I came across a web sight
www.survivalexpert.com
This guy is selling his survival school. There's nothing wrong with that, but take a look at some of the items he covers. Either he's the greatest survival "expert" imaginable or full of BS. Some of his tricks may be possible, but........ ?
Anybody out there had any experiance with this guy?

I have to wonder if an FBI/CIA/DHS background check will be required to access the TOP SECRET survival tricks. I didn't see it (i could have missed it), but do you suppose he also offers to teach survival card tricks? Hey, we might as well be able to entertain ourselves while surviving.

QUOTE: My Personal Guarantee! YOU'LL SURVIVE impossible conditions Anytime Anywhere On Earth where campers, hikers, hunters, soldiers... have paniced, given-up and unnecessarily died!


So if you take his course and then die do you get a full refund?

Eodman:

Sort of reminds me of the old joke about the idiot who confronted his girlfriend about seeing other men.

During the course of the argument, he became so frustrated with her that he pulled out a revolver and said he was going to blow his brains out.

His girlfriend started laughing at the stupidity of his actions.

He said; "What are you laghing at, you're next! <img src="/images/graemlins/crazy.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/images/graemlins/tongue.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/images/graemlins/crazy.gif" alt="" />

Kinda hard to go back for a refund if the program doesn't work.

Bountyhunter

Survival instructors remind me alot of horsetrainers. Both print up business cards and are instantly experts, create colourfull personnas, sell magical bits or knives that solve all problems and drive trucks about to fall apart.

Survival hasn't changed much over the years. I doubt there are any "top secret" tricks.

What a load of BULL!

example:
"Did you know, that every single day thousands of hunters, fishermen, campers, hikers, soldiers... like YOU disappear forever (never seen again), get seriously hurt, wander aimlessly - crying, are overwhelmed with FEAR & PANIC, enter the food-chain, die horribly... in wilderness environments! Many will panic, give-up and die cause they're clueless!!! WHAT ABOUT YOU? Insure a lifetime of guaranteed safe outdoor ventures with HUNDREDS of advanced life-saving survival secrets at your fingertips 24-hours a day Anytime Anywhere on Earth! ADVANCED life-saving survival secrets you'll use Anytime Anywhere on Earth to survive backyard, unforgiving wilderness, and hostile battlefied environments!"

people whom call them sells experts are usually persons who thing they know everything and have a heck of a ego. I don't like them.

people whom you can learn from, are people that know, that you can't possible know everything. People that don't call them selfs experts. These people usually know where there limitaions are with all kinds of kit and knowledge.

EXPERT
EX-Has been
PERT(spurt) just a little trickle
Beware anyone who claims to be an expert at anything!
Just my opinion, but I think we're all still learning. If we were not, why are we reading this site?

Because we are all fascinated that snake-oil salesmen continue to thrive in the new millennium. The snake oil is long gone but the sideshow aspect remains. The product or service changes but the carnival atmosphere clings.

-- Craig

I tell you what, put him in the red zone here in Baghdad, as an unsponsored ex-pat wearing typical American clothing and no explosives or fireams, or body guards, and see how long he lasts. If he can make it home from that, then maybe I might take his course.

I was thinking along the same lines
Ex = Has Been
Spurt = drip under pressure

I'm almost tempted. Really really tempted... I want to skip the video and go straight to his "35 pounds of top secret knowledge..."

I like the Hypnotize small game for a tastier meal. I might take this a little more seriously if were the Acme Survival School.
The 999 secrets is pretty good, too. I guess they couldn't think up another one to make it an even 1K.
Dave

Yeah right ... but him in family court facing a killer shark divorce lawyer and see how far those hundreds of tips get him. Getting out of there with more than the clothes on your back is REAL survival. <img src="/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

I think that he's lying. I mean, hoe could you possibly start a fire with a drop of water? He's got to be hiding something.

Yep he is hiding plenty. In this case he forgot to mention that you also need a piece of glass, steady hands and a boatload of free time.

He is talking something which is possible yet extemely difficult and then he is exaggerating it to make it seem like something spectacular. He is almost certainly referring to the technique involving using a drop of water on a piece of glass to magnify sunlight and thus start a fire in the same way one would do with a magnifying lens. Yes, sure, it can be done but (a) it requires more than "just a drop of water" and (b) it's not simple by any means (though possible) to get a "drop" of water to sit perfectly on a piece of glass for the purpose of magnifying sunlight and starting a fire.

A lot of what is on that site are not necessarily outright lies but rather extremely gross exaggerations. I believe he also said something about starting a fire with a chocolate bar. Most of us here know how this one is done. Most of us also know it is at best extremely difficult to accomplish.

I like this part of his ad the best: "fire-starting using a beam of light from a flashlight in pitch black darkness"!

If it ISN'T pitch dark, he'd better take care not to get a moonburn. <img src="/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" />

Sue

Actually I do know some of his tricks or at l;east the basis of some of them. The throwing of fire from the finger tips is an old majic trick. See your local majic store. There is also several other ways to start a fire with a single drop of water. Of course you need something to burn. There are a number of chemical compouunds that ignite and burn violently when they come into contact with water.

The candy bar and t-shirt one is the old a coke can and a hershey bar. http://www.trackertrail.com/survival/fire/cokeandchocolatebar/
The T-shirt is the polishing rag.

I suspect most of the so called secrets are things of this nature. Often many of them would require either large amounts or dangerous equipment. Most tasks using simple well known techniques would be easier to preform, More reliable and require less equipment or preperations that these secrets.

No real secrets just a bunch of hype. Although there might be one or two ideas or new uses you never thought of.

Hello everyone,
Im not a regular to this board but in searching for some information for my good friend Mr. Laydon, I came across this site and your guy's discovery of his website. Let me tell you first off that this man is true to his word. I know that some of his comments on his website are a little "short" let me assure you that everything that this man claims are fact. The reason his website is so full of exclemation and energy is because Mr. Laydon loves what he does. He tells me countless stories about going to the grocery store and reading items to see if he can experiment. He is a very dedicated man to his work and a very intelligent human being. Mr. Laydon works for hours devising new ways to aid survival. Don't forget this man also offers a money back if you are not satisfied. Just remember, that even though you may take what I say as pure bull, at least if your interested call and talk to the man and you will see for yourself, a passionate man to his art and he just wants to share it with others.
-Shawn

Hmmm survival art has been around for a pretty long time, so for somebody to come out with new and revolutionary (something out of nothing approach) maybe little unwelcome... I still do believe that the man is fugazi until proven otherwise...

I do not doubt what you are saying. But his website comes across as though the main thing in his kit is hyperbole. That makes him sound like a huckster. If he is all that he says he is, he should try marketing himself in a way that does not bring to mind QVC or Ron Popeil.

I do still use my Bedazzler on a regular basis on all my outdoors wear. <img src="/images/graemlins/smirk.gif" alt="" />

My old boss used to keep saying to me:

Those that can, DO.
Those that can't DO, TEACH.
Those that can't DO and can't TEACH, become EXPERTS.

Wait I thought it was:

Those that can, DO.
Those that can't DO, TEACH.
Those that can't DO and can't TEACH, become CONSULTANTS .

Same thing. The appearance of being an expert is a prerequisite to being a consultant. And you can't be a good teacher, because then you'd just teach them what you supposedly know and be out of a job.

Correction:

Those that can't stand being around those that can't, teach it right.
Those who can't, become management.

(BTW, I hope never see's that :P )