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Who Do You Choose

Joecole

Joecole

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we did this one a few years back but since then we have a lot of new members

You have been drooped into the Amazon Basin stark naked and you cn pic one survivalist to go with you. You have a choice, Bear Grills , Les Stroud , Ray Mears or Ed Stafford. You cannot deviate from one of those four so take your pick and give me your reason why you made that choice
 
Well this time joe I’m thinking purely companionship. As all the options are good. Ed would be my favourite to watch but he doesn’t come across a people person. Les Stroud is Also good but again not a people person. Ray Mears has endless knowledge but I think he would do my nut in eventually so he’s a no. Surprisingly my choice would be bear grills. A think his personality is closely matched to mine. So a major plus in keeping the moral up.
 
Ed Stafford would be my first choice because he has the greater experience of that specific environment. Since I don't know anyone on that list on a personal basis their experience is the only meter I can use.
 
Ystranc said:
Ed Stafford would be my first choice because he has the greater experience of that specific environment. Since I don't know anyone on that list on a personal basis their experience is the only meter I can use.
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He is the clear choice for skill old boy and a favourite of mine to watch :thumbsup:
 
Bear would be my choice too for much the same reasons that Mark has given.
I think I voted for him the last time around too.
Good all round knowledge.........good positive mind set to drive on.
Personality is spot on.
 
Ark79 said:
Well this time joe I’m thinking purely companionship. As all the options are good. Ed would be my favourite to watch but he doesn’t come across a people person. Les Stroud is Also good but again not a people person. Ray Mears has endless knowledge but I think he would do my nut in eventually so he’s a no. Surprisingly my choice would be bear grills. A think his personality is closely matched to mine. So a major plus in keeping the moral up.
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Not my first choice Mark, remember the scenario, you don't even have a nife
 
Ystranc said:
Ed Stafford would be my first choice because he has the greater experience of that specific environment. Since I don't know anyone on that list on a personal basis their experience is the only meter I can use.
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Likewise mate, he has to be the man for the job
 
Joecole said:
Not my first choice Mark, remember the scenario, you don't even have a nife
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Mixing things up a little this time joe. Approached it from a different angle :thumbsup: Fully agree that ed is the man. I just don’t think he’s a people person. Could be wrong.lol
 
Going only on what I have seen on tv having never met any of them I would go for Ray Mears. They've probably all got similar levels of knowledge but what swings it for me is Ray's gentle almost laid back approach. I've not seen him shouting and bawling at the camera , he doesn't try to intimidate which his knowledge or skills , just impart those skills , plus I also feel he has a bit more finesse in his approach to cooking and survival if that makes sense.
 
Ark79 said:
Mixing things up a little this time joe. Approached it from a different angle :thumbsup: Fully agree that ed is the better man. I just don’t think he’s a people person. Could be wrong.lol
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Ark79 said:
Mixing things up a little this time joe. Approached it from a different angle :thumbsup: Fully agree that ed is the better man. I just don’t think he’s a people person. Could be wrong.lol
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He might not have the appeal that Bear has Mark but I think when you have absolutely nothing then he would be the one to get you out alive
 
Baytree said:
Going only on what I have seen on tv having never met any of them I would go for Ray Mears. They've probably all got similar levels of knowledge but what swings it for me is Ray's gentle almost laid back approach. I've not seen him shouting and bawling at the camera , he doesn't try to intimidate which his knowledge or skills , just impart those skills , plus I also feel he has a bit more finesse in his approach to cooking and survival if that makes sense.
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Morning Baytree, I agree that he is very very good at what he does but he is more a bushcrafter rather than a survivalist. Strip away all his tools and knives than ask yourself the question. One reason I would go for Stafford is because he was the first man to walk the length of the Amazon and he has the ability to turn anything into a useable tool
 
True perhaps but is the scenario a tad skewed? Dropped naked into the jungle , and presumably the expert of one's choice is equally naked , with nothing isn't really a likely scenario.
Plus I do feel there would be the indigenous people to consider too. Ray comes across to me as someone who has respect and works well with the local inhabitants, he's not confrontational, he treats them as equals and that I feel could be a factor in surviving in such a situation.
 
I suppose at the end of the day it would also come down to who one would actually get on with . No good having a clash of personalities , it would be survival not a Hollywood movie. Someone might have a huge amount off skills but if they are impossible to get on with then that's a huge stumbling block before you even get started.
 
Baytree said:
True perhaps but is the scenario a tad skewed? Dropped naked into the jungle , and presumably the expert of one's choice is equally naked , with nothing isn't really a likely scenario.
Plus I do feel there would be the indigenous people to consider too. Ray comes across to me as someone who has respect and works well with the local inhabitants, he's not confrontational, he treats them as equals and that I feel could be a factor in surviving in such a situation.
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The scenario is as you ssaid very unlikely as you say but was carefully selected to see how people think
 
Baytree said:
I suppose at the end of the day it would also come down to who one would actually get on with . No good having a clash of personalities , it would be survival not a Hollywood movie. Someone might have a huge amount off skills but if they are impossible to get on with then that's a huge stumbling block before you even get started.
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I doubt that I would get on all that well with any of them but I've seen one or two flashes of irritability from Ray Mears while being interviewed and having read his biography I see him as much as a businessman as I see him as a bushcrafter. He even irritates me through the medium of TV
 
Hahahaha:

The Boogie Man said:
Ray Mears----He's the fattest, so if things got real bad I could eat him.
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I would go for Les. Not that I would not trust Ray or Ed - but I just think that I would personally connect most with Les as I share a lot of his views. That said I also would never consider Bear Grylls. Sorry to say so, but that man is anything but the real deal. If I am in a messed up situation, I want a down-to-earth type of guy next to me and not some showman who mainly does gross or careless things that, for a regular person striving for survival, can be harmful or even deadly.

I also think that Les, being Les as he is, has no time for BS and - according to my humble opinion - never tried to romanticise survival. Instead we can see him suffer in several scenarios, and I can relate to that thinking of twisted ankles in the alps or giardiasis-situations I experienced. Comparable problems would happen there too, I assume - so I want someone next to me who not only has some skills, but comes along with the necessary understanding of what emergency situations do with humans.
 
I'm pretty sure Bear Grylls isn't the total adrenaline fuelled nutcase that the TV producers would have you believe he is but I agree, the showmanship displayed in his TV programs is dangerous and sets a poor example.
Survival isn't about chasing an adrenaline rush for me, it's about getting out of there alive and well...(hopefully finding some pants along the way)
 
It would be fun though :D


A don’t think there is a wrong choice. It’s more a personal choice as all men are more than capable of self rescue or stay put survival.
 
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