Ray mears :(

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rimmer

Member
Apr 1, 2010
42
0
eastsussex
i have to agree it could have explaned a lot more. tracking is an intresting thing and so far he has explaned very little about his methods could have been so much better
 

MrEd

Life Member
Feb 18, 2010
2,148
1,053
Surrey/Sussex
www.thetimechamber.co.uk
i have quite enjoyed the programs actually, i think it makes a refreshing departure for ray and will widen his target audience so also a shrewd marketing move on his part.

I think that the camera men with him are excellent aswell, and if he is to develop this further they should definately be in it as his sidekicks if you get me.

I have really enjoyed them and learnt a bit more about 3 animals i wouldnt have otehrwise thought that deeply about. I dont think he should explain the way he tracks the animals as that would detract from the actual info about the animals. If you want to know how ray tracks buy a book, or watch some of his earlier TV programs

I hope he does more in this vein personally, he wont ever be attenborough, and i hope he doesnt aim for that. But with his knowledge he could make a style of his own ( he just needs to rein in the use of the words 'fantastic' and 'vital' and chill on the harmonius preaching/feely feely stuff)
 

Firebringer

Full Member
Jun 5, 2009
110
0
49
Scotland
In my view he started going the Hugh Fearnly etc. route a while ago. That is got an audience and name based on doing the basics well and then when he made it 'Big' got all preachy about the noble savages and tree hugging. Some of Ray's noble savage stuff got real hard to watch he laid it on so thick.

Ray's Northern Wilderness one was entertaining to a degree since there was a nice element of the history of bushcraft etc.

I've got no doubt he won't weep about being viewed as a sell out by some bushcrafters, on the other hand, I don't weep about not watching his recent stuff or buying his logo'd gear.

Les Stroud (Surviorman) was the one guy who seemed to hold true, and who got out without seeming to cash in his reputation.
 

MrEd

Life Member
Feb 18, 2010
2,148
1,053
Surrey/Sussex
www.thetimechamber.co.uk
In my view he started going the Hugh Fearnly etc. route a while ago. That is got an audience and name based on doing the basics well and then when he made it 'Big' got all preachy about the noble savages and tree hugging. Some of Ray's noble savage stuff got real hard to watch he laid it on so thick.

yeah agreed, i actually found it embarrassing and cringeworthy at times.
 

HillBill

Bushcrafter through and through
Oct 1, 2008
8,141
88
W. Yorkshire
I think what a lot of folk fail to realise is that Ray doesn't want you to watch because of him, he wants you to watch because of what he is showing you. If he is showing you animals thats because he wants you to see animals. The whole point of what he says is to get you out there doing it yourself, not doting over him. If you are all about Ray and not about nature as a whole then Ray would be dissapointed that you have missed the whole point of what he is telling you and his time is wasted on those folk. He is trying to make you aware of whats out there and what you can do out there. He is trying to get folk to love the land and show it some respect. Not him - nature. if you worship the man and not what the man worships then you ain't on the same wavelength as he is and i doubt he would be impressed.

Many folk miss the whole point "of" Ray and his message. The skills are secondary to this bigger picture many folk don't seem to get.
 

MrEd

Life Member
Feb 18, 2010
2,148
1,053
Surrey/Sussex
www.thetimechamber.co.uk
I think what a lot of folk fail to realise is that Ray doesn't want you to watch because of him, he wants you to watch because of what he is showing you. If he is showing you animals thats because he wants you to see animals. The whole point of what he says is to get you out there doing it yourself, not doting over him. If you are all about Ray and not about nature as a whole then Ray would be dissapointed that you have missed the whole point of what he is telling you and his time is wasted on those folk. He is trying to make you aware of whats out there and what you can do out there. He is trying to get folk to love the land and show it some respect. Not him - nature. if you worship the man and not what the man worships then you ain't on the same wavelength as he is and i doubt he would be impressed.

Many folk miss the whole point "of" Ray and his message. The skills are secondary to this bigger picture many folk don't seem to get.

nicely put HB, i totally agree
 

TeeDee

Full Member
Nov 6, 2008
10,447
3,652
50
Exeter
I heard something the other day from a 1st hand source that in my mind knocked Ray down a Notch or Two and Bear Up a few....


Yes , I really did just say that...I'm warming to Bear.
 

JonathanD

Ophiological Genius
Sep 3, 2004
12,809
1,479
Stourton,UK
I think what a lot of folk fail to realise is that Ray doesn't want you to watch because of him, he wants you to watch because of what he is showing you. If he is showing you animals thats because he wants you to see animals. The whole point of what he says is to get you out there doing it yourself, not doting over him. If you are all about Ray and not about nature as a whole then Ray would be dissapointed that you have missed the whole point of what he is telling you and his time is wasted on those folk. He is trying to make you aware of whats out there and what you can do out there. He is trying to get folk to love the land and show it some respect. Not him - nature. if you worship the man and not what the man worships then you ain't on the same wavelength as he is and i doubt he would be impressed.

Many folk miss the whole point "of" Ray and his message. The skills are secondary to this bigger picture many folk don't seem to get.

Brilliant HB, summed it up absolutely perfectly goodjob I'm going to quote this post many times in the future methinks.
 

Jakata

Full Member
Dec 16, 2009
87
0
45
Northampton
I really don't understand this mears vs bear rubbish, its like boyband worship, its really quite depressing. They are both good at what they do and are both entertaining and informative for different reasons.

I missed most of them, as I always do with TV programs, the wife is in firm control of the remote but I will be looking out for the repeats. I saw most of the one on bears and the one on wolves, both great to watch and slightly different from the usual nature programs.
 
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Toddy

Mod
Mod
Jan 21, 2005
38,937
4,570
S. Lanarkshire
No complaint about this thread, but the sniping about a removed one is irritating.
That thread was removed not incase RM got annoyed but because Tony clearly said he was ".....concerned about is the negative comments about people, especially bushcraft teachers and personalities. This must stop. I have had to edit or delete a number of comments that should never have been posted. Do not make comments of a personal nature about anyone. "


I reckon that includes his underwear, don't you ?
Truthfully, I do wonder just what it is that a few folks find so fascinating about the man's underpinnings and leg coverings ?
Sommat Freudian ?
Who knows.

On the whole the rest of us would rather read about something more in keeping with the concept of a bushcraft site than constant sniping over whether or not some folks ought to be allowed to discuss such sartorial interests here.

Toddy
 

Alexlebrit

Tenderfoot
Dec 22, 2009
90
0
France
I love these Mears is selling out threads, they're almost exactly the same as the Long Way Round/Down/To The Shops threads I read on a bike travel site called Horizons Unlimited. People saying it's not hardcore and it should have far more detail etcetera, etcetera.

The thing about TV (and particularly TV from the five main channels) is that it has to appeal to a mass market. A mass market which sadly no longer seems to be able to cope with anything in depth. A mass market which channel surfs if something is too serious because it's boring, and experts are geeks and weirdos. So that means that if you're really interested in the subject it's likely not to appeal to you to the same degree.

I say take any of these as an introduction to the subject and nothing more, and remember what you were like before you got into bushcrafting (or bike travel), what inspired you. Then we can welcome this type of programme as something that will hopefully inspire our kids, our neighbours to find something they enjoy.

EDIT: I'm now going to copy and paste (with 3 changes only into the latest Ewan and Charlie thread on the HU).
 

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