Man vs. Wild - anyone watch?

I enjoy watching the show. Bear takes many unnecessary risks to add to the excitement of his program, but there's no doubt he's a very capable person in the outdoors. I like the format of Man vs. Wild better than Survivorman (is that show in production??) because it seems a bit more realistic. In Survivorman, Les had to make it on his own for seven days, while Bear has to make it out of his situation completely before it's over. Granted, they stage Bear in places where he can get out in a reasonable amount of time, but I like the concept more because that's how it works in the real world.

If you're new to watching Man vs. Wild, the new episodes air Friday nights.

 

Watched two shows and love it. For those who watch it more, has he ever NOT made it out in the time allowed or got help from his crew?

 

I think one time when he was in the forest in Canada, he definitely had enough of the wild. I forgot how the ending happened, but the helicopter came to rescue.

I like survivorman because it's just the guy and his camera, more realistic but the host sucks.

Man vs. Wild has a better host... but come on do you think there's always some building, smoke, passerbys in the distance? It is still interesting, but it's "reality" tv.

 

Not that I've ever seen.

 

I love this show. I've watched pretty much every one and I don't recall him being rescued once. I learn a lot more from this guy then the SurvivorMan. He seems to be just winging it most of the time while Bear really knows his stuff. I don't even see SurvivorMan on anymore.

 

Like it but alot of it seems very staged for effect. I think survivor man is more authentic. Favorite show is the Deadliest Catch...nothing staged there.

 

there was a show on military channel where he joins the FRENCH FOREIGN LEGION to be become a legioner. in other words the guy is awsome

 

Survivorman is way more authentic. This bear guy is making up crap as he goes. It's funny actually. If you wanna learn about survival, watch Survivorman, if you want entertaining "outdoors travel", watch Man Vs. Wild. He pissed on his shirt? When I saw that I almost fell over laughing. Can't think of a single soul who would ever need to do that, ever. I did like his collection of water right after that though, that was kinda crafty.

That being said I've watched a few of his shows and they're kinda fun to watch. I personally would never rely on his "info" for survival....

 

Can you elaborate more on this? I know a fair amount about wilderness survival and he seems to know what he's doing. He takes some unnecessary risks for the thrill of a tv audience, but I don't find fault with the info he gives out.

 

#1 show on tv- Top Gear
#2- Man vs. Wild

 

One of my favorite shows along with survivorman and I shouldn't be alive.

 

He does know his stuff very well. He researches the areas first including plant types, terrain etc., also learning about the indigenous people and what they did/do. IMO the risks he takes demonstrate the kinds of things you would need to do if you were truly fighting for survival. It doesn't seem like an act to me if it were the real deal.

 

I agree completely. I really like how Bear ties in info about the indigenous people in each of the areas he visits.

He definitely takes the risks to demonstrate what someone might have to do in a situation, rather than because he actually has to do them himself (like jumping into quicksand). I find myself learning a lot when I watch Bear's show.

On a side note, did anyone catch the episode a couple of weeks ago when Bear was in Copper Canyon, Mexico? He was talking about the indigenous people there (forgot their name) and how they have astonishing endurance. He said that groups of them will run deer to the point of exhaustion and then catch them! That completely blew my mind.

 

absolutely love watching the show. Bear is superhuman and you can learn a lot from watching the show. The terrain is gorgeous and the show provides some of the most breathtaking views I've ever seen. That said...I do have a major gripe with the show.

The premise of the show is to educate people on how to survive in the harsh terrain that he provides and a good number of tactics that he uses to survive would require that the person mimicing him is of equal or better shape than he is...and I feel there are probably very few people that are in the kind of shape the he is. He also is an experienced climber and a lot of his tactics require climbing and being able to hold one's body weight up for an extended period of time...again not a lot of people are experienced climbers.

I am not in bad shape or health...but could I really be able to climb up a 50 foot high coconut tree, climb up a 100 ft rock chimney, climb my way out of a frozen lake where the ice was too thin and still manage to start a fire and escape hypothermia, have the strength to crawl out of quicksand, pull myself out of a cravass - probably not. And in a number of other situations...he is just barely able to make it out himself and he is a former British special forces? Good luck to anyone that isn't an experienced climber or in a special forces level of physical state.

His intitial shows were a lot more realistic and taught basic survival skills...but in the more extreme terrain he is doing things that 99.99% of the population would not be capable of to survive. For most of us...we are toast(I hope Bear doesn't see this and remind me that a positive attitude and a fire are the best ways to increase my chances for survival).

Also...in some of the extreme conditions he has a flint, while other places he does not have one. I dunno...most of these hellacious places where he ends up - would have to be because of a plane crash...and flints aren't allowed on commercial airlines so what do I do?

They do an amazing job of entertaining...but educating to use tactics in a real life situation? Overall, I just don't think so. I love the information on the plants, indigenous people, and he really does teach you some things that you'd never think of...it's just that a lot of the stuff he teaches you is useless if you can't climb 100 feet up a rock with one arm.

Now excuse me while I go drink my own urine

 

The guy is just demonstrating possibilities regardless of how extreme they appear. If an average person was thrust into this type of scenario they'd probably die anyway unless they performed the almost impossible. In some extreme cases people have showed a superhuman capability that allowed them to survive i.e. lifting boulders that typically they wouldn't. So, to generalize that it isn't possible under the circumstances is nonsense unless you were actually facing it. I'd rather learn from a guy that shows extreme techniques so that I will know what could be. Of course the guy has to entertain some what but I still think the show serves it's purpose of Man vs Wild.

 

You'd have a LOT more options to start a fire with wreckage from a plane than Bear has with his flint. You'll likely find lighters from other people among the wreckage, along with jet fuel and many, many other tools to use. There's even a fairly good chance a fire will already be started for you.

I disagree. I understand your point about Bear being in better shape than 99% of the population, but he's also not desperate to survive. People can do amazing things if they're faced with death as the other option.

Most of the circumstances that Bear encounters would be the result of people getting lost out in the wild rather than surviving crashes. The majority of people who would be in those areas to begin with would be in fairly reasonable shape, so I find a lot of his techniques to be pretty practical for such individuals.

 

Those are awesome shows, but they haven't made a new survivorman in so long!

 

You're 100% right there - people who are out there recreationally and end up lost.

I still think that on just about every show...there are one or two things that he does to survive that are out of the reach of your average person...and potentially out of reach for even someone in good shape. I understand that the passion to stay alive when faced with death as an alternative can help people achieve superhuman feats - but some of the situations, if you don't know how to climb - superhuman strength and endurance isn't enough...you have to be an expert climber.

The one episode I'm thinking of in particular I believe was the Moab desert one where he gets into a canyon with stagnant water. He has to climb his way out of a 100ft+ chimney back up top of slippery sandstone. He has tons of experience as a climber and was exhausted up at the top. Sorry, but even if you have the strength and motivation of a grizzley bear protecting her cubs - there is no way you're getting out of that canyon if you aren't an experienced climber. And if you can't climb up that wall...it doesn't matter how good you are at making fire or finding bird eggs to eat - all is lost at that point...no way out.

*shrug*

 

I saw that episode and would agree that your average person could not likely make the climb that he did. However, I have yet to see a canyon that has only one way out. In most circumstances, Bear demonstrates one way to do something, but it's rarely the only way.

 

If that's the one I'm thinking of, it's one of the scenes where it seemed a little funny. He climbs up part of the way and gets stuck, then the camera cuts and when it comes back he's in a totally different place. They obviously helped him out of the hole.

Some of the scenarios he seems to create himself. He also does unnecessary things, I've seen it a few times, for the sake of the show, for drama.

Sorry if I sound like a party pooper, I just don't think it's a good idea for people to watch the show thinking if they got lost in the woods they can "bear" their way out of it. People should do proper research on survival techniques. Survivorman is a lot more "real life survival" IMO. Like I said "bear" is entertaining.

That being said, "I Shouldn't Be Alive" is a killer f'n show. Love it. The shark/lost at sea episode was nuts!

 

I personally like surviorman more too and there coming out with new episodes in august.

 

Again, could you elaborate on this with some specific examples?

 

I watched two episodes, one where he's in Canada or something and he's on a canoe going down a river filled with ice and finds his way to some abandoned log home or something. The other with him in Australia.

I like the show. I used to like Survivorman but I find it too contrived... Les always seemed to be hamming it up for the camera. He'd make a little mis-step and really groan as if he just broke his leg, or he'd make funny faces and pretend to almost puke when he ate something gross. Sorry but I can do without the overzealous acted drama! Also, while the film-it-yourself deal may be more 'authentic', it makes for less interesting TV and thats the bottom line. I also hated hearing Les whine about how the hardest part was carrying the gear... he'd say it about 8,000 times per episode to 'add to the reality' or something. Whatever.

Anyway, Man vs Wild is a good show - Bear lives in a houseboat in London on the Thames and has a son called Marmaduke. He's also a big motivational speaker and broke his back in a parachuting accident and was told he may not walk again. Definitely a unique individual!