Les Stroud vs. Bear Grylls
From my experience the Bear Grylls reality TV show Man vs. Wild is more entertaining than the Les Stroud television show Survivorman.
While I enjoy both shows about surviving alone in the wild, Bear is a little more engaging than Les.
When you compare the two I think you have to give Les an edge in dedication because he is filming everything himself and is truly alone. But this also can take away some of the drama from the viewers. Les must do many things twice, such as climb a hill or walk across a landscape so he can set up the camera. This means he can only do stationary camera positioning and can’t follow his actions.
Bear has a crew which films him, but not help him so the shots can be more exciting. Even though you always know he could be getting help from the crew you suspend your belief and assume he doesn’t. For some reason Bear seems to catch more food than Les and he certainly eats and drinks more disgusting things than Les does, which is always fun to watch.
To prove my loyalty to Bear I even created a Bear Grylls Squidoo lens all about him.
If you like nature shows and seeing something unscripted (reality tv) then you can’t go wrong with either show, but I think Bear will draw the larger crowd due to his personality on the show.
I added this video to youtube.com because I liked the peaceful freefall when Bear drops onto the island. Fun to watch.
24 Responses to “Les Stroud vs. Bear Grylls”
By Chipper T on Sep 4, 2007 | Reply
I too am (was?) a fan of Bear. Until I started reading that he sometimes travels back with the crew and sleeps in a hotel and he eats along side them as well. Used to love the show, now eh- I could take it or leave it.
Here is another example of how as viewers we are duped into thinking one thing when in reality it is something else.
By Shell on Sep 4, 2007 | Reply
Great post, Chip. I am still a big fan. I mean, he drank his own urine and he drank from elephant dung. Got to give him props for that.
By Heres Mickey on Sep 18, 2007 | Reply
I like Bear better because he teaches more about plants and what not to eat. I don’t like how Les Stroud does all the shots himself because you know its staged. He doesn’t really use nature to solve his problems either. He uses a knife and a bike. They are both cappable of surviving but i think Bear is more capable of surviving with nothing.
By Rich Santoro on Sep 30, 2007 | Reply
Well, for one… Les and his wife spent a year in the Canadian bush with nothing (supplies, materials, nothing…) They built a shelter using fallen logs, mud, branches, etc.
So can Les survive in the wild??? Yes… Bear makes stuff up that will get you in trouble (like drinking water from elephant dung… then suggesting on Conan O’brien, during an interview, that elephant dung is sterile… sure, whatever). I believe that he has survival skills, and knows what he is doing… and is physically fit at a world class level… but he is not an all encompassing survival expert as portrayed.
However, his show is for entertainment purposes only… He has consultants to give him info on his environment, get him materials, and to set up and plan shots. His advice is not always sound, and is sometimes outright critically dangerous.
Overall, the production quality for MvW is far better, because it is a professional film crew, set up shots, and he is always well groomed. If you like all of that, great… The show should be called, “Bear Does a One Man Fear Factor Knock Off”
By Reingold on Oct 1, 2007 | Reply
I like Bear but he is nasty! Bear will eat and attempt to get water from every disgusting, vile thing that he can find. He must have all of the harmless type parasites in him by now. He just ate a frog raw and whole then squeezed water out of elephant dung right into his mouth. He’s sick! Les cleans and cooks his food and boils his water!
By doom_particles on Oct 19, 2007 | Reply
bear is indeed intertaining. however, les stroud is actually doing exactly what he claims: filming a survival show almost entirely alone. bear goes not only to the extreme as far as survival goes, but is just downright wrong in much of his advice. to follow les strouds advice may save your life. to follow bear’s advice is to commit the most pathetic suide ever. bear may be an entirely competant individual, but his show goes beyond his scope. the only thing that saves bear from the recent “alligations” is that they have re-edited, and done an entirely new voiceover to his show. bear may be a badass, but les stroud actually knows what hes doing. the survivorman is indeed a role model. bear is not a man i’d encourage anyone to follow. not because of his sheer unsafe badassery, but because of the fact that he was rad enough to say he didnt like what discovery was making him do, but wouldnt refuse to do it. les stroud took the same idea and refused to change it. bear may be an increadible man, but les stroud is worthy of far more accolades than mr. grylls
By Gomez on Dec 25, 2007 | Reply
I like survivor man. He shows what you can do when you come riding on a bike that brakes down. What do you do? you take that knife and that bike. And you survive all by your self. and thats it
By timmy francis on Feb 27, 2008 | Reply
Survivorman Les stroud, the show is great. i have learned alot about surviving in the wild, if i ever experienced that situation i would never forget your teachings and advice. I especially love the thing in the desert about the needle and thread, it really interested me. Maybe you could survive for more than a week in a situation. The wild is dangerous and your better than Bear grills.
By aubrey on Mar 23, 2008 | Reply
I like Bear Grills by far. I read his book, “The Kid Who Climbed Mt. Everest.” He inspired me to be the hike I am today. Anyone who can climb Mt Everest TWICE and live to tell about it, is my hero. I like Les, but he whines too much. Hey there’s mosquitoes in the woods man, get over it or get out of the woods. I look at Bear Grills experience and I can overlook Hollywood reality. I still learn a lot from his show!
By Barrett B. on Apr 24, 2008 | Reply
Les and Bear both have entertaining shows; however, Les is most definitely a more experienced (better) woodsman. Bear is good TV, but following some of his advice or actions could get an inexperienced person in even more trouble. He is a great athlete though and I would love to climb with him. Nonetheless, Les is the practical survivalist. His techniques are not risky and are proven…right on TV. They would both probably do well in an actual survival situation (no beacons or TV crew), but Bear may be too hyper and impatient and make a bad decision that would get him hurt. For example, his idea of wrangling a wild horse…anybody who has experience with unbroken horses knows…yeah right! The natives did do it, but they also spent great amounts of time conditioning those horses; you cannot just walk up to a wild horse and ride it!?! Not to mention jumping into a 40 degree class III river in 50 degree temps, just before dark…DANGEROUS (for a couple reasons). Anyway, they are both cool people, but if I was to be in a survival situation with anybody, it would be Les; he is calm, knowledgeable, and practical.
By Limo Hire on May 15, 2008 | Reply
I agree with Barrett.
By Anonymous on Jun 15, 2008 | Reply
Same here. More experienced vote from me too!
By Pink Hummer Limo on Jul 3, 2008 | Reply
I disagree, i would go with les any day.
By Frontosa on Sep 14, 2008 | Reply
By a far margin I would say that Les is the winner, IF you actually know a thing or 2 about the wild. Bear jumps over obstacles that no one on their own would ever attmpt unless they had a crew of camera and medical experts on the ready.
I respect Bear, I am former spec force also, but to say he is surviving on his own is a joke. I just saw an episode that depicted his crew helping him get a bee sting out of his face.
Yes he lived thru it, but Les faces everything by himself. the only time he has seen interaction between him and his crew was during a strong tropical storm, in which his life was most probably endangered.(not a bee sting)
Bear puts on a show wrestling with a catfish he has “noodled”, he slams it into the water over and over again, anyone who has noodled or seen it done,, can see it is fake.
Les does his own work, do or die, and the advice he gives is realistic.
Long Live Les
By kalongi17 on Sep 25, 2008 | Reply
It sounds like the majority gives the edge to Les. Far be it from me to disagree. Les is most certainly the person I would want to be stranded with, or better, who I would be more comfortable emulating if I were in the wilderness. Bear is a showman and does the unnecessary in aims of making great TV; while Les is a pragmatic and practical survivor (this is as his show title eloquently sums up). Both men are skilled at a world class level; however, Bear is far more of a risk taker because of this skill and his safety net crew (I’d pay to see the outtakes).
Further, there is nothing like being completely alone. One’s psyche needs to be strong to overcome the absolute loneliness of the pitch black night of the wild. Neither man is by no means average, nor will I take anything away from Bear, but following Les, I think I’ll be more likely to survive. It’s a fools wager to challenge the wild, I’d much rather survive it.
By the true survivor man on Nov 7, 2008 | Reply
all true but if you think poorly of Les for using a knife then think about bear he has a custom over $700 knife. Les has a buck 119 special. He can seriously survive without alot of special equipment
By Ben on Nov 15, 2008 | Reply
They are both entertaining but Bear is in NO way logical in his decisions or survival techniques. Les is a real survivalist, his show may not have all of the flare that Man vs. Wild has but it is much more realistic. Les seems to put down Bear in the opening of his new book too….
By Craz88 on Dec 4, 2008 | Reply
I’m all Bear Grylls staged or not staged is a tv show for Pete’s Sake. He demostrate tecniques that neither u or me or most people will know. The same goes for Les he is great as well and have an edge for being alone.
But common if u filming a tv show in the middle of nowhere and I just jump from an helicopter and frezzing my butt out I will gladly say “Hey camera Guy!!! Pass me that hot sauce for my stake!!! I still can taste the damn bug I ate early”
Regarless what he does behind the camera he no stupid he just showing you what to do. He won’t die or starve for a job (even tho he is close to do it)
Bear Grylls!!!! You are the bomb
By Ben on Dec 13, 2008 | Reply
I love Bear’s show too, but he claims he will show you how to ’survive’, climbing a sheer rock face with water gushing down it…or trek around…hmm let me think. He has a climbing ability that most people do not, Les shows the common man how to survive. Different types of shows…also, sadly Survivorman is over next week.
By Dave on Dec 27, 2008 | Reply
OK, it’s real simple, if you like to watch exciting, thrill a minute TV, then watch Bear. However, If you want to learn what to do properly and how to actually survive in a real situation, watch Les. Bear is interested in one thing Bear, it should be called “The look at me and look at what I can do Show! That’s it, the guy is a total glory hound, period. Half the crap he does to “get out alive” will kill the average person – end of story. Yes look at what he has done, wow, climbed Everest, he’s an ex-special forces guy – a skydiver – yada – yada. That’s great and good for him, I’m sure his mom is proud. Does that make hi more qualified to teach survival than Les?
Hell no, if you go look at Les’s bio you’ll see that Les used to teach outdoor survival and camping and canoeing and yada, yada …. Les’s show is not action packed and a thrill a minute like Bear, that’s true but that’s not why I want to watch the show. It’s supposed to be education and show you how to survive.
You can all sit there in your armchairs and profess to know who’s best based on what you think and offer up your opinion, hell I’m doing it now but with a bit of a difference ….. How can “I” say that Bear’s actions are crap, where as Les’s info in MUCH more practical? It’s real simple … I go out and do it, I founded the Mount Royal Collage Climbing Club in Calgary when I was there as a kid taking Broadcasting. I KNOW ALL ABOUT CLIMBING! I also teach hunting and survival for the Alberta Hunter Education Instructors Association here in Calgary.
I teach people HOW to survive in those sort of situations and I’ve done it …. LOTS ! OK? Honest, I just got back from camping up in the Spray Valley in behind Canmore, AB five days ago and today’s date is Dec 27/08, so yes there was a tad bit of snow and it was -22 each night.
In a survival situation there is ONE key factor that Bear never talks about but Les constantly does – BEING ALONE. I can tell you from personal experience it matters, and it matters big time folks. It’s very easy to go out in a group and spend a night in the woods, survival situation or not, now try it alone. That one factor is why about half the students we take out for a solo survival night fail. That’s it … not because you have no gear or food or water, or its too cold, or too wet or anything, it’s being alone.
Now I have been camping and canoeing and climbing and going on survival trips as a soloing for years, heck I find camping alone VERY relaxing but it’s not for everyone, just try it and see. This summer go camping in a national park for one night and do it alone, you’ll see.
Let’s look at some of the shows and a thing called continuity ….
- If you watch Bear’s shows they are obviously fake and staged, I’ve seen him rap down waterfalls, which is very sexy and looks cool, done it once or twice myself. But with you rap on a SINGLE rope, you can’t recover the damm rope, yet the next scene he has it back.
- There’s also that clip on the web of him jumping over that “unstable” lava thing and it shows another guy doing it at the same spot in the next frame and then the camera pans left to show a highway. Also LISTEN to the corny dramatic music they have in the scene to inject drama. It’s a pretty common trick, go see the above Broadcasting Program I was in for reference, yep, been there done that.
- His gear just seems to magically appear when he needs it too. One sec he’s skydiving in to some location and yep it looks sexy as hell, but where’s the pack with the gear in it? Again in the next frame, there it is! Pretty impressive.
- Finally, tell you what ….go on a day hike and carry bugger all with you and then a week later go do the same hike and take a day pack with 40 lbs in it. Now you know what it feels like to carry 50lbs of camera gear with you.
Cheers’
Dave Cason
By Wolfgang on Jan 3, 2009 | Reply
Wow, Mr. Dave Cason I am impressed! However into himself Bear maybe I think you just out did him. As for the debate between who is the better survival man. At least Bear doesn’t burn down his own shelter in the middle of the night. Les claims to be alone yet there a number of people listed on the camera crew in the credits. He also takes impossible shots that would take hours to get going solo. I know they are both fabricated TV shows, but I thought TV was made to entertain not for putting people to sleep.
By Dave on Jan 11, 2009 | Reply
“both fabricated tv shows”? neither one is fabricated, however man vs wild is staged while survivorman is not. you are correct, it would take hours to move cameras around and take the shots that les stroud does. that’s why it takes 7 days to take enough film to make a 1/2 hour show. on the other hand, man vs wild is staged. check the youtube outtakes. “quiet on the set” “action” “bear, are you okay?”. you get the idea. my vote goes to les stroud.
By Saj on Mar 5, 2009 | Reply
Both are great shows cannot be beaten
By Limo hire on Mar 5, 2009 | Reply
Bear grylls all the way.