days later starving to death because he had subsisted on melted snow and a few berries he had found.
And let's not forget the sweating factor. Bear runs, frollicks and climbs himself way out in the lead on most difficult terrain, but Les says this will lead to hypothermia in extremely cold climates. I have yet to see ol' Bear succumb to the ravages of hypothermia, even though he has repeatedly thrown himself into icy ponds, scampered haphazardly about the Alps at breakneck speeds, and slept atop a backpack in a snow cave. So, Bear is either superhuman, or he is from another planet, wherein he would have the advantage either way over Les.
In conclusion, I don't see how Bear could lose to Les in any shape or fashion, unless he climbs down from atop his mountain-sized ego and played fair with Les. Because otherwise, Les doesn't stand a chance against Super-Bear in the fantasy world that is Man Vs. Wild. So unless Bear were limited in some way to only performing tasks that us real humans can do, then no, Les would be beaten on the second or third day of their competition.
Fortunately for us, I don't think Les would ever stoop so low as to compete against Bear. They have completely different survival styles, and I'm pretty sure Les would have no need of a hair spray flamethrower panther repellent. Les would welcome said panther into his deadfall trap and then skin the beast and cook up some nice panther jerky for the trail home!!
Les Stroud is a survivor; Bear Grylls is a menace to The Wild (hopefully he'll get canceled soon).
Les destroys Bear
First jumping down a cliff while on your own in the wild. If it is more than 6 feet you have a chance of spraining or breaking your ankle which will end up killing you in the end. Les 1, Bear 0
Again, sliding down a glacier when you have a crew to save you from any mishap is no problem. But as soon as you fall into a cave that has been covered by a layer of snow or ice you are up the creek.
Les 2, Bear 0
Finally sweating, Bear never worries about sweat because he spends his nights in hotels. Do your research and see for yourself that he does. Les goes out on his own and knows that if he sweats, he will freeze because no one is around to save his hide when he is to cold to think straight.
Originally posted by rjcgamer: Les Stroud is no help whatsoever for survival, he doesn't explain certain plants that can help you, he uses modern day item for survial instead of the wild. Absolutely pathetic. Bear Grylls on the other hand, does put himself in more real life situations, he shows what needs to be done and when and what can be used. Bear is awesome.
Quick question... if you are in the wild will you remember exactly what you can eat because you watched bear? And actually Les does tell you.
And a modern day tool such as his knife? those are really new tech devices eh.
Bear doesn't even do his own work. You know that raft he supposedly made? That was the work of a crew that helped him while he sat in a hotel...
Bear's show should be called "Watch Bear Climb Like a Monkey" In EVERY episode he goes out of his way to find the most difficult things to climb. Remember the episode when he claimed to be so "sick" from drinking the water in the jungle that he needed sap from a certain tree to get rid of the virus. But he had to of course climb a VERY HIGH and SLIPPERY WATERFALL to get to it. I read where another survival expert said that if he did have that virus he wouldn't have been able to stand up straight let alone climb a VERY HIGH and SLIPPERY WATERFALL to a tree where he cut a small square of bark and only sucked a few drops of the sap and was cured instantly and finished the show! We didn't hear another word about the virus which in REALITY would have taken a lot more time to get rid of! If you watch ONE episone of Survivorman you will see that his show is DEFINATELY A TRUE SURVIVAL SHOW!! HE'S ALONE AND DOES ALL THE FILMING HIMSELF!!!! Bear has probably 30 crew members with him! Bear's show is ALL TOTALLY SET UP!!! He ALWAYS runs into dead animals that just happen to be fresh enough to eat! And in the case of the dead zebra in Africa instead of using his knife to cut it up he bites into the ASS END like an animal or a SAVAGE which is ABSOLUTELY RIDICULOUS!!!!! When he catches fish instead of cooking or at the very least cleaning them he bites right into them like a SAVAGE!! Bear is ALWAYS clean shaven, his hair always looks good and if he gets dirty he's magically clean in the next scene! A high percentage of things that people do in survival situations don't always work the way they want them to and may take MANY attempts to be successful. Bear ALWAYS seems to be successful in almost EVERYTHING he tries!!! If you watch Bear's show closely things seem to be set up a lot for him to succeed. On Survivorman you see the REALITY that things don't always work out the way you want them to. In survival situations that I've read about the name of the game is energy conservation and NOT to look for and do the most dangerous and hardest thing to do! For example climbing a coconut tree vs. throwing things to get them to fall down. What would be more realistic for a normal person to do? In the end if you want to survive listen to Les. If you want to get broken bones, frost bite, hypothermia, serious intestinal viruses or just END UP DEAD listen to Bear. I HONESTLY CAN'T BELIEVE THAT THERE ARE IDIOTS OUT THERE THAT PREFER BEAR OVER LES! C'MON WHERE'S YOUR BRAIN??? YOU DON'T HAVE TO LIKE LES BUT HE DOES DESERVE RESPECT!!!!!!!!
First, I wonder how many people who reply here are actually experienced survivalists? And how can you be qualified to judge the true accuracy of these shows?
I'm certainly not a survivalist, so I don't know how accurate these shows are. Call me cynical, but I have a feeling that both these shows -though entertaining -might be subject to a little "artistic" license for viewership purposes. Having at various times tried to build a raft without rope, build a shelter, make a bow and arrow, start a fire with only two pieces of wood and build an igloo I can say this: it is not easy and very much more likely you will fail without previous experience and hours of practicing. For example, you can be trying for hours to start a fire, get very sore hands and expend a whole load of energy -unsuccessfully. It really isn't like its depicted on these shows (ever noticed how fires get started really quickly?). And it's funny how just one really small thing or oversight can completely destroy or negate your efforts (e.g. bad choice of wood for a bow, or finding out that bowstring isn't really a bowstring after putting in 5 hours making the bow). Course, that's assuming you can get close enough to some game animal anyway.
I think these shows are what I see them as: pure entertainment, plain and simple. I honestly believe survival can only be taught in situ.
Now: Survivorman or MvsW -personally I like Survivorman better -at least Les seems to be more by himself and does show the occasional failure. Bear seems to pursue fairly risky activities (why jump into an icy glacial stream? Surely it would be better to attempt to circumvent it or show how to recognize the best way of maximizing your chances of finding a place to cross?)
Finally, two things: i. Why do people not like the fact that Les stresses he doesn't like to kill things? It's not being wussy, it's being aware that all food isn't shrink wrapped on that supermarket shelf.
ii. Oh yeah, one nice day, go into your backyard and try to start a fire (without matches or a lighter!). And if you get a good snowfall, try to build an igloo.
During the "Behind the Scenes" episode, Stroud explains that "setting up or tearing down all of my camera gear takes about 65% of my time," making survival more challenging. The episode also explains that Stroud and his team extensively scout their locations ahead of time and consult with survivalists and natives to the area. The goal is both to ensure Stroud's safety and to sketch out interesting scenarios and techniques that can be illustrated on the show.
The two shows are exactly that, shows. Les also carries with him in his "50 lb" pack a satellite phone in case of emergency, I am sure if you are lost you would have one too.
In my opinion the fact that Les does his own filming is the gimmick that he hangs his hat on. It does not mean he is going to die and does not have help within 10 minutes at all times. And would it not kill him to stop plugging the fact that he is a musician with his harmonica that he cannot live without. Have you seen the merchandise he has for sale.
If given the choice, I will take my chances with a highly trained soldier, over a hippy any day.
You want to know what I think? I think Bear Gryll's is wimp He has to have a camera crew and local specaillists in survival . Come on what kinda man goes into the wild and has people come with him and help him ? Now Les Stroud on the other hand ya sure he mite not have as many cool feets as Bear Gryll's but he has more survival techniques then Bear. He goes out for one week no food water or shelter and also no people with him only his camera gear and his mutli tool and what ever the crew gives him. Who ever say's Bear Gryll's is better . On his show on the first season not once did he come up saying he recived help in potentually life threatening suituation's not until he was intaregated about this did the trust come out . Les Stroud may not have climbed Mt. Everast and surved with the special british forces but atleast he doesn't have to use a flint stick everytime to start a fire. All i am saying is look at the facts Bear has people to help when he is in trouble, Les on the other hand if he is in trouble has no one and only his his skills to help him in a time a trouble. This is to you Frost bitten candian you rule!!
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Originally posted by popscowboy: I agree with rjcgamer... Les is a disgrace to survival and to Bear. I am really upset and even in my heart about the change in shows. Survivorman is not good at all. Bear Grylls made the show Man Vs. Wild. All of my friends and I would always look foward to Fridays and if we were not together, we would constantly be calling each other during the breaks to talk about how amazing Bear Grylls is. I am so disappointed with this new show. It might as well be a reality tv series on Mtv for all I care, because I am not going to watch it. I miss you Bear.
Disgrace to survival? HUH? The biggest thing he shows you is shelter, staying alive and avoiding getting sick / infected
Bear obviously has no disregard for safety, loves eating uncooked animals, runs around and always seems to have a repelling line and equipment.
Bear gets to run around and jump and climb because he knows that if he blows his knee or twists his ankle ... the crew will simply come over and help him
Les is conservative (not just because he’s Canadian) it’s because if he hurts himself acting a jackass ... he will possibly die.
He’s not a disgrace, what a silly thing to say... he exudes calm, planning and diligence to get the job done, stay alive, hope for help
I wouldnt be eating a plant because "Bear Said So" I would do whats smart and safe... to stay alive and wait for help
NONE of what Bear does in MvW is based in reality! All it is, is Fear Factor for survivalists. It's scripted entertainment... In my opinion, Bear Grylls is a glorified actor. Most of the info portrayed in MvW is DANGEROUS and should only be attempted by Clark Kent!
PS, Les has never had to hire a man in a bear suit...unless that moose (Boreal Forest) was a guy in a suit...lol
Originally posted by jc8047: Bear Grylls is NOT a fraud, and Survivor Man if that even is a suitable name for this hour long blunder is the biggest insult to the discovery channel, I would rather watch a documentary on Paris Hilton. So what if he has a camera crew with him it does not mean they interfere, also what is the true point of the show anyways; to explain how to survive, right? Well I don't remember when the last time I went on vacation with a multi-tool unless you count my deployment to Iraq. Plus you never see what is in his knapsack anyways you can't say it is camera equipment! With technology today they make cameras the size of dimes. So when I'm stranded with nothing but a pocket of lint I would look back and see what I learned from the Army or MvsW. Not Les Stroud the man who pumped himself up full of coconuts in Costa Rica and doesn't bother to tell you coconut is a laxative (It was probably 50 pounds of T.P. in his knapsack). I believe someone also said they would never perform the stunts that Bear does... Well Necessity is the mother of invention and maybe you may not value your life enough to slide down a glacier or drink from elephant feces but if I had to you bet I am coming home to my family and would do what is necessary , just ask the hiker (Aaron Ralston) who cut off his own arm when a boulder pinned him down while hiking at Utah's Blue John Canyon. Les Stroud doesn't even mention how to find out which way your traveling, more or less he rubs strange leaves on himself to see which ones would give him a rash. Not Very Smart. Bear explains how to find you whereabouts, instead of wondering in some jungle and saying "that was a big mistake" like Les did..in the Costa Rica episode none the less. Bear explains plant life and animals that are useful for survival, unlike stuffing your face with coconuts which you can learn from watching an episode of Gilligan's Island. How can anyone say Bear is Not a normal guy or super-human since when is normal out of shape and ignorant to your surroundings. If you consider yourself normal like Les then maybe you should pick up a book or get a membership to a gym because I have seen better survival techniques from my couch potato friends. When I finish watching an episode of Man vs Wild I actually learn new things unlike an episode Survivor Man where I had better hope for the people in the movie Alive! For the people "intelligent" enough to listen to what Les has to say you would have a better chance at survival being stranded on an island with cannibals than with Les! Man vs. Wild RULES!!!!
apparently you havent watched many shows. especially the begining as Les shows you what he has packed for the trip on every episode. he also will tell what direction to go....and if you are a freaking idiot you should know what direction you are going. if not, then stay out of the woods or remote locations. if you dont like it then go watch bear " i go to hotels" gryles.
This isn't even a fair showdown because Bear is a complete fake and cheater. I get that it might make for somewhat more sensational TV to watch someone squeeze water out of feces and drink it or eat any number of other disgusting things but that doesn't make him a good survivalist. As others have noted Survivorman has a more documentary style and doesn't rely on stupid stunts to gain viewers the way Bear does on his show, but if you're the type of person that values sensationalism over realism then you're probably the type that thinks 'Survivor' is real too, get a grip people!
The Discovery channel is supposed to be a bastion of science and accuracy so I have no clue why they continue to support such a fraud. Check out these links for some more info on Bear:
I would like to start by saying both men are truly that, MEN,incredible men. There is no need to bash either one, for they are two completely different shows, both with pros and cons. Face it, a true survival situation would be very boring to watch. The discovery channel is in the business of making money, so both shows are inflated for viewing pleasure.
Les does film his own show, there is no doubt about it. This creates a more accurate scenario, but it is also slightly boring at times. Also, there is no telling what happens off camera, or what food and other materials he carries with him. **By filming himself, he has to do twice the work, thats pretty cool**
On the other hand, Bear creates a show in order to keep you interested. It is certainly not the conventional way of survival, nor is it recommended, but it makes for a great show. Despite having a crew, Bear still does all the crazy things (not recommended, but fun to watch!). He does ravenously eat right off a dead zebra carcass and crawl into a gutted camel, as well as eat it (one of the few times you will actually see him gag). You see, it does not matter that he has a crew with him because he still does the crazy stuff; he does not deny it either.
For those of you who say he stays in hotels, you are ignorant fools. Most of the shows are filmed in desolate areas far from any hotels. Im sure they have tents, but Bear still shows how to build some great shelters.
Here is my advice for everybody: watch both shows. If you want a better representation of survival, Les will provide that. If you want to see an extreme (more entertaining) version, watch Bear. Most important, realize that both men are in the television business and will always deceive viewers. It takes much more than a TV show to learn the basics of survival. Both men have great shows and provide different views so there is no reason to bash either.
If all else fails, watch the shows and realize how great nature really is and think twice before it is gone......
Originally posted by traxxas_maxx: Les Stroud actually has to survive alone and actually carries and films the show.He has to walk back and forth up and down rocks to get good shots.Bear has a crew to carry the gear and doesnt have to walk around twice as far as Les.Les has barely any things to survive with except his multi tool and a few things his crew gives him.Also if he fails to survive he dies.If Bear gets in danger the crew would come to him like their his parents.And he gets flint.
Let's not complain about Bear's flint...once Les started a fire with a flare and a can of gasoline!
First of all I wanna say shame on you people, why are you bashing on these guys? Both of these shows are for entertainment and if you take the time to actually pay attention to the shows rather than verbally attack these guys maybe you'll see that both men are more than capable of accomplishing the tasks they are faced with on TV. Both of these guys are very skilled and talented in what they do. They each have their own set of credentials and experience. Les is an older guy who is a little more reserved in what he does he was a wilderness guide as well as a wilderness survival instructor. Les and his wife spent a full year in the Canadian wilderness living a paleolithic existence, they built a cabin with no modern tools or supplies (no metal or plastic) they survived on a store of traditional foods as well as hunting and trapping I think thats a pretty impressive little resume. Bear on the other hand is younger and a little more rambunctious. He served with the British Special Forces (SAS) as a Specialist Combat Survival Instructor and Patrol Medic this in it self is impressive. As a civilian Bear summited Mt. Everest and crossed the North Atlantic in a rather small rigid inflatable boat. Both not easy tasks. I think you crazy people need to get your facts straight before you start bashing either of these guys. If y'all stop your jaw-jacking and listen than maybe you'll learn something. I actually read the bios for for both of these guys, they both have websites and you can find info on them a Wikipedia online as well as many other sources (google anyone?). If you really want to learn about life in the bush go find an experienced instructor or and accredited school as well as doing your research. Thats the best way to learn. On a final noted I watch both shows and like both guy for different reasons. I refuse to take sides on this.
Bear has a camera crew with him so he, doesn't get lonely or anything, he sleeps in 5 star motels at night, the camera crew gives him a mars bar or something when he's hungry. Bear if your reading STOP FAKING IT.
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bear grylls is cooler, stronger, younger, and more daring, he shows how to eat everything everywhere raw and he would be an awsome guy to hang out with or go camping with, but les stroud films everything himself, always stays calm, trys not to kill himself every time shows a technique. Let's face it bear gets help, stays in hotels, has food off camera, has people build rafts for him and has routes planned.
Out of the 2 bear is my favorite, and the coolest,and he is actually really good at survival but all in all les stroud is the best at survial he has actual reports of people being saved from his methods and he teaches survial things more rationally than bear.
i like both shows and i cant criticize either them because 1)they are much better than me at survival 2) they both use different styles of survival. Bear usually escapes the area he's stuck in while les is airlifted, both strategies are very useful. and i agree with the people saying that bears physical strength is above the average humans, but he was in the SAS so thats what i would expect. les does have a lot of gear on him like the episode where he broke apart that dirt bike,but i wouldnt think of that as something bad, if i was stranded with a dirt bike it would have been really helpful to watch that episode. bear does have a camera crew and does occasionally sleep in some hotel but les has also admitted to meeting some campers while he was filming. in a survival situation where i knew there was a good chance of a rescue (like surviving an airplane crash) i would follow les but in situations where there is a low chance of rescue (like being lost in some jungle) or being stranded in a area where staying put is not an option (like on a mountain where there is a chance of an avalanch) i would follow bear. no offense but i think a lot of the comments are very biased. i would also like to suggest the book the SAS survival guide, its a great book for hikers and people who like the outdoors and convinient for desperate survival situations if you are ever put into one
one other thing, i doubt any one here has been in a survival situation or is as good at survival as les or bear so i would suggest more consturctive criticism
I have ben an ecological tour guide and a search and rescue instructor for 15 years, and after watching both shows, I have to side with Les. Not only does Bear take unnecesary risks, but he actually does things that we are specifically told NOT to do. You never swim in whitewater you do not know, unles you are wearing a PFD under your shirt, have an inflated backpack, and have a crew of seven watching you. If you are going to risk your life to climb an avocado or palm tree, you bring down as many of the things as you can, not just grab two of them. You certainly NEVER build a raft that leaves half your body in the water to enter the open sea without a compass, charts and a sextant, instead of staying on the island. Les survives for a week. It is a miracle that Bear does. Also, remember, Bear seldom, if ever, sleeps outdoors. He is just showing us what it might look like if he did. If I were to be stranded somewhere with Les, I would be completely confident in making it through two weeks in the Amazon jungle. If I were stranded with Bear, I would make sure I put as much distance between myself and him as possible. Unless, of course, he broke something. In that case, he would serve the only useful role that I can think of in the wild, aside from showing us what not to do. He would be dinner.
Les is way more real to me. Sure he has emergency equipment on hand in case he has NO choice but that is acceptable because in the end he can't be expected to die for a t.v. show. The main thing that tells me he is for real is you see him fail miserably on some of the things he tries. When he built that 3 log raft in the swamp and ended up soaking wet he didn't edit it out or try to make it look better than it was and that is what what it would really be like out in a survival situation. Bear is entertaining and has some good tips but having the crew with him and taking ridiculous chances makes it unrealistic in my view
First, there is no 'vs.' when you compare Les Stroud to Bear Grylls. Why? Because bear grylls isnt even close to being in the same league as les. Thats right, accept it all of you bear grylls punks! Second, Bear simply exhibits acts of survival, he doesnt actually survive. Well, yea he does. VERY well because he has plenty of resources at his disposal including hotel rooms and his own camera crew. He is a fake, which is what im sure all of you bear grylls punks admire, because you all share the same quality. There is nothing real, or engaging about him or his show. Les stroud is the real deal, and he owns every bit of you grylls fans, you cracked out delusional punks!! Stay tuned for season 3, where les shows Grylls yet again who his daddy truly is!
Originally posted by jesse155: One thing you have to know about bear is that he has an entire film crew with him so he can do extreme stuff like jump off a cliff or anything else that could hurt him self, so if he does hurt him self he has a film crew that could call a helicopter to pick him. And have you noticed that a lot of the time when he is starting a fire he just suddenly has a fire or if it does show him make a fire its always with a flint stick never two sticks like Les and anther thing Les has to film him self and survive. In my book Les is a million times than bear.
amen i'd rather watch les think and actually work to survive than watching an idiot jump off cliffs and eat raw food that's been sitting there for hours haha
Bear Grylls is not a better survivalist than Les Stroud. Bear may be a former SAS and knows how to survive but he does so many things that a person would not do in a TRUE survival situation. Those who claim Man vs. Wild is better than Survivorman are in it for the entertainment value and will DIE before those who follow the ways of a true survivalist like Les Stroud. I actually seek to learn from Les on how to stay alive. It may be gross to watch Bear eat sheep eyeballs and drink liquid from camel stomachs but you won't see Les doing that in Survivorman. It may be cool to see Bear jump off cliffs and fall into freezing cold water but Les will play it safe and walk around to stay warm and dry. I work in and adjacent to the largest wilderness area in the lower 48, The Frank Church River of No Return Wilderness, where mountain lions and black bears outnumber humans. I NEED to be prepared in case my typical day in the "office" goes wrong and myself or my coworkers find ourselves in life threatening situations. I cannot rely on others to protect me from wild animals, utter isolation from other humans, and inclimate weather even in summer. Each day that I go to work could easily turn into a survival situation for days on end. My good friend and supervisor is a former NAVY SEAL trained survivalist and he swears by the ways of Les Stroud and curses Bear Grylls based on their respective programs. One can learn alot from watching both programs, you just need to recognize that Bear does things in his show that will get you killed. The average weekend warrior probably doesn't realize the risks that Bear is taking in his show. If you think Les is boring you need to really listen to what he is saying as if your life depended on it. Pay attention to the plants he eats and the designs of his shelters and fire bundles. All it takes is a sprained ankle or a freak snow squall in the Rockies in July and you may find yourself in a survival situation. Bear may be "cooler" but how many "cool" kids in school did you know that you are now more successful than? Yeah, that's what I thought. I could ramble on endlessly about why Les' program is more realistic from a survival standpoint than Bears, but I won't. You may have noticed how Les has subtly been taking potshots at Bear during his new season of Survivorman. Just do your homework, know how to read a map, what to eat if you happen to get lost, basic First Aid, and be prepared to spend longer than you expected in the woods. I hate to hear about people on the news who wandered from their vehicles while car camping and died of exposure because they had no idea about their surroundings whatsoever. It happens people. I've spent nights out in the backcountry that I planned on spending in my own bed. I've been caught in snow storms when the day started out as T-shirt weather. I've stared down raging forest fires and was glad I knew how to read a map to get out ALIVE. Just be prepared and play it safe, it just might save your life! Peace!
i would choose les over bear any day. les is so much more realistic than bear. plus, bear has a team follow him and i'd bet money that he stays in a hotel overnight. some of the stuff bear does is just ridiculous, like squeezing water out of elephant turds. if i want to learn about survival, im choosing les. les may not always catch all the fish or find all of the water, but he survives. you never hear bear complaining about hunger or thirst or panicking about getting lost. i know les has taught me way more about staying calm and keeping your cool, which is really what matters when your lost.
would you rather be lost out in the wilderness with all the knowledge you have learned from les or bears show???? i thought so. go les. this from and experienced eagle scout. hurry up and cancel man vs wild
I'm sorry, but the discovery channel should be ashamed of themselves trying to pass this tripe off as an educational show. The truly sad part is that people are buying it, as evidenced in this thread.
I hope you all understand that Bear has a whole family of camera crew to help him with ever scene and survival technique. And in case he gets hurt,stuck,cold or hot, he can always call the guy caring the camera. Buttttttt less on the other hand cant ask for help cant ask for warmth cant ask for a cooling refreshment and basically cant ask for assistance. So to me less stroud is the real man out of the two of them and the smarter one because who in there right mind would use up so many calories to go from point A to point B. I'll tell you who Bear because he doesn't need to worry about true surviving, like less stroud does.I am shure if both kept to there word on how they survive and were put in the same environment Bear would be chilling cold out of calories while less stroud is warm content with his calories[becasue lets face it he does not always find his food.Unlike Bear who gets his delivered] and have a whole shelter set up. I hope this ends the battle between the two because to me it is simple who actually survives[and as Colbert says] thats the word.
Contender: Bear Issue at hand: Fraud Episode: Most but the specific example below is from the Rocky Mountain episode. Event: He's in the dark of night and hears a noise, which he fears is a animal of size. It could be a bear, mountain lion, etc. Bear's Reaction: Begin running through the dark of night to get away. Contradiction to survival skills: Running from any of the animals that would truly have intent to have you for a meal would only trigger their instinct to attack.
Lee's the man. I have spent, and continue to spend, extensive time outdoors while growing up in Montana, Wyoming and now residing in Utah. I may have learned a thing or two from Bear but I have learned or viewed confirmation of many appropriate techniques from Lee. Man vs. Wild has some decent information but Bear's dramatic presentation makes the show un'Bear'able.
I actually don't care if people think bear is 'cheating' on the show. I'm almost certain he didn't cheat in the army, so I doubt he cheats on the show. Doesn't really matter anyway he still drinks his own pee, eats grubs, sleeps inside camels and pees in a circle to ward off animals. Pretty cool regardless if he MIGHT be cheating. Plus I don't like how Canadians pronounce things. Like 'out'. Sounds all weird.
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well if you are in a survval situation you should try to stay safe not try your chances using extreme sports as a guide.like this in a subzero enviroment you would try to find or build shelter and make fire. you should not try to swim in a fast moving creek in -20 degree weather then jump out naked and do jumping jacks to warm up. when i was 25 i had to jump into a pond that was partially frozen to save a kid who wandered out onto the ice it was only a four foot deep pond but god it was cold.it took me a couple of days to recover and the vair was only 30 degrees at negative 20 bears wedding tackle would have flash froze and got frost bitten. watch les yes it sometimes is boring but he will keep u alive . watch bear if you like extreme sports.
Ok first things first, to all of you who say Bear is a wimp, fake, or phony, you have to be kidding yourselves. The man was a survival instructor while enlisted in the SAS, and is a world record breaking climber, as well as explorer(see his crossing of the Arctic Ocean in open raft).
Now when it comes to the show you people have to understand the purpose of the show, which is not to show you necessarily how to survive for a week or what not like Les, but different techniques which can be used IF NECESSARY in life threatening situations. I would highly doubt the probability of Bear jumping into a bog, glacier pool, quick sand, etc in a real life situation but he does so to show the viewer possible ways to survive survival disasters.
Now of course there is also the entertainment factor, which I would have to say is undoubtedly in Bear's favor. I give all the respect in the world to Les for carrying his own load and what not but his show is not nearly as entertaining as MvW and in reality its cable tv, its all about viewers.
If you actually listen to Bear quite frequently he will discuss the dangers of what he may be doing, like climbing, so it is obviously not for everyone but its entertaining to see, and quite often he shows great tips for more realalistic survival as in fire starting techniques, medicinal flora and fauna, ways to cook animals, etc.
My long drawn out point is that in a traditional survival situation, Les probably takes the cake, but that is what his show is meant for, Bear is meant to show how to survive disasters, as previously mentioned. The fact he has a camera crew makes it far more enjoyable, I would much rather watch him slide down a glacier or climb a rock face, rather than have to have him film it himself. Both are good shows for different reasons, and if any of you think that Bear is a panzy or what have you look at his credentials the man would pin your head down with a stick like your a big snake than he would use his knife and chop your head off, peel back your skin and have himself a good ole bbq. Oh, one more thing in a Les vs Bear survival situation where they are both in the wild together, bear would survive on a healthy diet of baby back stroud ribs. SAS vs wanna be musician(stroud)
Ok.....being a life long outdoors woman all my life. I always loved both shows; Survivorman and Man v. Wild. However, that beging said. Man vs. Wild is a bunch of BS. No one in a real survival situation would jump ravines, get into a freezing river to "float downstream" (thinks hypothermia and getting caught on a rock and the force of the water pushing you under to drown), free climb huge rock faces where one slip would mean falling to your death or at least breaking bones. Oh, and as far as the "horse" thing goes. I have owned and trained horses for 30 years and if those horses were wild I have some swamp land to sell you. Bear lost a lot of respect when he decieved people the first couple seasons into believeing that many of these situation were "staged". Like throwing the stick and killing a rabbit. The rabbit was tethered down by the leg. Also trapping rabbits in snares (he never caught one). People should realize that real survival is not that easy and galmorous. Now I have no dobt with all Bear's traing he could survive in a real life and death situation. However, he wouldn't be climbing 40 feet or more into a tree and taking those risk.
Les on the other hand is the real thing and he is man enough to show both his successes and failures. I love to watch him because he is real. Yes he is basically self-taught but that is the best way in life to learn anything. You can read books, attend classes, lectures and go to survival schools all you want but until you get out there and get practical experience it doesn't matter. It is just like most of us who have a job every day. The school of hard knocks teaches you more than anything else. Learn by doing. And I love the fact that Les goes it alone. Carrying all that camera gear and filming everything himself is exhausting. (Oh yeah, forgot to mention, I have worked as a professional sound engineer and have my own videography company called Inspired Creative Services so I know what it is to do all that tech stuff and haul it around.) Of course, Les is not going to have the energy that Bear does because of this. Also, he is actually trying to teach you how to survive in real life situations when you are out there lost.
In short, Les is my favorite because he is so real and does it all himself. I still like Bear but I find myself not nearly as excited ever since it has been revealed how much help he recieves from his crew. He doesn't build things by himself (readily admitted since they were caught decieving viewers); shelter, rafts, tools, food (most of the gross dead animals he eats are planted for him). That disclaimer about situations being set up has basically turned me off of Bear. However, I don't want people to think that he doens't have real skills. Obviously he does. But the program is no longer exciting to me and I catch it when I can but no longer set the TIVO to record it. It just did something to me when I found out so much was staged.
Survivorman is reality in truth Man vs. Wild is strictly entertainment
if i had to chose i would go with les. b/c he does all of the filming him self. bear has to take ppl with him b/c he is afrade of the dark his mommy is there with him .
Alright this is a subject that bugs me to no end because its like the cowboys and the eagles. you either love les or bear and hate the other. i LOVE bear grylls and i will explain y. If you were in a real survival situation, would you want to stay for 7 days or would you want to get out asap? yea i thought so cuz i would want to get out as soon as possible. that is what BEAR does. bear does receive support from experts when he is in trouble, but he also does things that les does not do. i have never seen les jump into 33 degree water while giving you instructions on how to get out. Also for all you "he has his crew ". not only does he have to ensure their safety using his skills, he has to help himself too. Plus les also takes SOOO much with him up their. Part of it is cameras but at least 75% of it is to help him out whereever he is. That makes him not legit. Bear on the other hand, brings khaki's, a knife, and flint. thats about it. He eats things and drinks things that les would NEVER eat or drink. I remember one time Les took a snowski up to the arctic with him and used those materials. Bear gets helicoptered in every single time. and for those of you that say "o bear goes to hotels". Are there any hotels in siberia? or in hells canyon? yea i thought not. Les is a pretender and bear is the real deal
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I'm with you Outlawfan.... i honestly cannot believe this is still being discussed. Just enjoy the bloody show and drop the self-righteous opinions!! thank you.
I was raised by a woodsman - my father had to hunt and fish to help his family survive from the time he was about 10 years old. He raised me to be a woodsman, too. I'm an honor graduate of the US Coast Guard, a former professional whitewater raft guide, and an avid outdoorsman. I've been in as good of physical shape as Bear or Les before, and I've been in much worse shape - I understand what is realistic.
Les's show is far and away the more realistic and more valuable depiction of outdoor survival. Bear's show is primarily about entertainment - presenting it as anything else is irresponsible and the only real beef I have: if Bear's show simply said "this is a controlled experiment in what Bear can do sometimes, and we only show you what he succeeds at" I'd have no beef. Unfortunately, they present this as some kind of instruction in survival. Fail: fail to the point of gross negligence if you ask me.
Much of what Bear does contradicts the training he claims to have - sometimes, at least, he admits this. So, if what he is doing is contradictory to the best survival training he's had, why does he do it? Only one possible answer: because it will be entertaining. Again, this is the beef. Sell it as just entertainment, and you are being honest.
Perhaps the most important example for survival that Les provides is that no one thing will always work. He *could* edit out all his failures, but instead he shows us many (if not most or all of them) - why? Because if you are actually trying to survive, you will fail, possibly several times in a row, but *to survive* you must remain calm, prioritize, and keep trying to succeed until you no longer are able. It's all about making the next right decision. The next right decision - that is the mantra for survival (most of what Bear displays would not be the next right decision in a survival situation). Les demonstrates, over time, that one can survive almost anywhere by remaining calm and prioritizing - shelter, water, finding help/exit and finally food. He's pretty good at finding shelter and water, and at starting fires. Frankly, he sucks at fishing - but most survival situations people wind up in resolve within a week or two at most, and as he demonstrates, it may not be much fun, but if you are successful at the higher priorities, you can certainly make it a week or two without food, assuming you aren't doing foolish things like running down mountains, climbing trees and cliff faces, etc.
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I did see how you said he claims to have training.He is the youngest brit to climb mt. everest(enough said) and i cant let this discussion go because i love bear. One, if i was lost in any of the places either have been. i would get out, not stay for a whole fricken week. and i do agree with you golden trout that you cant go for weeks at a time doing bears stunts. but on the other hand he is usually out of their in a couple of days. and Bear's knowledge of nature far exceed Les's. If i was in a survival situation i would rather have bear there then les. Because even though u could make an argument over which one is the better "survivalist". Bear also has an upbeat and hopeful personality that it also critical to mentality in a survival situation
The man was a survival instructor while enlisted in the SAS,
Bear Grylls was not in the SAS he was in the Territorial Army, not the same thing even if SAS appears in his unit name (21SAS(TA)). TA is part time; they train on weekends just like the National Guard. Also he never even completed his training due to his injury so obviously he was not a survival instructor. Just more exaggeration and BS from Grylls. You can believe what you want about him but the fact remains that he doesn’t do squat without help from the crew and the survival expert hired to do all of the work for him. If he’s actually as badass as you think then you have to ask why can’t he seem to do anything on his own.
does receive support from experts when he is in trouble,
Wrong. Bear Grylls receives help with EVERYTHING he does. He doesn’t “get out” of anything other than the truck he rode in with the crew. Here is Discoveries behind the scenes video- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qT6Bh3A0Fu0
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i have never seen les jump into 33 degree water while giving you instructions on how to get out
Les gave a REAL demonstration of what you’d do in the Surviving Alaska special. Bear has NEVER shown what it would actually be like. He just cuts some hand holds before he gets in so he can look like a tough guy.
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Plus les also takes SOOO much with him up their. Part of it is cameras but at least 75% of it is to help him out whereever he is. That makes him not legit.
What? Les demonstrates what to do with the things a person would be likely to have with them if they got into trouble. As in- a real life situation, how is that not legit?
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Bear on the other hand, brings khaki's, a knife, and flint. thats about it
That’s because the 10 people with him carry everything else
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Bear gets helicoptered in every single time.
That’s just how they film the opening scene. He’s not actually out in the wild.
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and for those of you that say "o bear goes to hotels". Are there any hotels in siberia? or in hells canyon? yea i thought not.
Uhhh, you thought wrong. Dude Siberia is one and a half times the size of the ENTIRE USA. Do you actually believe there are no hotels there? Do you not realize that there are 36 MILLION people living in Siberia? Of course there are hotels in Siberia just like there are hotels near Hells Canyon. Btw- Hells Canyon is a protected wilderness area, this means it cannot be used for commercial purposes so Bear was not actually IN the canyon, just near it.
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Les is a pretender and bear is the real deal
I think you’ve got this turned around. Les is ACTUALLY out in the wilderness while Bear is parked along side the road making a tv show.
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One, if i was lost in any of the places either have been. i would get out, not stay for a whole fricken week.
One problem with that theory. If you could just walk out then you wouldn’t actually be lost would you?
hahaahah. dude one you have no proof to backup any of the things you are saying. and if u do. give me links so i can have proof. U accuse him of being helped by everything. and guess wat your dumb comment about making hand holds in the water which you have NO way to prove, he still has to get in, which les have yet to do. and LOL about your comment in siberia, Les hasnt been there yet and its -20 degrees there on AVERAGE while alaska is no where near that cold. and about your video. you mentioned how he gets help with EVERYTHING. guess what. That was a 30 foot vertical wall. that is labled as a dangerous event. and id like to see les do something like that. and the argument that no one can dismiss is how they both approach survival. Les stays for 7 days = dumb. while bear gets the hell out of there. which is the smarter choice? and you can just walk out. but u have to overcome obstacles and eat and he just doesnt walk out he stays for a night. Because if you were a hiker, how would you get lost 100 some miles from civilization? bear is realistic and places himself 20-30 miles from it. and of those 36 million living in siberia, probably half of them dont know what televisions or cell phones are. And i actually google earthd hells canyon and he was no where near any of that. And btw those 10 people with him in the video only had things for himself. and wtf is this with a truck?! there are no places to drive a truck... and calling bear grylls not tough is like calling water not wet. Hes been in the brit navy seals, climbed everest. Yea if les and bear had a contest to get out of a place quick without crew, bear would climb up an 80 ft cliff and save hours while les goes around it and sees bear waiting for him
his mommy is there with him .
