Gryls Or Mears?

[LC1]

This comment from Youtube sums it up quite well

Yeah, this is why i like Mears over Grylls. Everything is just cozy. There is no rush to stab something and drink its blood, just meandering through the wilderness like a Hobbit leaving gems of information who are more usefull than drinking a cup of piss. No offense to Bear Grylls, but that guy is a ******ing lunatic and in a dual survival situation would most likely eat Ray and sleep in his skin."

[Nuggets Mahoney]

I seem to recall that, on the basis all experts in any subject come via the medium of TV, the police were hoping to set Mears loose to track down Raoul Moat when he was on the run. Bet Mears sh@t himself and not from eating too many insects and berries.

wiki: Barry Prudom

Barry Peter Prudom (18 October 1944 – 4 July 1982) was an English electrician and multiple murderer, known as The Phantom in the Forest, who became the subject of a police manhunt and what was at the time the largest armed police operation Great Britain had ever seen, involving 12 police forces.^[1][2][3][4] Prudom became a fugitive after killing PC David Haigh on 17 June 1982. Before being captured he killed twice more, shooting civilian George Luckett on 23 June 1982 and Police Sergeant David Winter on 28 June 1982.^[5] Described as an "avid outdoorsman and firearms enthusiast" Prudom's knowledge of military survival skills learned while training with theSAS helped him evade capture for 18 days as he hid out in rural areas in the north of England.^[6][7] When eventually found, having been tracked by "Jungle" Eddie McGee, a former SAS instructor, Prudom committed suicide by firing a single shot to his head.^[2][5] It later transpired that Prudom had previously attended survival courses run by McGee, and had made extensive study of a manual on survival techniques written by the SAS veteran, entitled No Need To Die.

[Nuggets Mahoney]

This comment from Youtube sums it up quite well

timmian85

Yeah, this is why i like Mears over Grylls. Everything is just cozy. There is no rush to stab something and drink its blood, just meandering through the wilderness like a Hobbit leaving gems of information who are more usefull than drinking a cup of piss. No offense to Bear Grylls, but that guy is a ******ing lunatic and in a dual survival situation would most likely eat Ray and sleep in his skin."

But not meandering very far.

I spent a few days with some Mears-inspired bushcrafters a while back. Retro fun as cooking in dutch ovens, knocking up bashas and carving bowls out with axes was, you're not left with much in the way of time or energy to drag all that ironmongery you're packing anywhere. As it happens, woodland campcraft and foraging for wild foods suit my own interests. So I'm not knocking it as such but it's a different skill set to that that usually required in 'survival' situations. Of course, survival scenarios offer more scope for OTT, lucrative television

[juvenal]

wiki: Barry Prudom

I'd give my eye teeth to be known as something like The Phantom of the Forest ..

Imagine the phone conversations...

"Environment Services? It's The Ghost of the Wilderness again...23 Kitchener Street. I'm phoning about the handle on our wheelie bin..."

[JustYield]

But not meandering very far.

I spent a few days with some Mears-inspired bushcrafters a while back. Retro fun as cooking in dutch ovens, knocking up bashas and carving bowls out with axes was, you're not left with much in the way of time or energy to drag all that ironmongery you're packing anywhere. As it happens, woodland campcraft and foraging for wild foods suit my own interests. So I'm not knocking it as such but it's a different skill set to that that usually required in 'survival' situations. Of course, survival scenarios offer more scope for OTT, lucrative television

Sounds fun. I'm sure you learned loads. How did you make fires?

Mears is definitely about the more gentle arts of living off the land sustainably and harmoniously (and learning from our ancestors - this is an incredibly valuable documentation effort in its own right). There's a bit more urgency in the Grylls approach, hence the versus in the title of his main vehicle. The Mears stuff I've seen is highly educational and he draws on real world examples of survival situations, pointing out errors without judgment. When he does show how to catch food, he does something like catch 5 fish of 5 lines in 5 ice holes in Sweden... he's just so good at the details which makes the difference and is almost embarrassed by his results! I don't think he needs to suffer for his art. He is a bit earnest for my taste, but I'm willing to forgive someone with so much knowledge and passion for what he does.

[Executive Sadman]

mears. grills is a no good pretty boy.

[Nuggets Mahoney]

Sounds fun. I'm sure you learned loads. How did you make fires?

Mears is definitely about the more gentle arts of living off the land sustainably and harmoniously (and learning from our ancestors - this is an incredibly valuable documentation effort in its own right). There's a bit more urgency in the Grylls approach, hence the versus in the title of his main vehicle. The Mears stuff I've seen is highly educational and he draws on real world examples of survival situations, pointing out errors without judgment. When he does show how to catch food, he does something like catch 5 fish of 5 lines in 5 ice holes in Sweden... he's just so good at the details which makes the difference and is almost embarrassed by his results! I don't think he needs to suffer for his art. He is a bit earnest for my taste, but I'm willing to forgive someone with so much knowledge and passion for what he does.

With our beards, obviously

The bloke in that clip is Youtube legend Dave Canterbury whose finely-honed survival skills include fibbing about his military record to get on television. As it happens, the Grylls vs Mears ethic has been kind of battled out on US TV in the Dual Survival TV series featuring gung-ho Dave and a barefoot tree hugger in tight shorts, arguing a lot.

The honest answer to your question is all sorts, with char cloth and dry birch bark playing a leading role. Ferro rods seem to be quite popular with bushcrafters because they look retro, even though they're just as modern and manufactured as butane lighters. I like them because they don't run out of gas, are waterproof and give off enough of a spark to light a camping stove or wood fire.

[The Masked Tulip]

I think if you were in a survival environment that you could survive longer on a Mears than you could on a Gryls.

One is plumper, the other looks lean but could be a bit tough and stringy.

Always take more digestives along with you than you think you will need.

[JustYield]

With our beards, obviously

The bloke in that clip is Youtube legend Dave Canterbury whose finely-honed survival skills include fibbing about his military record to get on television. As it happens, the Grylls vs Mears ethic has been kind of battled out on US TV in the Dual Survival TV series featuring gung-ho Dave and a barefoot tree hugger in tight shorts, arguing a lot.

The honest answer to your question is all sorts, with char cloth and dry birch bark playing a leading role. Ferro rods seem to be quite popular with bushcrafters because they look retro, even though they're just as modern and manufactured as butane lighters. I like them because they don't run out of gas, are waterproof and give off enough of a spark to light a camping stove or wood fire.

Funny clip! Of course I've realised that talking survival skills takes you into fringe loony territory very quickly. For me, I just want to know that I could hack it when push comes to shove, and I think my father went through a similar phase at the same age and thankfully passed on the right attitude.

Related question: what fire making tools can you carry on airlines these days (either carry on - unlikely; or checked - presumably in special containers)? I'm sure they take a dim view on ferro-rods - I was thinking of taping one to my skis - but don't want to cause a security incident. I suppose I could simply pick up a lighter at the French airport...

[Battenberg]

Grylls. Anywhere. Anytime.

Aww, you beat me to it.

[Nuggets Mahoney]

Funny clip! Of course I've realised that talking survival skills takes you into fringe loony territory very quickly. For me, I just want to know that I could hack it when push comes to shove, and I think my father went through a similar phase at the same age and thankfully passed on the right attitude.

Related question: what fire making tools can you carry on airlines these days (either carry on - unlikely; or checked - presumably in special containers)? I'm sure they take a dim view on ferro-rods - I was thinking of taping one to my skis - but don't want to cause a security incident. I suppose I could simply pick up a lighter at the French airport...

I suspect the answer is that the outcome is going to be random and arbitrary for carry on. Hold luggage, no problem. I've packed all sorts of pointy, sparky outdoor implements in hold luggage post 9/11 without any issues whatsoever. I pass up on fuel for camping stoves though and pick that up on arrival.

edit: and yes it would be easy to cross the line into gunz and beanz prepper lala land. However, I don't think carrying a firelighter, torch, whistle and a few other bits and bobs, along with a first aid kid and an understanding of how to use them, qualifies. If it ever does I'd consider the pussification of modern man virtually complete.

[ccc]

I was allowed on a flight thus year at Edinburgh airport with a penknife on me with a small blade. Forgot it was in my bag - they pulled it up - thought I was going to lose it. Nope - apparently it was small enough to be OK to carry on.

I think they make it up half the time.

[Turned Out Nice Again]

Lightweights.

beat this for survival:

China: Miner Found Alive After 17 Years Underground

http://worldnewsdailyreport.com/china-miner-found-alive-after-17-years-underground/

The poor man had remained trapped underground with the bodies of 78 of his dead coworkers, after an earthquake of a magnitude of 7,8 hit the region and caused the wooden support structure of the mine to crumble and collapse.

[..]

He managed to survive thanks to an emergency stash of rice and water, stored in an underground depot, conceived especially for this kind of case. The man complemented his diet by catching and eating the countless rats that pullulate in the mine, as well as collecting large quantities of some sort of phosphorescent moss, which constituted his only source of vitamins. Even though he was suffering from great physical and mental stress, he managed to give proper burials to all of his comrades, spending almost a year in this great selfless act.

or this:

Man survives three days trapped under sea
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-22892658

[Goat]

I guess it depends upon the scenario, Grylls is probably better at the escape and getting back to civilisation side of things, Mears would be the better companion for long term survival.

[Patfig]

Mears is fat therefore he must be successful at making do

[The Masked Tulip]

Lightweights.

beat this for survival:

China: Miner Found Alive After 17 Years Underground

http://worldnewsdailyreport.com/china-miner-found-alive-after-17-years-underground/

The poor man had remained trapped underground with the bodies of 78 of his dead coworkers, after an earthquake of a magnitude of 7,8 hit the region and caused the wooden support structure of the mine to crumble and collapse.

[..]

He managed to survive thanks to an emergency stash of rice and water, stored in an underground depot, conceived especially for this kind of case. The man complemented his diet by catching and eating the countless rats that pullulate in the mine, as well as collecting large quantities of some sort of phosphorescent moss, which constituted his only source of vitamins. Even though he was suffering from great physical and mental stress, he managed to give proper burials to all of his comrades, spending almost a year in this great selfless act.

or this:

Man survives three days trapped under sea

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-22892658

I can get my head around that miner story - 17 years!??? Poor sod. He needs to read our Vitamin D thread. He probably is the last Communist in China.

How the Hell did he keep going minute by minute, hour by hour for 17 years?

[corevalue]

I can get my head around that miner story - 17 years!??? Poor sod. He needs to read our Vitamin D thread. He probably is the last Communist in China.

How the Hell did he keep going minute by minute, hour by hour for 17 years?

Ahem...

Disclaimer

World News Daily Report is a news and political satire web publication, which may or may not use real names, often in semi-real or mostly fictitious ways. All news articles contained within worldnewsdailyreport.com are fiction, and presumably fake news. Any resemblance to the truth is purely coincidental, except for all references to politicians and/or celebrities, in which case they are based on real people, but still based almost entirely in fiction.

http://worldnewsdailyreport.com/disclaimer/

[The Masked Tulip]

Ahem...

http://worldnewsdailyreport.com/disclaimer/

I am never going to believe anything that I read on the internet again. Least of all anything that I write.

That disclaimer is like saying "April Fool' on Guy Fawkes' night.

[Nuggets Mahoney]

Has the Mail got one of those disclaimers tucked away somewhere?

[19 year mortgage 8itch]

I can't imagine Mears hanging upside down from a trapeze to snog Dawn French

[the gardener]

Mears is fat therefore he must be successful at making do

Mears always takes a stash of Mars bars on his expeditions. Allegedly. He has the look of one who likes his Mars bars does he not. Grylls on the other hand, stays in five star hotels on his expeditions. So Mears vs Grylls? It depends on whether I fancied some confectionary or a Michellin 3 star restaurant.

[shindigger]

No contest. Jack Hargreaves.

Get outatown.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1s6zbHDFBLY

My mates dad used to build his carts.

Farnham, Blandford Dorset.

Mid 70s.

We've all lost touch with arl England.

[shindigger]

Mears always takes a stash of Mars bars on his expeditions. Allegedly. He has the look of one who likes his Mars bars does he not. Grylls on the other hand, stays in five star hotels on his expeditions. So Mears vs Grylls? It depends on whether I fancied some confectionary or a Michellin 3 star restaurant.

Best friend at school, now a builder, did lots of work on Whittingstalls ranch.

It all arrived on flat bed trucks.

[anonguest]

No contest. Jack Hargreaves.

Ahhhh....that takes me back. I happened to watch an archived programme recently......and thought how tragic that today's uber trendy media types would look at you aghast if you suggested making a programme with that sort of slow and 'boring' format - and yet they were so watchable!