Reading recent responses about Man vs Wild show got me thinking: why do you guys ride so much on Bear? I mean I watch the show every now and than and I be the first one to admit that sometimes he does things the harder way but so what? He doesn’t do stuff our way, he doesn’t hole up and waits for the rescue but is proactive and searches for the way out. Yes, he takes unnecessary risk but he puts his skin on the line. I think that he shows you worst case scenario by going an extra mile to do things more difficult way. Well it would be nice to walk over the glacier but let me show you what would happen if you walk underneath. Stuff he eats would not be my choice to eat but hey if a guy wants to show me that huge worms can be digested than go for it. Why do you care how he holds a knife or what brand of blades does he use? So what that he destroys the knife every show? If destroying a knife gets me out of a jam than so be it. Maybe his $50 Gerber is hurting your eyes because you were under the impression that $400 Sebenza guarantees you a survival success? My skin is worth more than any blade out there. He is probably already being forced to wear certain gear and use certain equipment by TV producers since lately every damn program is one big commercial. He is more athletic, fit and with mindset that few of us can match. He also did a lot of extraordinary things in his life and personally for me even thou I respect his military experience what convinced me that he can hold his own is his Everest climb.

He doesn’t carry ton of gear on him and makes survival look easy. Also survival style that is being very popular here on this forum is passive and equipment oriented. Generators, piles of food, equipment and gear take priority over skills but than again skills that Bear has may not be a priority in urban survival. I would like you to do a 5 day hike thru a jungle or mountains or desert with your BOB. Somehow we cover the lack of skills by redundancy in certain items (ex: 5 different fire starting devices). Also with this board conservative approach to survival are we being too harsh in judging his style? When was the last time you were in the place where nearest human being is 5 days walk away? Also some people are not gear oriented. You guys should have seen the disappointment on faces of Doxa watches fans when Matthew McCoungey (sp) told them than he doesn’t care what timepiece he wore portraying Dirk Pitt in the movie Sahara and to add insult to an injury he wore it upside down thru the flick. I think same thing happened with Anderson and McGuyver and Swiss Army knives. Bear has a typical stranded ill prepared hiker approach to his “adventures”. If everyone was as prepared as us, watching survival shows wouldn’t be fun.

He is willing to make a clown out of himself on TV but than again you go out there, do some of his stunts with a smile while talking to audience and maintaining posture. If I was doing a survival show my commentary would be a one long beep. Bear has a successful show and is now in the entertainment business. He wants to make a buck and if he does it thru selling custom knives than be it. I know few people who did the same and somehow we don’t ride on them for it. And quite honestly I would rather have Bear on my side than some of those other guys. There are very few people out there who can put their survival skills into decent income job. He did the best he could so give him a break. I’m just surprised that Breitling watches are not picking him up as a spokesman for their emergency model. I don't worship a man but can recognize a man who is confident and agressive whcih in the end means that he will not fold under pressure.