# General > General >  Ray Mears or Bear Grylls?

## Rheghead

Who would you prefer to get you out of a survival situation?  Is Bear Grylls for real or is it just me?  Ray Mears seems more knowledgeable to me.

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## MadPict

Ray Mears without a shadow of doubt.

Grylls is just a 'charlatan' - turns out he is less than truthful. He apparently often stays in hotels while shooting his "survival" series. Guess you can survive anything with a hot shower, mini bar and room service...
Also situations are 'set up' by the crew to demonstrate some techniques for "survival".

In one of his programmes he stated ""Eat anything in the mangroves and you risk dancing with the Devil - anything from dysentery to liver failure..."

So, why the hell did he eat that raw crab? Mears doesn't need to use such 'tricks' - he doesn't kill something just to prove a point... 

Funnily enough Ray Mears was asked in an interview (Radio Times) about the Bear fiction (as opposed to the bare facts...)




> *Do you watch Bear Grylls for tips?*
> Ha ha ha ha ha [laughs for about a minute]. Do I look for tips from Bear Grylls? Yes - on how not to make television programmes! As far as I am concerned, these people are just showmen. I think the viewer knows that if you want to really know how to take care of yourself in the wild, I'm the person to talk to.
> 
> *Did you laugh out loud when you heard that Bear Grylls had been caught "surviving" in a motel?*
> Yeah. You can take short cuts if you want, but we never have. I've had many arguments with the directors, telling them, "We do it the right way or not at all". That caused a problem in the old days, but now directors see what happens if you cheat. It's a sad indictment of the world we live in that television wants that kind of hype. And it's crap television. When people break those rules and think it's Ok to dress the stage a little bit, that spoils the whole thing. I think that's an abuse of a powerful medium.

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## joxville

I've never heard of either of them.  ::

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## crayola

> Who would you prefer to get you out of a survival situation?


It's total no brainer. It's the bear of course. He's easy on the eye, he has a decent body and they don't all look the same in the dark.  :Wink: 

Mears would bore me to death mentally. With a bit of luck the bear would bore me...... Well, you know.  :Wink:

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## Gene Hunt

> Who would you prefer to get you out of a survival situation?  Is Bear Grylls for real or is it just me?  Ray Mears seems more knowledgeable to me.


Neither. 

If I was out in the boonies I would want Chris Ryan with me. Forget the rubbish books and the disputes over the real events of Bravo Two Zero this guy made the longest Escape and Evasion in SAS history in walking from Iraq to Syria and losing a near fatal 30 odd pounds of body weight and suffering from severe muscular atrophy along the way. He also mistakenly drunk water that was contimated with nuclear effluent and still made it. 

I would rather have a guy with me who has done it for real rather than for a TV programme.

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## crayola

> If I was out in the boonies I would want Chris Ryan with me.


You can't have him, he'll be mine when I'm done with the bear.  :Wink:

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## Gene Hunt

> You can't have him, he'll be mine when I'm done with the bear.


I like your style ..  :Wink:

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## sweetpea

TBH, I preferred Steve Irwin to them but he got killed by a stingray!

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## Gene Hunt

> TBH, I preferred Steve Irwin to them but he got killed by a stingray!


He should have worn sunglasses. Just the thing for protection from harmful rays.

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## sweetpea

> He should have worn sunglasses. Just the thing for protection from harmful rays.


Too true! invisability as well.

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## scorrie

> With a bit of luck the bear would bore me...... Well, you know.


As usual, Bear Grylls got into difficulties fulfilling an offer and had to be pulled out by the real professionals:-

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## MadPict

> Mears would bore me to death mentally.



I think you'd be pleasantly surprised at Ray's knowledge. He is certainly more in tune with indigenous people and their abilities at surviving and working with nature than Bear "book me into a five star hotel" Grylls...

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## thebigman

Les Hiddins the bush tucker man from the late '80s was the first of these guys to show survival stuff on TV. Did a couple of shows with Ray Mears recently.

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## Gene Hunt

> As usual, Bear Grylls got into difficulties fulfilling an offer and had to be pulled out by the real professionals:-


Is he growing clones of himself in his veggie patch or something ??

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## MadPict

> 


"OK Ray, I admit it - you're THE man....."

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## crayola

> I think you'd be pleasantly surprised at Ray's knowledge. He is certainly more in tune with indigenous people and their abilities at surviving and working with nature than Bear "book me into a five star hotel" Grylls...


Maybe but their bellies tell a different story, I'd rather feast on lean ribs than jelly and blancmange any night.  :Wink:

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## wifie

> It's total no brainer. It's the bear of course. He's easy on the eye, he has a decent body and they don't all look the same in the dark. 
> 
> Mears would bore me to death mentally. With a bit of luck the bear would bore me...... Well, you know.


And we all know the bear eats crap a lot!   ::

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## crayola

The no brainer bear doesn't eat the stuff, it leaves it in the woods.

You're welcome to Mears if you want him but I doubt even he will find a scone in the woods.  ::

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## MadPict

Not _that_ way inclined - but I know who I would rather sit and have a pint with.....

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## Geoff

Here today, scone tomorrow

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## Anne x

Me 2 and i will bake him Scones !!! LOL

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## wifie

> Me 2 and i will bake him Scones !!! LOL


Is that Bree Van Der Campfire now?   ::

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## alex

Having actually lived in the wild for real, I can honestly say I'd hate to have either of them for companions.

Worse their TV crews. Had to host three different documentary crews in Zam. Every single individual among them were arrogant and assuming. Constantly amazed that mains electricity is not available in the bush - Grunt the fools...

Steve Irwin was actually a really good guy and genuine - he taught me how to approach a warthog safely!

Crayola - I think you'll be disappointed with both as their egos will prove considerably bigger than their meat.

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## wifie

> The no brainer bear doesn't eat the stuff, it leaves it in the woods.
> 
> You're welcome to Mears if you want him but I doubt even he will find a scone in the woods.


Where did I say I wanted Mears?

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## the_big_mac

Ray Mears for me, also Les Stroud ( Survivorman ).  Both know what they are talking about and are not in it for the drama.

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## ~~Tides~~

> The no brainer bear doesn't eat the stuff, it leaves it in the woods.
> 
> You're welcome to Mears if you want him but I doubt even he will find a scone in the woods.




Would you still say that after watching, this?????!!!:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QuB3kr3ckYE

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## scorrie

> The no brainer bear doesn't eat the stuff, it leaves it in the woods.


Pretty gay using Charmin quilted afterwards though  :Wink:

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## Rheghead

> Would you still say that after watching, this?????!!!:
> 
> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QuB3kr3ckYE


Extremely gross but very entertaining. ::

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## Julia

It's Ray Mears for me every time, Bear doesn't have one iota of sense, he's off his chomp!

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## Bartlett Boy

ray mears watched his programs he has a lot of knowledge and id rather trust him than someone who just playes the camera

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## bekisman

Found this on a blog  :Wink: *

_I've just seen some of Ray Mears on TV, chatting about how the forests of Britain can sustain anyone indefinitely. Pretty cool, I thought, as Ray goes on to explain the characteristics of the most common edible mushrooms. He says "oh, those will be excellent", and the scene cuts to Ray sitting in a clearing with a fire going and the mushrooms nicely sliced. Hang on...a fire? How did he do that? Never mind, I'm sure it's possible by rubbing sticks together or something. And I'm sure he sliced the mushrooms with a sharp rock. 
Then things get a bit less realistic. He whips out a wok and fries the mushrooms with butter and tomatoes. Come on Ray, did you fashion that pan from twigs and berries? Did you breed cattle and churn the milk into butter? But in the end I excuse him the discrepancy and put it down to convenience.
But then, inexplicably, he quips "much better with a dressing and bread" and magically materialises some ciabatta bread and balsamic vinegar. Come on Ray, there's ease of filming and then there's just cheating mate. We could all live in the forest indefinitely if Domino's know which tree to deliver your blinking pizza to.
In a different scene, he explains the nutritional virtues of chequer berries, or something like that. "Lovely, I could eat them all day, but they've been forgotten by rural society" he gleefully states. It's only at the last second when he quickly mutters the probable reason for their banishment from the menu- "best not to eat the stones in them though, they contain cyanide".
Oh, and right now, he's glazing a pig on a spit with a brush he made from a branch. You tell me-genius or cheat?_ 

* http://riseofamedic.blogspot.com/2007/02/ray-mears-legend-or-fraud.html

Then again: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/celebritynews/2980464/Bear-Grylls-admits-television-rival-Ray-Mears-is-much-tougher-than-him.html

Bear's: The 34-year-old said: _"Hes so rude about me in the press, its outrageous,"_ but admitted that Mears was _"brilliant" and "much tougher"._ +  He said: _"Ray has given me a bit of a grilling in the press but it would be so easy for me to come out fighting. "I know all the inside stories because weve had the same crew on a lot of things so I could really go to town but I dont want to. Hes a great guy and he does a great job and its so silly to get into a silly catfight."_ (that's nice)..

Expect something will come out one day... :Wink:

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## alex

Anyone remember Bush Tucker Man, Major Les Hiddens from Oz. He only made one series. Too honest and too modest I guess for all you TV addicts! I'll forever remember his efforts at bird catching that failed so badly  ::  and fishing that got his leftover steak eaten for no reward. That was reality television.

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## crayola

> Would you still say that after watching, this?????!!!:
> 
> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QuB3kr3ckYE


I saw that some years ago and it's as gross now as it was then. Yeeeeeeuck!

I'd still nibble his ribs but he'd need to have brushed his teeth and been on double vodka's and Listerene for a week beforehand.  ::

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## Eagleclaw68

> Who would you prefer to get you out of a survival situation?  Is Bear Grylls for real or is it just me?  Ray Mears seems more knowledgeable to me.


I served with Bear Grylls in the Territorial SAS.

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## Eagleclaw68

> Ray Mears for me, also Les Stroud ( Survivorman ).  Both know what they are talking about and are not in it for the drama.


Les Stroud ex Canadian Army Special Forces.

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## Shabbychic

If that was the only 2 choices, then Ray Mears, but I would definately prefer Chris Ryan, especially if there were some baddies after me.  :Grin:

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## MadPict

Chris Ryan doesn't seem impressed with BBQ Grills...




> Former SAS soldier Chris Ryan has stated he does not believe Grylls broke his back on an SAS operation in Africa and that Grylls has exaggerated stories about his military record. Ryan said: "Bear Grylls goes on and on about an operation in Africa. He tells people he broke his back on an operation but I don’t know where in Africa he would be doing an operation. I’ve spoken to several guys who were regimental sergeant majors and instructors in the regimental SAS but none of them could remember this operation."


_wikipedia_

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## Dorrie

I edited a series of 3 videos for Bushcraft and Survival Skills magazine about Bear Grylls - it was a question and answer session and quite interesting.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U8a0BxUi2GM

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## bekisman

Eagleclaw68: _"I served with Bear Grylls in the Territorial SAS."_

Was that Artists or 23?

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## Gene Hunt

> I served with Bear Grylls in the Territorial SAS.


Did he eat things out of animal poo there too ??, did he pass the Underwater Knife Fighting Course ?? .. I hear all those associated with "them" have ..  :Wink:

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## Ricco

> Who would you prefer to get you out of a survival situation? Is Bear Grylls for real or is it just me? Ray Mears seems more knowledgeable to me.


Ray Mears any day.  Have got his book 'Bushcraft' - excellent read.  Was goinf to sign up for one of his courses but they are incredibly expensive.  Maybe when I win the lottery.  ::

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## bekisman

Suppose they are really - done a few expeditions me self and usually on a shoestring..

Course Name: Introduction to Bushcraft 2010 - Is Bushcraft for me?
Location: East Sussex 2 days
Cost per person: *£300.00* (inc VAT)

Course Name: Arctic Experience with Lars Falt 2010 - Arctic Survival in Lapland, Sweden
Location: Arctic Survival in Swedish Lapland
Cost per person: *£2000.00* (inc VAT)

Course Name: Canoeing in the Ardeche 2009 - The Path of the Paddle
Previous Location: Ardeche, South of France
Cost per person: *£1200.00* (inc VAT) 

Course Name: Nordic Skiing 2010 - The original way to travel on snow
Location: Norway
Cost per person: *£1200.00* (inc VAT)
http://www.raymears.com/Bushcraft_Courses/

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## Eagleclaw68

> If that was the only 2 choices, then Ray Mears, but I would definitely prefer Chris Ryan, especially if there were some baddies after me.


Most people believe Chris Ryan was regular SAS but he was actually Territorial SAS like Bear Grylls, during the first Gulf war it was the first time that all the SAS regiments were together since WW2. You need to read a book called The Real Bravo Two Zero by Micheal Asher not the crap what Chris Ryan wrote.

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## bekisman

Ryan originally joined the 23rd Territorial SAS regiment after unsuccessfully trying to get into the army as a boy soldier at 16. His cousin, Billy was already in it, so he suggested that Ryan came down to the base for a few weekends to see what the army was really like. Ryan loved doing this, and he came down every weekend, eventually almost passing selection several times, but he was too young to continue selection and do 'test week'. He eventually joined the 23rd SAS and shortly afterwards *began selection for the 22nd, regular SAS. He passed, joining 'B' squadron* but needing a parent regiment, he planned to spend three months with the parachute regiment, but this was cut to four weeks when he was called back to go with 'B' squadron to Aden to help secure the beach heads whilst the British pulled out. He then spent seven years doing both covert and overt missions with the SAS in various theatres of the world.
 



Role 21 SAS - Close Target Reconnaissance
22 SAS - Counter-Revolutionary Warfare/Counter-Terrorism
23 SAS - Close Target Reconnaissance 
Size Three Regiments 
Part of UK Special Forces 
Garrison/HQ RHQ - Credenhill
21st Regiment - London
22nd Regiment - Credenhill
23rd Regiment - Wolverhampton

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## crayola

I still go for Bear Grylls and if he can't find us enough to eat his last service on this earth will be to provide me with a grylled bear jalfrezi.  :Smile:

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