Les Stroud

[Brian Curnel]

I just discovered a new survival series by les stroud called Survivorman. here is the link

http://www.lesstroudonline.com/

http://www.survivorman.ca/

I think he is a Canadian Ray Mears

Bri

 

[Topcat02]

Hi,

There was a link a while back, where you could watch his 7 day jaunt on the web for free. Cant remember exactly where it was though.

 

[oops56]

Yep saw it last week he built one fire with a hard rock at striking of his axe took a little time but he did it . Got tinder off a tree of some kind scrapping it off.Not a bad show not long enuff only half hour long

 

[Brian Curnel]

Really Topcat? See here in the US it's usually all hunting and NASCAR LOL. But I just came accross this guy browsing and researched him a bit more. You guys over in the UK get all the great programming i'm envyous (?) Ray Mears and a great Bushcraft following, it seems you almost have to sue someone here to get anything.

Isaid that it was not in the US apparently it is but not in my area... go figure!!! :bluThinki

 

[capacious]

He'll never be as good as Ray...........

 

[sargey]

the series was running sunday nights on discovery science a while back. it's sort of entertaining. i've only seen a couple.

he seems to do an odd mix of "here's what you should do" and "here's the most common mistakes" the net result is, not alot of really useable information.

in the sea survival episode, he makes what seems to be a useable solar still from his liferaft canister. the whole solar still thing is much debated these days. IIRC, in one episode ray mears tried to prove that they weren't viable. but that's probably a discussion foranother thread.

cheers, and.

 

[Brian Curnel]

Sargey,
I know that piece about the solar still that you were speaking of... The still in the desert giving up more liquid than you get, I agree that you can't dig in the heat of the day...common sense to me, but I still think that some solar stills are useful especially in temperate climates and at sea because there is an abundance of moisture to collect from.. not necessarily so in the arid areas of concern.

 

[Abbe Osram]

I like his show a lot, its great that he put his knowleadge to the test.
Its much easier to march in with an entire army of a filmcrew and film a Bushcraft show then living his stuff in the bush and film yourself.
It is mentally very tuff to be out there in the cold and perform. I was surprised that I found myself staring at my feet for several minutes not remembering what to do next, the cold sapps your thinking. I saw only his winter movie in the canadian bush and the way he shows it as it is without being misleading in a romantic bushcraft image.

Take for example the show where Ray showes how to make snowshoes as a emergency help. He was in a nice blockhouse, sitting on a reindeer fur, having a fireplace in the background and working on his snowshoes. Ok, I found that quite good. I learn a lot how to make them BUT this is not real!
Test it, go out and dump your snowshoes, walkaround in hip high snow from tree to tree to find the material. Then standing in the snow without anything to help you, you build your emergency snowshoes. Les puts the stuff to the test and is not afraid of his image. My thumps are up big time for the guy and would like to see a show made by Ray in the same way. Ray alone not more stuff with him than les has filming himself and putting his knowleadge to the test.

And guys, believe me I have all of Rays movies and love his stuff, I am learning a lot but I respect Les for what he is doing and I am aware that Rays movies can give a wrong romantic, easy going Wilderness picture, which could lead you wrong. Les in his way is much more realistic than Ray.

cheers
abbe

 

[Topcat02]

Good points by all concerned!

 

[RovingArcher]

I find it entertaining and that's important in a series that you want to air for more than one season, but I also think his show borders on irresponsible at times. I think he has skills, especially in manufacturing items he can use and in building shelters, but he also does some things that I wouldn't recommend to anyone looking to live through a situation and that can jeapardize lives if inexperienced people did what he does in his show.

He needs to recommend some essential gear that people should have with them in the wilderness and he needs to tell people that the best way to survive a situation like he portrays in his show, is to prepare or it before hand. No self respecting boy scout would do any less.

 

[wizard]

Roving Archer has made a good point, Les should show some recommended equipment along with his primitive technique. Overall I like the show and have watched all 9 shows that have been played. I had a few email converstations with Les before he started the shows and he seems like a really good guy and certainly is a rugged sole to be doing what he does!
So far, to my knowledge, the latest Ray Mears programs have not been shown in the USA. I really wish they would get shown, they are the best of his shows so far. Both Les and Ray make some great points about preparedness and survival techniques.
As for trekkers in general, I am amazed at how many people show up for remote wilderness hikes with little more than a bottle of water! If they ever had an emergency, they'd be in deep trouble! On some recent hikes I have participated in, I would say about 75% of the people were very under-equipped to even avoid discomfort, let alone a serious situation! A little education goes a long way! Cheers!

 

[mrostov]

In the US on the Science Channel the shows are 1 hour, not 30 minutes.

I think that one of the points of the Survivorman show that is missed by the more survivalist minded is tht the show isn't an instruction video, but a representation of what an average person would do if thrust into such circumstances unexpectedly.

Hence, the lack of preparation and the lack of gear. Since he's in the situation pretty much for real he does make mistakes and the unexpected happens. He also shows that some of the textbook stuff isn't as easy as it looks in the book.

The Arizona show was typical of many people who go out to play in the desert, don't bring any water, and then break down out in some remote area.

To give Stroud credit, he and his girfriend took off and lived on the primative for a year in the Boreal forest of N.E. Canada, and it does get cold up there.

His experience doing that is probably also why when he did a winter episode simulating a plane crash he insisted on carrying a full size axe.

That episode I did like how he found a flint bearing rock in the river bed and started fires by striking it across the top of the axe (unlike in one 'survival' movie where someone struck rocks with the cutting edge). He made his initial fire with the battery and some gasoline from the wrecked airplane. He made some charcloth from the first fire out of some fabric, and it's that charcloth he used with the rock and the axe.

Regardless of all of his other gear, or lack thereof, he always has a pocket tool and his harmonica with him. I do find his choice in pocket tools interesting.

In all but one episode he carried a multitool, and this was one of two types. In some episodes he carried a Victorinox Swiss Tool, and in others he carried a Leatherman Wave. In the Georgia Swamp episode he carried a Swiss Army Knife. The one thing they all had in common was a knife blade and a saw blade.

I noticed that he did his show here in Arizona's Sonora Desert in the winter and he still found it really 'hot' in the daytime. Typical cold weather Canadian

 

[RovingArcher]

Actually, my irresponsible remark comes from some of the things he does and how he and what he does are perceived by people that watch the show.

For instance, the average city dweller looks at this man like he is an expert. So, everything he does and says is a lesson of sorts to them. Also, we all know what the attention span of the average person is and what they will actually retain isn't much. The average person wouldn't know what to do in most of his situations and many wouldn't have the common sense to come in out of the cold and windy rain, which brings me to one episode where he was dropped in the Rocky Mtns. He wandered in the rain, getting soaked to the bone, as he's looking for food. He finds a mushroom that he wasn't quite sure about, but ate anyways. What did the average person just learn from him? They won't remember what he said about eating an unknown mushroom, but they will remember that he did eat it. They'll remember that he was able to get soaked in the cold mountains and still survive. But, they won't remember what it was he did to get dry and warm again.

Like I said, his show is very entertaining, but there are times when it borders on irresponsible.

I liked Arizona. I spent 2 weeks camping on Big Mountain in July. Hot, but a very interesting place. Some of those snakes can travel fast.

 

[Brian Curnel]

Hey Archer :You_Rock_

I agree to a point here. Les does come off as irresponsible and the statement about the mushroom can't be emphasized enough, however like you said this show caters to a general audience which is usually not experienced in outdoor skills, thus coming off like a survival expert. But let me say in defense of the show, he does show the pains of the process like starting a fire, he spent what 11 hours which I think is a bit nuch but it does dilute the hollywood syndrome out of people thinking that they can walk out with two sticks and presto! Get a fire with minimal effort. He also is willing to accept that he made mistakes which is a great learning tool. Like I said I do agree some of his methods are questionable but what can you expect, the woods play with our brains sometimes.... :twak:

 

[mrostov]

Yes, I do agree that the mushroom incident was a bit foolhardy. That could have been the last episode right there and mushrooms really don't have that much nutritional value, especially when the risks are concerned.

Roving Archer, during July I head up to Big Lake where it's not 118F like in the desert (actually, the rock and soil in the day can get to be 160F in the open desert in the summer). Big Lake is at about 8000 feet up in the White Mountains and it's nice and cool, even in July.

 

[RovingArcher]

Yes, I do agree that the mushroom incident was a bit foolhardy. That could have been the last episode right there and mushrooms really don't have that much nutritional value, especially when the risks are concerned.

Roving Archer, during July I head up to Big Lake where it's not 118F like in the desert (actually, the rock and soil in the day can get to be 160F in the open desert in the summer). Big Lake is at about 8000 feet up in the White Mountains and it's nice and cool, even in July.

Thanks for the info. I'll keep Big Lake in mind next time I map out a journey your way.

 

[stone]

Typical cold weather Canadian

Hey now, I resemble that remark...hehe.

The Survivorman series producers need to add a disclaimer for the folks that call their lawyers everytime stuff goes wrong. Most of us have enough common sense to see what could work and what should be looked at twice, but the mushroom part should have maybe been dropped on the cutting room floor.....

Not to hijack the thread but, on a similar vien, we actually just started getting Ray Mears on TV now, and I'm really looking forward to the rest of the shows. I caught the first one about a canoe builder in Quebec, who showed him the old ways of building a birchbark canoe. It was cool to see him after reading about him all this time

~mike

 

[RovingArcher]

I'd be very interested in watching Mr. Mears' instruction. I hope we start getting it here in Calif. eventually.

 

[Dogface]

I like Les's programs and he seems like a nice bloke. Now, I know that he's trying to replicate an actual survival situation using stuff that might be to hand and I think that's great - obviously not easy when he's trying to film it all himself as well. Only according to his website he is 'a wilderness guide and instructor' and I have a problem with that, as sometimes he doesn't seem to display the kind of skills that I'd expect an 'instructor' to have. Just for example, the last program that I watched of his showed him hacking away at something with his multi-tool, using his upper thigh as a chopping board. Now even my son (6 yrs old) turned to me and said 'Dad, he's doing it wrong!'. I'd expect someone that's an 'average Joe' to do such things, but not someone that's supposed to be experienced and skilled....

As I say, though, I like the programs a lot and it's just my opinion...

Nick

 

[Abbe Osram]

I dont know about you guys but I experienced that I forget how to do stuff when I am out in the wild and get a bit stressed. When my plans didnt turn out right and I got surprised by minus 23, I remember standing there like a fool not knowing what to do for several minutes. I got so cold and disorientate that I had to force myself to think.
Then I started to say in my mind, ok.....what next....ah yes I need a fire....pretty fast I was chopping away on a piece of wood.... but... in all the mind confusion... I did it the wrong way and the piece of wood was flying up in my face and I nearly lost an eye...I was lucking the small logg hit my forehead.

Sitting here at the computer talking to you guys I know what I did wrong but I simply forgot it. So, I believe the same is going on in his tests and test they are because the guy doesnt takefood with him, or the right kit.

I am pretty sure that he knows a lot of things and believe too that his show is not thought out to be a copy of Rays programs which are a mix between a traveling show and a how to do program. Les Strouds programs are more a soap programm where the average person sees him suffer and feels good about himself opening another bottle of beer and eat another bag of chips. I would not be worried that they might pick up wrong stuff from him, they would anyhow die if something happend to them.

cheers
Abbe