I don't think Ray Mears would really see it as a survival challenge. I think he prefers the wilderness rather than any notion of 'escaping' back to civilization. I suspect that is the main difference between 'bushcrafters' and 'ETsurvivors' even though they carry the same kit. Happiness I suspect for Ray is sitting under a rock in the rain beside his fire on the west coast of Scotland eating his recently collected shellfish.

+1 on the smackdown of Seagull.

I've rolled and thrown with a few good judoka, and as long as they practice enough newaza (ground-fighting) they are legit in a scrap.

As Rickson Gracie (he's a GREAT grappler, decent mixed martial artist) said in my presence when asked about aikido (S. Seagull's art):"It's....nice." He wasn't being complimentary.

Sounds great to me.

I`d vote for Les. There are good basic ideas with Bear, he just constantly take too many unnessecary stupid chances.

Someone like Ray Mears though, is at a completely different level. It wouldn`t be a matter of survival to him. It would just be a question of comfort. That man has practiced his skills, that`s for sure

lol

I think I`ll get most of my gear somewhere else.

In the picture of the survival tin, he shows a folding knife, but in the list it is not mentioned.

Funny there is no referance to Bear Gyllis in the ABOUT US. So I think they are just alluding to an affilation. with THE Bear.

One week is to short, as it is just a last out a few day. Make it a year.
cheers

You know, I noticed the same thing on a rerun of Bear's Iceland episode - Vroomans was listed as survival expert.

I am speculating that since these shows are geared toward survival in different situations without any equpment to speak of, someone on the staff has the ongoing job of researching local plants, animals and hazards, and communicating that information to the presenter/actor/star. I would think that it would be nearly impossible to be equally expert on each and every area of the world. I mean, I can knock around here in the Northeast somewhat adequately, but in your neck of the woods I would not immediately know many of the useful plants, for example.

And if I were in Iceland it would never occur to me to risk hypothermia by jumping into a glacial creek because I could see steam from a geothermal spring on the horizon and assume I could get there and get warm before I passed out and died. I'm just too uneducated and provincial, I guess.


Frank2135

Bear has a different, local survival expert listed at the end of each episode. I've tried Googling them to see if they have their own websites, and most don't.

Bear's expert for the Everglades is a fairly well known author (don't recall his name right now) of local nature books, and is even featured on the board of tourism site.

The African expert has his own safari outfit, etc.

I find myself more interested in the credits than I am in the show itself!