The series "Alone", how would you do it, as in what would your priorities be and how would you do things compared to the people taking part?
The series "Alone"
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After that, make sure when you step off the boat that you are comfortable sleeping in the wild with wild animals... whether it be bears or anything else. This is the second series where people have quit early due to their fear of bears or wolves.
In contrast, those who have lasted more than the first few days are aware of the local wildlife, respect it, but don't let their fear get the better of them.
In contrast, those who have lasted more than the first few days are aware of the local wildlife, respect it, but don't let their fear get the better of them.
And have critical items on lanyards or have a fire tin.Think the show has demonstrated why there is such a thing as a fire tin and why it was popular. Because fire making tools are so critical, extra care needs to be taken and shouldn't be put down just anywhere.Both seasons someone has lost their ferro rod.
Fair play to the fella this series though... he didn't give up when he realised his ferro rod was gone. Don't want to spoil it for those who haven't seen it... but I don't think it spoils it to say he lost it in a similarly stupid way as the fella from last season. Everyone has equal chances... and this guy decided that the loss of ferro rod was not the end of the game for him.
After the first few days it's no longer a "survival" situation but now a "wilderness living" situation - having knowledge of how to hunt and trap is vital (you can only take so many packs of noodles with you!) and making a comfortable place to live (and sleep) is important. I thought Mike had a superb setup.
You can't spend months living in a simple bivy setup, you'd go mad
You can't spend months living in a simple bivy setup, you'd go mad
i believe bringing a metal container for making charcloth is a against the rules- so unless you find one on the beach....
it also seems that more than one participant of season 2 used their axe in a rather scary and unsafe way to split firewood wich led to the nasty axident of one candidate (I've a scar from a similar mistake involving a hatchet, being tired and in a hurry--lucky for me it was only litte force/speed)-- so safe use of tools seems important to me (especially in a place like this)....
i would also consider building some sort of fence (palisasdes) around my camp --providing i have available materials-- to prevent bears just walking in....
One guy in season one (runner up IIRC) had a tin from somewhere, he did make his own char whilst out there though.
And yes, few were standing sticks on their ends and splitting them from the top with an axe. Rather than holding them horizontally and splitting from the side.
one guy "smuggled"" an altoids tin into the show ( "" disguised"" as storage contasiner for his fishing hooks) but i read somewhere that it was technically against the rules and that history chanel put them on the list of forbidden items for season 2..... might be wrong on that one, but i'm sure the candidates would have brought tins with them if allowed--@least some of them seem quite resourceful....
There was a guy this series who had the start of a log cabin, really was impressed with the structure he'd made, but then he just quit. And the other fella with his auto-hand washer and BBQ setup... thought he'd be there til the end.
Really impressed with the woman on there... she's knowledgeable and considering her neighbours, she is brave as they come. Doubt I'd be able to live that close in proximity, let alone share a food source.
Really impressed with the woman on there... she's knowledgeable and considering her neighbours, she is brave as they come. Doubt I'd be able to live that close in proximity, let alone share a food source.
This is correct.. There are a couple of people from season one, and one guy from season two on the Bushcraft USA forums that have confirmed it.
Just a heads up that Alone series 2 will start to be aired in the UK on the History channel on Monday 11th July. Their are 2 programes, one at 4pm and then at 11pm, then one episode each night next week.
Should be good viewing.
Should be good viewing.
Appreciate I'm playing catchup but what a great tv series. Fascinating to watch and learn from. Has anyone given any thought to their 10 items? Here's the list that the contestants got to choose from (copied from history channel website):
Shelter
1. 12×12 ground cloth/tarp (grommets approved)
2. 8 mm climbing rope 10M
3. 550 parachord 20m
4. 1 hatchet
5. 1 saw
6. 1 ax
Bedding
1. 1 multi-seasonal sleeping bag that fits within provided backpack
2. 1 bivy bag (Gore-Tex sleeping bag cover)
3. 1 sleeping pad
4. 1 hammock
Cooking
1. 1 large (no more than 2 quart) pot, includes lid
2. 1 steel frying pan
3. 1 flint or ferro rod set
4. 1 enamel bowl for eating
5. 1 spoon
6. 1 canteen or water bottle
7. 1 bear canister
Hygiene
1. 1 bar soap
2. 1 8 oz tube of toothpaste
3. 1 face flannel
4. 1 40 m roll of dental floss
5. 1 small bottle bio shower soap
6. 1 shaving razor (and 1 blade)
7. 1 towel (30 x 60)
8. 1 comb
Hunting
1. 1 300-yard roll of nylon single filament fishing line and 25 assorted hooks (No lures)
2. 1 primitive bow with 6 Arrows (must be predominately made of wood)
3. 1 small gauge gill net (8 m x 2 m OR 1.5 m deep x 3.6 m long and 2 [50 mm] mesh)
4. 1 slingshot/Catapult
5. 1 net foraging bag
6. 1 3.5 lb roll of trapping wire
Food
1. 5 lbs of beef jerky (protein)
2. 5 lbs of dried pulses/legumes/lentils mix (starch and carbs)
3. 5 lbs of biltong (protein)
4. 5 lbs of hard tack military biscuits (carbs/sugars)
5. 5 lbs of chocolate (Simple/complex sugars)
6. 5 lbs of pemmican (traditional trail food made from fat and proteins)
7. 5 lbs of gorp (raisins, m&ms and peanuts)
8. 5 lbs of flour (starch/carbs)
9. 2 lbs of rice or sugar and 1 lb of salt
Tools
1. 1 pocket knife
2. 1 hunting knife
3. 1 Leatherman multi-tool
4. 1 sharpening stone
5. 1 roll of duct tape or 1 roll of electrical tape
6. 1 small shovel
7. 1 small sewing kit
8. 1 carabineer
9. 1 LED flashlight
10. 1 pair of ice spikes
It's always interesting food for thought! Worth noting that the contestants get a medic kit, filming kit and clothing.
Shelter
1. 12×12 ground cloth/tarp (grommets approved)
2. 8 mm climbing rope 10M
3. 550 parachord 20m
4. 1 hatchet
5. 1 saw
6. 1 ax
Bedding
1. 1 multi-seasonal sleeping bag that fits within provided backpack
2. 1 bivy bag (Gore-Tex sleeping bag cover)
3. 1 sleeping pad
4. 1 hammock
Cooking
1. 1 large (no more than 2 quart) pot, includes lid
2. 1 steel frying pan
3. 1 flint or ferro rod set
4. 1 enamel bowl for eating
5. 1 spoon
6. 1 canteen or water bottle
7. 1 bear canister
Hygiene
1. 1 bar soap
2. 1 8 oz tube of toothpaste
3. 1 face flannel
4. 1 40 m roll of dental floss
5. 1 small bottle bio shower soap
6. 1 shaving razor (and 1 blade)
7. 1 towel (30 x 60)
8. 1 comb
Hunting
1. 1 300-yard roll of nylon single filament fishing line and 25 assorted hooks (No lures)
2. 1 primitive bow with 6 Arrows (must be predominately made of wood)
3. 1 small gauge gill net (8 m x 2 m OR 1.5 m deep x 3.6 m long and 2 [50 mm] mesh)
4. 1 slingshot/Catapult
5. 1 net foraging bag
6. 1 3.5 lb roll of trapping wire
Food
1. 5 lbs of beef jerky (protein)
2. 5 lbs of dried pulses/legumes/lentils mix (starch and carbs)
3. 5 lbs of biltong (protein)
4. 5 lbs of hard tack military biscuits (carbs/sugars)
5. 5 lbs of chocolate (Simple/complex sugars)
6. 5 lbs of pemmican (traditional trail food made from fat and proteins)
7. 5 lbs of gorp (raisins, m&ms and peanuts)
8. 5 lbs of flour (starch/carbs)
9. 2 lbs of rice or sugar and 1 lb of salt
Tools
1. 1 pocket knife
2. 1 hunting knife
3. 1 Leatherman multi-tool
4. 1 sharpening stone
5. 1 roll of duct tape or 1 roll of electrical tape
6. 1 small shovel
7. 1 small sewing kit
8. 1 carabineer
9. 1 LED flashlight
10. 1 pair of ice spikes
It's always interesting food for thought! Worth noting that the contestants get a medic kit, filming kit and clothing.
I think I'd probably choose the following items:
12x12 tarp
Axe
Saw
Hunting knife
paracord
sleeping bag
bivvy bag
ferro rod
large pot with lid
gill net (with the larger guage mesh)
The things that I'd consider very carefully though are the paracord (seems to be plenty of cordage washed up on shore) and the saw. And I'd consider taking a leatherman and torch in their place.
12x12 tarp
Axe
Saw
Hunting knife
paracord
sleeping bag
bivvy bag
ferro rod
large pot with lid
gill net (with the larger guage mesh)
The things that I'd consider very carefully though are the paracord (seems to be plenty of cordage washed up on shore) and the saw. And I'd consider taking a leatherman and torch in their place.
Well I can tell you what I wouldn't do:
- Chop firewood without a sissy stick
- Expend calories working out
- Waste an inordinate amount of time building a boat only to miss the salmon run
- Accidentally burn my fero-rod (I'd hope)
I think, compared to the contestants, I'd spend more time investigating the area in the first few days when I still have a good store of energy, and choose my camp site deliberately. Several of the contestants just pitched up where they were to their detriment later (thinking of the guy who had ground water coming up). I'd also spend a bit more energy constructing a shelter than some of the others (there were a couple of super ghetto shelters).
I also wouldn't take a down sleeping bag and was very surprised to see these 'survival experts' doing so. They're in a static camp in wet and fluctuating temperatures (not constantly below zero), of course moisture is going to be an issue! Give me the biggest heaviest warmest SYNTHETIC bag there is.
As for my ten items..
Tarp
Sleeping bag
Bow saw
Axe
Knife
Large pot (5l?) and lid
Gill net
Paracord
Fero-rod (or a pack of lighters? You're only there for a few months)
A guitar (moral/emergency firewood hehheh)
Use tarp to build basic shelter for first night, collect boughs for bedding, later over next few days fortify shelter with branches and debris for additional insulation and spend my time making gill nets from paracord and setting traps everywhere.
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working out does ​require extra calories but the candidate in question (justin) ddid not tap out due to lack of calories; it kept his mind occupied which is important when you're on your own for long periods of time (guess how i know that) plus given his military background it's something he was used to.
he achieved his goal during the show....
Whether he was too late for the salmon run or not:a boat can be used for many fishing technics and Jose displayed a large amount of knowledge and skills....
Randy may have burned his ferro rod (evil magic(a.k.a. "lighters) were not allowed b.t.w.) BUT he kept going.....
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Yep fair play to Randy for getting a fire going with the bow drill, can't have been easy in that damp environment.
It was interesting to see that the major factor that prompted people to tap out was their state of mind and loneliness. I expect folk would last a hell of a lot longer out there with those ten items if they were with a companion that would help with the chores and put to bed many of the issues re: loneliness and morale.
I kind of wanted Jose to win, he seemed to have the right mindset where he focussed more on wilderness living than survival. Granted he missed the salmon run but the canoe did enable him to catch food and perhaps just as important was the fact that it helped occupy his mind.
It was interesting to see that the major factor that prompted people to tap out was their state of mind and loneliness. I expect folk would last a hell of a lot longer out there with those ten items if they were with a companion that would help with the chores and put to bed many of the issues re: loneliness and morale.
I kind of wanted Jose to win, he seemed to have the right mindset where he focussed more on wilderness living than survival. Granted he missed the salmon run but the canoe did enable him to catch food and perhaps just as important was the fact that it helped occupy his mind.
True, it didn't impede Justin (noticeably) and you could argue the calorie use was worth the boost in morale. But you sure as shoot wouldn't catch me working out in a survival situation as it seems to me to be a frivolous waste of energy. I think if he had been in it for different reasons he would have made it to the end. Climbing the peak so late in the game was impressive, great endurance.
Re the boat, true, but from what I've seen the passive food collecting (gill nets) appeared to be much more effective. That, coupled with the risks of falling in and hypothermia, makes me wonder if he would have still gone ahead with it if he were in a real survival situation rather than simulated.
Yes definitely, but there seemed to be something still missing for him and I suspect he knew fine and well prior to heading out in the canoe in all his warm clothing that if he were to capsize it would be a convenient excuse to tap out. I think he was experienced enough to know not to do that but he did it anyway, which allowed him to save face when he tapped out.
In fairness, had Justin been in a true survival situation, he'd have wandered up the hill, followed the road he'd found and rapidly got back to civilisation. He'd have had no need to build a canoe.
While I reckon he was a bit nutty to attempt a boat build rather than making use of the time to build a better shelter, he did what he needed to do to cope with the situation... and frankly the situation for those guys looks to be a balance between food and sanity. More people seem to tap out due to mental capacity than anything else.
To win the money, someone capable of knowing what to eat, where to find it and deal with the mental task of being alone for a week at a time seems to be the way to go. Every week the contestants are visited by a doctor... a short visit by all accounts, but enough to stop them going stir crazy.
While I reckon he was a bit nutty to attempt a boat build rather than making use of the time to build a better shelter, he did what he needed to do to cope with the situation... and frankly the situation for those guys looks to be a balance between food and sanity. More people seem to tap out due to mental capacity than anything else.
To win the money, someone capable of knowing what to eat, where to find it and deal with the mental task of being alone for a week at a time seems to be the way to go. Every week the contestants are visited by a doctor... a short visit by all accounts, but enough to stop them going stir crazy.
I watched the whole series via the US site it's a great show but surprising end, for me anyway. The canoe build was odd from concept to be honest, I never considered him using it as an excuse though. Justin is there for very different reasons imo and his motivation seems different from most. The lack of 'sissy stick' use is weird, I learnt the hard way on that admittedly but there were a number of instances by most of the contestants where I was cringing.
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