Finally, maybe, the sheeple will see the truth about Les Stroud

[EODRay]

I will say that BG shows are more"dramatic" but I would lay that to production style. While a good deal of his scenarios are extreme he does have the skills to back it up. LS's outdoor "persona" is totally contrived after having failed in the music business. Him even being known to the media is all of his own doing. Take a look at what each has done (see below) and it is pretty obvious who has an actual expert level skill set. I watched just enough of his Bigfoot is REAL!! show to know that I would never go into the woods with that nut job....it is really showing his self promoting colors.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bear_Grylls
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Les_Stroud

I have never paid much attention to either one of these guys before. From reading their wiki bios, this is what I got from them.
One guy (GB) was born into a very wealthy family, loved adventure and took advantage of his wealth and opportunities. Much of the stuff that he did were recognition kinds of things. i.e.. World record in this or youngest to do that, etc. Nothing wrong with that but is more focused towards accolades. He has been caught in lies, deceit or exaggerations of the truth. His three years in the SAS as a reservist with no combat experience doesn't impress me at all. Just another thing to add to his resumé.
The other guy (LS) was a garbage collector along the way which tell me that he wasn't born with a silver spoon in his mouth. I don't get the part about being a failed musician. Seems more like a guy who loved music, accomplished some thing in that field but also loved adventure, survival and things like that……so he combined the two. Now the Big Foot thing is a little off the deep end. Maybe all that time in isolation in the wilderness made him a little crazy. Those artsy fartsy types are always a little kookie anyhow.

I have no stones to throw at either one of them and they both could probably out survive me in a survival situation. However, the other day we had a Mansif (get together/dinner) with the Jordanian Special Forces that we are partnered with here and I ate a goat tongue and eyeball……so maybe I should start my own fake reality show. I would probably need to grow my beard back out though.

 

[Matt Foley]

I have no stones to throw at either one of them and they both could probably out survive me in a survival situation. However, the other day we had a Mansif (get together/dinner) with the Jordanian Special Forces that we are partnered with here and I ate a goat tongue and eyeball……so maybe I should start my own fake reality show. I would probably need to grow my beard back out though.

EODRay now has my vote. Even before the eyeball, he has probaly survived more than both of these guys combined.

 

[Huntfit]

BG does go over the top in his shows, but hey, he wouldn't be on air if he didn't.

Yes he was a reservist (known as territorial in the UK), but still had to survive a somewhat broken apart selection course, which I might add, along with Aust. SAS selection, as being the most brutal SF selection there is.

The no combat experience, yeah, not baptised under fire, but one does not simply show up at Hereford and receive a uniform, pack and rifle.

However, the kicker is, he climbed Everest, so its not for me to question his ability to be a hard man.

Try reading his book 'Mud, Sweat and Tears, a great read.

 

[BigRack]

I like Solo Hunter for a survival show.

 

[SFC B]

BG does go over the top in his shows, but hey, he wouldn't be on air if he didn't.

Yes he was a reservist (known as territorial in the UK), but still had to survive a somewhat broken apart selection course, which I might add, along with Aust. SAS selection, as being the most brutal SF selection there is.

The no combat experience, yeah, not baptised under fire, but one does not simply show up at Hereford and receive a uniform, pack and rifle.

However, the kicker is, he climbed Everest, so its not for me to question his ability to be a hard man.

Try reading his book 'Mud, Sweat and Tears, a great read.

^^^^^^^, This is my point. Nobobdy is perfect, silver spoon or not BG has done some pretty high skill level stuff and the SAS (territorial or not) is NO JOKE. And Everest and his other accomplishments may have been easier to attempt because he had opportunity but HE did them. Especially, when compared with someone who went to a "survival school" and then poof!! is an instructor/guide. Next he gets married and films a docmentary on his honeymoon period in the woods(nothing self serving or agrandizing about pimping out that occassion...i guess). Then magically the musician that failed to gain any fame that way is forming his own production company and pitching the Discovery Channel. Agenda, what agenda? Even when he moved his family "Off the Grid" it was FOR THE CAMERAS. And he progressed to using his kids as well in that one :/ Now, he has stooped so low as to chasing fairies through the forest to get more exposure and in the process treating not only the subject, but the lunatic he was with, like they had validiity. Whoring at it's best His entire outdoor "experience" has merely been a vehicle for becoming famous.

 

[----]

I think if you have a strong opinion about this either way, you've got too much down time and need an additional hobby.

 

[DouglasR]

Les seems to be pretty core IMO.
@14:40&@19:15 when he eats that fish
Really makes me think about heat loss meat loss and what the definition of “bad” really is.

 

[DouglasR]

Do you guys think Les could fill an otc archery tag in Colorado?

 

[kwyeewyk]

Which one gave themselves a fetid water enema? After seeing that I learned a spare filter was just wasted weight.

 

[noharleyyet]

EODRay's hair is a lot longer in 2022...

 

[LousyResident]

Les seems to be pretty core IMO.
@14:40&@19:15 when he eats that fish
Really makes me think about heat loss meat loss and what the definition of “bad” really is.

Do you guys think Les could fill an otc archery tag in Colorado?

Are you here just to cause chaos???

It took me way too long this thread was over 8 years old. . .

But since I'm here, Les always bugged me because he never tried to survive longer than the 11 days or whatever it was going to be before his rescue crew showed up. He would starve himself and dehydrate himself to the limit because he knew he only had X number of days left. It never seemed like he was really trying to survive for the foreseeable future.

 

[OntarioHunter]

On many outdoor forums I know there is an ongoing discussion of which "survival" reality stars are favs and more true to life experts. I will say up front that I am a Bear Grylls guy and it is largely to do with his SOF background. While I know the limitations of his show I also know his military pedigree and his outdoor and mountaineering pedigree. Les Stroud has always rubbed me the wrong way. I know his trail from a failed musician (as evidenced by that DAMNED harmonica) to going to a Canadian outdoor school to poof!!....he's an expert. I don't like his tone or his demeanor. Well, last night he finally went off the plot and showed the world his true colors.....TWO HOURS OF SHOWS ON BIGFOOT HUNTING in Alberta. Holy Christmas trees!! I can't believe that even he would go down that path......hopefully that is the beginning of the end of seeing him on tv anymore

You watched the whole two hours? Really? I devote absolutely zero minutes per year to reality shows. They are just not real. Physically impossible, ESPECIALLY those survivor things. They're there for the folks who pick up National Enquirer at checkout or fans who pay good money to watch pro wrestling. Reality is the last thing they want. Chasing after Bigfoot is about as unreal as it gets. He's giving his fan base exactly what they want. Why should you be so surprised?

Edit: Over eight years old? Yep, this thread is moldy.

 

[Nameless Range]

EODRay's hair is a lot longer in 2022...

I have wondered how he was doing.

 

[FI460]

Are you here just to cause chaos???

It took me way too long this thread was over 8 years old. . .

But since I'm here, Les always bugged me because he never tried to survive longer than the 11 days or whatever it was going to be before his rescue crew showed up. He would starve himself and dehydrate himself to the limit because he knew he only had X number of days left. It never seemed like he was really trying to survive for the foreseeable future.

That always bugged me about him as well.

"I've only got 2 days left so I'm just going to lay here and conserve my energy. No need to search for food."

Also no way to know that you only have 2 days left before rescue in a legitimate survival situation...

 

[rjthehunter]

That always bugged me about him as well.

"I've only got 2 days left so I'm just going to lay here and conserve my energy. No need to search for food."

Also no way to know that you only have 2 days left before rescue in a legitimate survival situation...

Any survival show is just someone dying slowly. Then they occasionally slow their dying time by killing an animal to feed themselves for a bit.

Take alone for example. Just a bunch of people slowly dying and trying to last the longest. If they were truly surviving, they wouldn't be down to skin and bones.

 

[Benfromalbuquerque]

I’ll take “Alone” over all the other survival shows. Because of the solitary isolation they endure. Sure, they source wild flora, catch fish, knock off squirrels to survive physically. Yet it’s the mental fortitude to be the last SOB standing that is most impressive to me.

 

[Gr8bawana]

You watched the whole two hours? Really? I devote absolutely zero minutes per year to reality shows. They are just not real. Physically impossible, ESPECIALLY those survivor things. They're there for the folks who pick up National Enquirer at checkout or fans who pay good money to watch pro wrestling. Reality is the last thing they want. Chasing after Bigfoot is about as unreal as it gets. He's giving his fan base exactly what they want. Why should you be so surprised?

Edit: Over eight years old? Yep, this thread is moldy.

You can really tell it's the off season.

 

[DouglasR]

I’m not saying he’s in elk shape, but if you do 7 days in Alaska with no sleeping bag

 

[geetar]

Les Stroud? Never heard of him and of the people who have Gerber knife deals I prefer BigFin over Bear Grylls.

 

[Irrelevant]

In terms of the original survival shows

Les > Bear

Les was actually alone and self-filming.

I haven't watched in many MANY years.