actually why does he do it - probably because its damn good fun and he gets paid to do it, I've sat in chopper doorways and its like riding a motorbike with no lid, exillarating, batoning with a rock? well the cree guy building a canoe I linked to used a hammer on his yet we'd class him as a native craftsman, swinging around a waterfall well thats what happens when climbing and its better than falling 20m.
there is good info in there for people if watch it again and look beyond the showbiz, its meant to shown stuff slightly outside the box to get people thinking about improvisation and to realise that they are deficiant in skills which may come in handy. just like first aid where you have 1 in 200 as a first aider at work. I'm not a religious watcher infact I've probably only seen 4 or 5 full episodes but a fair few clips off youtube but when I have watched them I have seen a lot of potentially usefull into for people prepared to see it. he does carry a few bits of kit but off he goes in relatively normal clothing, and trainers. no ventile, no floppy hat or hammock and he even used to take normal knives with him. certainly the first series he had a different knife every week to show that you didn't need a specific one. same way he tried a different fire techniques because he didnt carry a firesteel the theory was sound but even rm cant get a fire going all the time using 'traditional' techniques.
I'd love to be able to do all that again for fun but time and injuries have take their toll. doesnt mean I couldn't and wouldn't should the need arise.
