man vs wild is partly faked - like the time he tried to ride a "wild" horse. Give me a break..
Partly? I'd say it was about 75% theatre. Aside from being codswalop, Man versus Pizza is bad news for the whole outdoors genre. Ray Mears, love him or loathe him, has almost single-handedly given back to basic outdoor living credibility. He has bought an honestly to it and presented "bushcraft" to the world in a way thay anyone can understand and none has a quarrel with. Ray has worked hard to distance bushcraft from right wing survivalism, with great effect.
By contrast Bear Grylls has taken bushcraft back 25 years. He has taken a topic that has found credibility and injected a dose of quasi-military, survivalist fantasy into it, based on bad advice, machismo posturing and misdirection that is verging on fraudulent, not to mention more than a little "jackass" style idiocy. Way to go Rambo! Lets hope his next survival knife has a saw back, a fishing kit in the hollow handle and a compass.
Survivorman more or less just hangs out for a week and starves, freezes, roasts...not a whole lot to learn there - but a least he isn't faking.
Absolutly, poles apart. Les Stroud appears humble, likeable and ego-free. His approach is refreshingly honest and while is may lack "drama", it has a deeper value alogether. You say there is not a whole lot to learn, well I would disagree with that. You get the full picture, warts and all. While Bear ships in a pre-built shelter, has his crew construct it, then poses under it for the shot before retiring to the villa for a hot bath and a pizza, Les Stroud is on his third night alone, eating grasshoppers. It's the process of actually living htrough it that holds the fascination for me. It's no big deal builing a firebow in your back yard, but after 3 days without food, it's a different challenge. It's how living with minimal water, almost no food, in harsh conditions affects the decisions you make that is most educational. It's a welcome bonus that Les also shuns the camo wearing, paramilitary twaddle, by contrast Mr Grylls does like to remind us that he was in 21 reg at every opportunity. Absolutely, Everest was an enormous achievement, but nothing spoils an enormous achievement like and even more enormous love of ones own reflection.
There is no contest, Les Strouds programs are honest, humble, informative, fascinating and educational.
Man versus Pizza is anything but.
For me the biggest difference is that by following "Bear's" methods eventually nature will sort you out in a very negative way, he just takes to many drastic chances. (Also the misleading premise of the show)
For learning by far its Ray Mears, good teachings, well thought out, well presented.
Les Stroud is tough and shows how bad things can happen but not enough in being well kitted out and with a modicum of knowledge, for me that is a point of contention, when I see people lost and miserable in a shore camp or the side of a trail having a horrible time of it because they followed info that wasn't up to snuff.
So RM is the boy to lead.
to be off point.
I agree with you here mate, Ray is the king of presenting skill sets, but I think Les' programs in some ways offer more information. I suppose it depends who is watching. You are probably very familiar with all those simple decisions like "do I build my shelter here", or "do I walk that way or this way?". For me though, I dont live in these places and only go as a visitor, so these decisions are new and fascinating to me.
