@@master_Blaster91 yeah but for every public figure out there you'll find somebody who insists that person is an arrogant prick. You really can't be sure
No ego???? He tried to trademark the word Bushcraft after training with Mors Kochanski. Mors properly blew him off since he literally wrote the book "Northern Bushcraft" (to distinguish it from the Australian southern bushcraft). Mors has since re-titled the book "Bushcraft: Outdoor Skills and Wilderness Survival".
Actually, Ray Mears teaches tracking and survival techniques to SAS and other British military groups. After 40-ish years of experience, I guess he knows a thing or two.
You do realise Ray Mears has never been in the Military and started teaching The SAS survival when lofty Retired 🤔 whereas lofty has been in the SAS as long if not longer than Ray Mears has even been teaching survival 😂
Yep,and Ray Mears came into bushcraft and the outdoors as so many of us did,by actually being out there as a lad,doing stuff,going into the woods,avoiding farmers with shotguns,and gamekeepers,this was how I did it back in the dayTo be honest I have more time for Ray than any of them as a result of my own experiences,as I'm sure many others do for reasons similar to mine,and maybe your own.
Oh Mr. Wiseman.. how you almost got me expelled. Years ago, I stole your SAS survival book from the school library. I remember making snares and deadfall traps in the backyard. It went so far as getting lost in a field of grass taller than me just because i misjudged the terrain from a hill. Being a foster kid and growing up poor, your book was a welcoming escape. And if there's one thing that i've learned from your book and all the experiences that came with it, its this: if you make a mistake, then atleast you know what NOT to do next time. From Fiji, Thanks so much Mr. Wiseman.
Got that book from the library twice, then bought it. Still got it. Still use it. A treasure trove of good information! Ray's got some good youtube vids out, and Coalcracker bushcraft is good... but it will always be John Wiseman for me!
For me, my top three favorite bushcraft/survival gurus to learn from are (in order) Mors Kochanski, Dave Canterbury & Ray Mears. I don't care what they look like, how they dress or whether they spent time in XYZ military outfit. All I care is whether they know their stuff. And I'm quite convinced all three of them have mad skills.
He definitely has more knowledge of survival than I can imagine..... whether or not he has more knowledge of survival than Lofty Wiseman can imagine is a different question altogether - I'm sure he can imagine quite a lot!
@@K1lostream not taking anything away from lofty but ray mears taught the sas survival skills for 10 years, so I would imagine ray is more knowledgeable imo
@@K1lostream Ray Mears can start a civilization from. Scratch. Lofty Wiseman is a survival expert from a military point of view. So survive long enough to be picked up by SARS. Ray Mears will out survive Wiseman any time of the day. He has been preaching and practicing bushcraft and primitive living for over 40 years now. That is the difference between survival and bushcraft. Survival is staying alive long enough for the search party to come and pick you up. Bushcraft is living and being comfortable in the woods with limited equipment but making the equipment out of the woods with what you can and live in the woods confortably.
Wait a minute, Ray Mears is an instructer to the armed forces in survival skills, he's fought a champion mongol wrestler which he won and broke one of his ribs, is an expert in Filipino knife fighting and was drafted in by the police to track Raoul Moat...Oh and he's got a black belt in judo......You be the judge.
I'm just sticking up for him, this Lofty fella seems to think it's ok to bash other survivalists, some who have achieved much in the worlds of survival and bushcraft.
Lofty Wiseman was the HEAD of the SAS survival school for more than 30 years and taught generations of SAS troopers how to survive in the bush. If anybody's qualified to talk about survival or other survival instructors, it's Lofty Wiseman... Incidentally ask anybody in the SAS about survival, and they're ALL tell you a SENSE OF HUMOUR IS CRUCIAL!!!
@IIWII Yeah, and part of the appeal of Ray Mears is his respect for indigenous people and their skills. One of the regular features of his show was him trying him to mimic the actions of the experts and their laughing at him and showing him again how to do it properly, it really foregrounded their skills as you knew he was moderately handy and you looked again at what they were doing realising they only made it *look* easy - it showed a more generous nature than this guy not able to view the field they share as anything other than a competition, so that he has to big himself up at any opportunity. For all his undoubted achievements, he sounds like a schoolboy. Ray Mears explored the idea in his work of survival techniques in lots of ways, anthrolopologically, historically, as well as practical how to. He never made it into a pissing match.
" SAS troopers how to survive in the bush" oh, I thought a large percent was in tropical conditions. Having more than one edition of Mr Wisemans SAS survival book, I would say it is clear that a lot is about jungle conditions and of limited practical use for other places or situations. Also, there are some differences on miliatry survival trainings compared to others as the first tends to focus on combat situations. Yes, there are overlaps also, but in general you want to be found by anyone in the civilian peaceful context and not be found be "anyone" in the millitary non-peaceful context. Some military instructions probably had to adjust a lot when having with civilian scope after their active military carrier.
I'm a complete novice when it comes to survival skills but I watch ray near programs not so much for survival but for ethnobotany and anthropological interest. Its a show about nature and human endeavour.
I am sure I was reading somewhere that ray learned a lot of his survival skills from a ex Chindit. My grandfather was in 77 special brigade Chindits. They were the cream of the British army of their time even more so than the SAS especially in survival training and living off the lands. So in my eyes Ray mears your the best mate 👍
I have heard on several occasions that Ray is the wrong shape to be a survivor. Surely living off the land and not turning into a skeleton is the epitome of successful living in the wild.
Some people obviously don't understand British humour, lofty is taking the piss out of people he knows, go ask Ray and bear what they think of lofty and they would probably tell you he's the Yoda of the bushcraft world and call him a wanker too!
+Matthew Smith There is probably some truth in that. However, Lofty """HAS""" served in the REAL DEAL 22 & reached the dizzy highs of being the YOUNGEST W.O.Class 1 . & served all over the globe. & not the week end warrior brigade. Saturdays and Sundays (S.A.S) I have seen B.G. at two talks, peddling his ""TAT"" & on BOTH of them, he""" intimates""" that he was Regular full time 22 Reg. SAS when he was 21 reg TA. It was only when a lady in the audience challenged him directly did he admit that he was a TA Reservist ( all be it a S/F) one. I later found out her husband & son Were serving & had served with 22. Nice lady.
she was a very quiet unassuming lady who was just annoyed with all the LIES Grylly that were pouring from this boy scouts mouth. She said that ALL of the regular members of 22 looked upon & treated BG as a T/A """WALT'''
I don't get what your implying Belfast, its irrelevant if by is reservist or lofty was regular soldier, both reservists and regulars have in recent times played with their blood for this country it should not even be an issue raised, I have personally seen unprofessional reg soldiers and really shit hot reservists show up so called professional soldiers, its swings and rounabouts
Oh, COME ON! Ray Mears has a huge knowledge of edible plants/animals and has spent time living with almost every indigenous population on earth learning from them. John Wiseman has some military survival experience. Survival in the military is a compromise. You only have so many hours in the day, and you have to spend a lot of them learning to shoot, maintaining your fitness, etc. Survival training is usually a one week course here and there.
You dont know what your talking about, lofty is not a big mouth like the others, i would estimate of the 27 years head did more life threatening than the others put together, survival for publicity is not the same as living off the jungle desert at deaths door with thousands of the enemy wanting to behead as happened to three troopers.
Bear G - Survive and get out fast! Ray Mears - Live. That is the main difference. Bear is Army get to safety and survive. Ray teaches people about living in conditions. Not being scared of nature, but respecting it. Bear will sleep in a deer, Ray would build a house and oven an cook the deer. Both very different approaches, for differing scenarios.
+steppenwolf ..Ur right..So many are rude,ignorent wth a smart mouth but when sumone tells them a home truth to their face,they cant handle it,have a hissyfit..I found nothing rude at all wth comments..Perhaps it's a generation thing..Everyone's so fragile and over sensitive these Days(except on the Comp)
Given his service and qualifications, Lofty has the right to judge people in his field, BUT, like all old soldiers, they're a very arrogant intolerant lot... Ray didn't serve, he was rejected from the Royal Marines because of his eyesight problems. Ray's life goal is to teach people to respect nature and be comfortable living out in it. His Woodlore Bushcraft school has been going for almost 40yrs ! He's succeeded in teaching thousands of people to become ambassadors for his respectful methods and pass on those skills to others. That makes him worthy of respect in my mind..
All i know is that Ray loves what he does,and he's happy which makes him the real 'wise man'. i would go into the wild with Ray coz basically he's a nicer guy and would actually be more fun to be with. he's not confrontational. Bear Grylls is also really nice, but in his show he's always so fucking full on, hyper,it does my head in. that's why i can't watch his show much.perhaps he's different in real life. the difference is, is that Ray is being himself in his shows.
Ray Mears is unpretentious, he’s gained knowledge about survival from the greatest experts across most of the world, almost always from the native people themselves. He has nothing to prove and doesn’t need to look like he’s trying to survive. He has the composure of someone that’s gonna have the best odds in any situation
I'm surprised he took that view. A true pro would have been more diplomatic I feel. I have no doubt that Ray and Bear both could handle themselves with ease in the wild. I prefer Ray's TV work to Bear's by a long chalk but I have no doubts whatsoever in their abilities. Perhaps it is the green eyed monster at work?
Legend!! i got his books over 20 years ago and to this day you could drop me off naked anywhere in the world and i could survive because of this man!! :D
People miss what the point to those two is... Ray Mears isn't that much about surviving, he's about living in the wild with techniques passed on from previous generations. Bear Grylls is all about the extremes of survival. He wants to show you what extremes you can go to in reasonable safety. And i find it weird when people compare these two people. Ray Mears, showing you how to live in comfort in the wild, and Bear Grylls, who shows you what the extremes look like. Completely opposite eachother.
***** 1. Bear Grylls did that *once*. When his kid was born and his wife travelled to a nearby town so he can see his kid. WTF is wrong with you? Are you that desperate to badmouth someone? 2. It's not like Ray Mears spends each and every night sleeping in caves on cold stones and under rotten trees. 3. Even if Bear Grylls never spent one night in the wild, what's your point? It's a show that's meant to teach you about the wild and survival, not about what Bear Grylls can and cannot do. Frankly, all you people screaming out this "he spent a night in the lodge" argument are grasping at straws.
@Hugh Jarce He spent one night in a hotel with his *family* and his *new born son.* *ONCE.* The fact that you let a one time uncommon event overshadow everything else he did, after all this time, i might add, shows how unreasonable you are.
Exactly, no matter what your opinion of someone you can learn from them in some way even if you don't agree with their ways, they know something you don't, accepting that makes learning so much easier
Les is the top bloke down under,I used to love Bush Tucker Man,great series.Loftys expertise covers all situations whereas Les Hiddins is more specialised in that way.Both top blokes.
i remember being about 22 yrs old (im 47 now) i had just come out the Army,the Book i had Bought and been brought up on was Written by Lofty Wiseman was of Course his First ...."The SAS Survival Handbook" Amazing Fact Filled book!
Mears! He has both the knowledge and the wisdom. He was asked the same question (except about the grylled buffoon and the poftylofty) - he refused to answer as he did not know either of them... even though he added that the "grilling of the buffoon"-show seemed a little more entertaining then informational.
The argument is not whether or not they're "fakes" or who is "better". Both know a lot, that is as much as we can objectively say. The argument, in my opinion, is how they present and convey their knowledge; and in that respect I think a lot of people can agree that doing what Mr Grylls presents on his shows actually might lead to increased risks for people in dire situations. Personal opinion: Bear Grylls makes entertainment, Ray Mears tries to teach. As to who is "better"? Does it matter?
Wrong: 23 SAS IS a Reserve unit, but the Regiment was mobilised in it's entirety to serve in Afghan in 2008. Three killed by IED. It was widely reported upon, because a woman, Intelligence Corps soldier, Cpl Sarah Bryant , was in the Land Rover to engage with Afghan women, was also killed in the blast. 23 served very well in Afghan. and SAS reservists are routinely called up as individuals or teams to supplement 22.
I have nothing but respect for anyone who can get through the SAS test. I used to go hunting here in Australia with a SAS (Aussie SAS) fella and what he told me that he went through was inhuman. I swear i doubt 99% of men could do it.
Antipodean33 That's why the selection process is so brutal...to sort the men from the boys. A couple of guys died on the process three or four years ago. Sad. Sadder was the press focusing on the two dead and not the rest who _did_ survive!
I agree with most of what Lofty Wiseman said. Real-world survival is first and foremost about preparation. Key subjects are understanding are: survival psychology and staying as positive as possible; leaving a travel itinerary with a responsible entity like the local police, fire department, forest ranger or mayor's office, with a defined time for rescuers to start looking for you; being skilled at firecraft and shelter construction; carrying a recent topographic map and know how to terrain associate ; gain knowledge of the local area, including the wild edibles season, climate,elevation, predators and game animals; know how to understand and recognize weather systems; learn how to forage, trap, hunt , fish and create fire using at least one or two primitive methods; and learn which multi-functional kit items are truly necessary to survive that first night in the wilderness and avoid unnecessary items to keep pack weight down. Dave Canterbury's "10 C's of Survivability" and "5 Redundant C's" is a good template for building an emergency survival kit or bug out bag. The ten C's stand for: 1. Cutting tool(s)-belt knife, axe and/or folding saw 2. Cumbustion device(s)-BIC lighters, ferro rods and magnifying glass and a tinder pouch 3. Cover elements-your clothing, headgear, footwear and gloves and shelter materials like a sleeping bag, wool blanket, survival bivvy or even a few large plastic garbage bags 4. Container(s) made of metal-mess kit, steel water bottle or a bush pot 5. Cordage-parachute cord, tarred bankline or rope 6. Compass-plate type with a rotating bezel and signaling mirror 7. Cotton bandana(s)-many uses, from making char cloth to a sling for an injured arm or as an improvised container, as a neck kerchief etc 8. good template for putting together a survival emergency kit and add whatever other items specific to the area you'll be travelling in are absolutely necessary Once you're stuck somewhere, begin by addressing your immediate needs, like moving a short distance away from eminent danger like predators, unstable ground or uninhabitable areas. then creating a quick shelter. Tarps are great for that, to get out of the wind and rain. Remember the basic survival motto of Shelter, Fire, Water: stay warm and dry and avoid overexertion especially late in the day; find the tinder, kindling and fuel you need in your area to get a fire going and keep it going all night; and remain as fully hydrated as possible.Use the best techniques for using sharp-edged tools safely, to avoid injury, especially to you feet, legs, crotch, arms and head. Conserve calories as much as possible by focusing your attention on passively and actively signalling for rescue and avoiding foolish and/or unnecessary risks. Moving from a safe location to another campsite should only be done if the area you find yourself in lacks the key resources you need to survive or you know where you are and how to get back to civilization. Think of the 4 W's for selecting a new campsite with adequate survival resources: 1. Wood-adequate for fires, tools and shelter construction; 2. Water-to stay hydrated and for cooking, cleaning and first aid; 3. Wind- avoid areas where trees can be blown down and ensure the open side of you shelter is at 90 degrees to the prevailing wind to keep smoke out of the shelter; and 4. Widow makers-avoid camping in areas where trees are leaning against other trees, as they can become dislodged and fall on you in a wind storm Use an intelligent strategy if you must move. It is always a good idea to head downhill to warmer conditions and follow streams or rivers, since both strategies will eventually lead you to civilization. Always take the safest route possible, even if it is somewhat longer, to avoid injury. Keep your eyes open along the way for useful resources like natural tinders, wild edibles or signs of civilization, like towers, roads, power lines, lighthouses, piers or other structures. Avoid crossing fast running watercourses unless: 1. It is absolutely necessary that you cross it and the water is relatively shallow an slow-moving. Areas where streams widen out and shallow are the best sites for crossings; 2. You use a pole or survival staff as a thrid leg, to help steady you during the crossing; 3. You have extra dry clothing and socks in your kit firecraft materials in your pack; and 4. Conditions permit you to build a warming fire after you've made the crossing and gotten into your dry clothes. If you can do all of the above, you have a pretty good chance of surviving an unscheduled encounter with mother nature.
so when bear says to pole vault down a mountain you shouldn't do it? LOL . some of you are disrespecting lofty, he literally wrote the book on survival.
Lofty wrote the book (literally) on survival. If you want the best advice on how to survive in any situation, pick up the SAS Survival Guide or SAS Survival Handbook. I'm sure both Ray Mears and Bear Grylls have gleaned techniques from it over the years. I believe he could probably out-survive either of them due to his real-life experiences, but both Bear and Ray, and Les Stroud (Survivorman) or the guys from Dual Survival for that matter can all teach some creative techniques.
If we are talking about the same book, I would say a percent of it is of very little practical value for many readers. Like the parts on jungle survival for example.
Bitter and jealous comes to mind, the healthy weight for someone living in the wild is of Rays size, just look at any native people living in the wild, with the exception of a few tribes in Africa they all have a bit of weight behind them. Ray Mears is a legend in my opinion and could teach you some about being humble...
+Deaglan Madine Apart from serve in the Regular army U.K. Special forces ( Lofty Wiseman being a former 22 Reg R.S.M) & not 21TAVR claiming by intimating he was 22reg.
Lofty is truth on this. Les Hiddins the Australian army major is the man. But people now do not know who he is or know what he knows, or can do what he does. Bushtucker Man.
Wiseman is just that: A wise man. Everyone will have a different idea on what to do in a survival situation, but lets just be straight. Wiseman has both the knowledge and experience, where Grylls and Mears are still young. They are both great survival guides, and could show us all a number of brilliant techniques. I'm sure we'd fair quite well with either of them. I'm also sure, that Wiseman would be much more prepared for the unexpected.
True pro,this guy has done more in his career,and help save other sp force soldiers by teaching them to stay alive,than ray who seems to be chasing money issues. I have been on a course with lofty and others from hereford,and he is real deal,and helps alot of groups who needs support.Could you see ray passing selection lol
I think teaching bushcraft survival and saying ‘if you stranded these two on a desert island with nothing but the clothes on their back’ are kind of different things, Rays trynna get us prepped for a weekend with the lads in the Brecon Beacons and Bear is a showman with a urine addiction. But I don’t think either of em were trying to present apocalypse survival shows
Yes he was. But it was the Territorial Army version of the SAS. John was in the full time SAS and was part of the assault team on the Iranian Embassy in 1981.
All three men are awesome and know their stuff!! Lofty is a legend and humour is good for moral. None of us has earned the right to critic them. Just saying 😂
I wouldn't "critic" his survival knowledge, I'm sure it's adequate. I would criticise his attitude though - his resentment for those more successful than him is obvious.
John 'Lofty' Wiseman is the author of the SAS survival handbook, which in my opinion is THE most comprehensive tome on the topic of survival EVER written. The only thing that's far fetched in Lofty's book, is his advice on zig zag swimming to evade Great White Sharks - if you're in the water and a Great White's in the water and it decides to bite you, it will... His other classic is when he advises getting on your hands and knees in a storm so that if lighting strikes it has less distance to travel to earth itself thus causing less internal burning - If you're unfortunate enough to be struck by lightning, you'll either survive it or you wont - it's down to luck, NOT posture. Fortunately getting bitten by Great White Sharks or hit by lightning strikes, is pretty rare so all in all it's an excellent book...
Actually, it IS good advice to get as low as ou can,particularly if you are as tall as Mr. Wiseman, He's not called "lofty" because he's 5ft tall, he is, IIRC from his book,6ft 8 inches. Lightning, like all other electricity, will take path of least resistance, which is often the shortest path (depending on the conductivity of the materials between source and earth. Air is a very poor conductor, a wet human or three much better, metal hugely better, so getting low is better. As for his advice on evading Great Whites--phooey! I would instantly employ The Octopus Defence and hide in a large, self-generated cloud of ink. BROWN ink!
Many years ago I had the great good fortune to spend a week with Lofty living rough. Ray and Bear are for today's audience but Lofty and his pals from Hereford are from a different planet and also does a brilliant Tommy Cooper impression. I wonder if he still has the parrot?
Ray and Bear are glamming it up a bit for tv. But if 'any' of you weren't motivated to 'get out there' by a few programmes, I'd be surprised. We all learn off each other, thats' whats 'FUN'! :) ... Here in the U.K. we have all done our little expeditions...but be honest.. you're never really more than 20 miles from the nearest house (overpopulation) .. air-dropped into wild Alaska mid winter ..how would you fare? Fear,morale and local knowlege play a bigger role. Keep your feet on the ground guys, and watch the nice telly programmes. You will always learn 'something', no matter how smart you 'think' you are. above all else...have fun! :)
I get his comments regarding Bear, he's just a showman. But I've always thought Ray Mears is an extremely knowledgeable and humble broadcaster that certainly doesn't deserve this kind of criticism.......................
Lofty’s comments about Ray Mears are uncalled for. Yes Ray may look out of shape these days but it’s a well known fact that he contracted Lymes Disease which went undetected for years. As a result of his illness he can’t exercise as much as he would like to. As to his survival skills, they are second to none. Ray has a proven track record of using his survival skills to good effect. It was largely his skills that enabled his film crew to survive when their helicopter crashed a few years back.
Some valid points here,the most I ever had at one time was a knife,survival bag,and a few bits,none of it would have amounted to more than a fiver.The rest I caught or nicked from fields nearby,I had more fun and learnt more in those years gone by than some will ever do,axe and knife brand/grinds meant bugger all to me.The gear fetishists are just bothered about poncing about and looking the part with Gucci stuff.Detracts from the point somewhat.
For me it's an invalid argument as it's comparing two men with two different skill sets. Ray Mears is a bushman, and an excellent one at that. His niche is about showing his craft and his ability to live off the land longterm in safety and relative comfort. Bear Grylls doesn't claim to be a bushman. His aim is teaching basic survival methods in extreme and unexpected conditions. 'Survive at all costs'. Yes, he is reckless no doubt but that's TV for you. If I wanted to 'bug out' and live off the grid for a while, I'd take Ray. If I was in a plane wreck in the middle of the Amazon and wasn't sure how best to go about rescue, perhaps (imagine if!) without an axe, bush knife or paracord, I'd want Bear. Lofty, as much as I admire and respect him, is a bit disrespectful unnecessarily to his two (three if you count the Steve Irwin comments) contemporaries in this clip. Hey, he got a laugh though...
lofty Wiseman has been doing this for years - criticising his peers , he was saying the same stuff 40 years ago about a fellow survival instructor and SAS man Eddie Magee ` could`nt survive in tescos` same old mantra , Ray mears is one of the nicest calm most humbeling man you will ever meet
Although I respect Mr Wiseman for his Military service, I have to disagree with him on this. Ray Mears is the real deal, the knowledge in Rays books are infinately better and more useful than anything Mr Wiseman has published.
Was a bit harsh to say steve irwin deserved what he got. As for bear grylls what everyone doesnt remember is that his stuff is set up to show you what to do in certain situations not him surviving the wild
I’ll give him the benefit and say it’s just his sense of humour and if he met Ray Mears or Bear Grylls they’d probably get on really well and have a drink or two and a bit of a banter.
I can't stand any negative sentiment towards either Ray Mears or Bear Grylls. They have done more for getting people (young people in particular) excited about getting outdoors than this bloke who I've never heard of before ever has. Ray and Bear are a big part of why I like the outdoors, bushcraft, camping, hiking etc as much as I do I will forever be grateful for them. And I'll have forgotten this tossers name by tomorrow (-; Update: In full disclosure, I just realize after Googling that John Wiseman wrote the SAS survival handbook, which was actually THE first thing that ever got me excited about the outdoors. I discovered the book in my grandad's bookshelf and absolutely devoured it. So he's definitely not 'some bloke who I've never heard of', and he's certainly done a lot for the outdoors. That being said, I still don't like his sentiment towards Ray and Bear, and I like them just as much for the flame they stoked in me, which was initially ignited by the SAS survival handbook.
As an Australian, I have to agree with the statement about Steve Irwin. The guy was an amazing bloke but we really do play his death up as if it was some terrible tragedy when the reality is that Steve chose to jump in the water with that sting ray (and knowing Steve, he likely chose to do that in such a way that it really, REALLY pissed off the sting ray, too). It's sad but we shouldn't pretend like there wasn't a direct cause leading up to Steve Irwin's death and that direct cause was himself.
As a kid in eastern europe,growing up in 90's and early 00's,we had two educational channels: Discovery and Animal Planet. I used to like Steve Irwin,but now,i realize he was a dork. Picking animals up all the time,his kid over the fence and all kinds of "crickey" things...And i've heard that his zoo is kinda way over the top commercialized-even his father Bob,is outta the scheme,and the family...He was in a sort histrionic like Bear Grylls... Now,Ray Mears,on the other hand-let's say that i still watch his shows. In a way,he made me fall in love with your country-especially his series,Walkabout. I dreamed of going far away,and luckily enough,i managed to do quite that,even to your own country. Fantastic place,a piece of europe at the end of the world... Btw,i love your cinema,especially Peter Weir's movies. Proposition was awesome too,and a few weeks back i saw that classic Sunday,too far away! I hope one day to revisit Australia, and New Zeeland also. Take care,and have fun.
I have faith in Ray, he’s never tried to be anything but informative and has no ego unlike some others.
I was told by someone who's met him that he's am arrogant prick off screen
@@master_Blaster91 There’s always stories about public figures, I always reserve judgement until I meet - I hope he isn’t though.
@@master_Blaster91 yeah but for every public figure out there you'll find somebody who insists that person is an arrogant prick. You really can't be sure
No ego???? He tried to trademark the word Bushcraft after training with Mors Kochanski. Mors properly blew him off since he literally wrote the book "Northern Bushcraft" (to distinguish it from the Australian southern bushcraft). Mors has since re-titled the book "Bushcraft: Outdoor Skills and Wilderness Survival".
Actually, Ray Mears teaches tracking and survival techniques to SAS and other British military groups. After 40-ish years of experience, I guess he knows a thing or two.
Walking talking encyclopedia.
When the police needed help tracking down Raoul Moat, the called Ray, not Lofty. Says it all really.
Well said.
@@richbuilds_com Ray was the one who advised that Gazza should bring some chicken, cans of beer and a fishing rod. Top man.
You do realise Ray Mears has never been in the Military and started teaching The SAS survival when lofty Retired 🤔 whereas lofty has been in the SAS as long if not longer than Ray Mears has even been teaching survival 😂
Ray Mears really knows his stuff. He doesn't run around and eat shit at every opportunity, because he'd never have to.
Bear Grylls wants to get out of a forest
Ray Mears wants to get into a forest
that's actually a very well articulated observation.
Yep,and Ray Mears came into bushcraft and the outdoors as so many of us did,by actually being out there as a lad,doing stuff,going into the woods,avoiding farmers with shotguns,and gamekeepers,this was how I did it back in the dayTo be honest I have more time for Ray than any of them as a result of my own experiences,as I'm sure many others do for reasons similar to mine,and maybe your own.
Oh Mr. Wiseman.. how you almost got me expelled. Years ago, I stole your SAS survival book from the school library. I remember making snares and deadfall traps in the backyard. It went so far as getting lost in a field of grass taller than me just because i misjudged the terrain from a hill. Being a foster kid and growing up poor, your book was a welcoming escape. And if there's one thing that i've learned from your book and all the experiences that came with it, its this: if you make a mistake, then atleast you know what NOT to do next time. From Fiji, Thanks so much Mr. Wiseman.
Fantastic story! I also loved that book when I was a kid.. such fun building camps in the woods. Greetings from England and Happy New Year to you..
Got that book from the library twice, then bought it. Still got it. Still use it. A treasure trove of good information! Ray's got some good youtube vids out, and Coalcracker bushcraft is good... but it will always be John Wiseman for me!
For me, my top three favorite bushcraft/survival gurus to learn from are (in order) Mors Kochanski, Dave Canterbury & Ray Mears. I don't care what they look like, how they dress or whether they spent time in XYZ military outfit. All I care is whether they know their stuff. And I'm quite convinced all three of them have mad skills.
have you seen lars monsen? he's really good too
This is exactly why I am a fan of Ray Mears.
Ray has more knowledge of survival than you can imagine .. Talk about playing to the crowd !
He definitely has more knowledge of survival than I can imagine..... whether or not he has more knowledge of survival than Lofty Wiseman can imagine is a different question altogether - I'm sure he can imagine quite a lot!
@@K1lostream not taking anything away from lofty but ray mears taught the sas survival skills for 10 years, so I would imagine ray is more knowledgeable imo
@@K1lostream Ray Mears can start a civilization from. Scratch. Lofty Wiseman is a survival expert from a military point of view. So survive long enough to be picked up by SARS. Ray Mears will out survive Wiseman any time of the day. He has been preaching and practicing bushcraft and primitive living for over 40 years now. That is the difference between survival and bushcraft. Survival is staying alive long enough for the search party to come and pick you up. Bushcraft is living and being comfortable in the woods with limited equipment but making the equipment out of the woods with what you can and live in the woods confortably.
@@alphabears6342 Well said.
I love the Bush Tucker Man, he was a real gent
Wait a minute, Ray Mears is an instructer to the armed forces in survival skills, he's fought a champion mongol wrestler which he won and broke one of his ribs, is an expert in Filipino knife fighting and was drafted in by the police to track Raoul Moat...Oh and he's got a black belt in judo......You be the judge.
well said that man. My thoughts exactly.
Couldn't agree more.
Fan boy!!
mate, ray is ok but lofty really is the man.
I'm just sticking up for him, this Lofty fella seems to think it's ok to bash other survivalists, some who have achieved much in the worlds of survival and bushcraft.
Lofty Wiseman was the HEAD of the SAS survival school for more than 30 years and taught generations of SAS troopers how to survive in the bush. If anybody's qualified to talk about survival or other survival instructors, it's Lofty Wiseman...
Incidentally ask anybody in the SAS about survival, and they're ALL tell you a SENSE OF HUMOUR IS CRUCIAL!!!
@IIWII Yeah, and part of the appeal of Ray Mears is his respect for indigenous people and their skills. One of the regular features of his show was him trying him to mimic the actions of the experts and their laughing at him and showing him again how to do it properly, it really foregrounded their skills as you knew he was moderately handy and you looked again at what they were doing realising they only made it *look* easy - it showed a more generous nature than this guy not able to view the field they share as anything other than a competition, so that he has to big himself up at any opportunity. For all his undoubted achievements, he sounds like a schoolboy.
Ray Mears explored the idea in his work of survival techniques in lots of ways, anthrolopologically, historically, as well as practical how to. He never made it into a pissing match.
" SAS troopers how to survive in the bush" oh, I thought a large percent was in tropical conditions. Having more than one edition of Mr Wisemans SAS survival book, I would say it is clear that a lot is about jungle conditions and of limited practical use for other places or situations. Also, there are some differences on miliatry survival trainings compared to others as the first tends to focus on combat situations. Yes, there are overlaps also, but in general you want to be found by anyone in the civilian peaceful context and not be found be "anyone" in the millitary non-peaceful context.
Some military instructions probably had to adjust a lot when having with civilian scope after their active military carrier.
I'm a complete novice when it comes to survival skills but I watch ray near programs not so much for survival but for ethnobotany and anthropological interest. Its a show about nature and human endeavour.
I am sure I was reading somewhere that ray learned a lot of his survival skills from a ex Chindit. My grandfather was in 77 special brigade Chindits. They were the cream of the British army of their time even more so than the SAS especially in survival training and living off the lands. So in my eyes Ray mears your the best mate 👍
I have heard on several occasions that Ray is the wrong shape to be a survivor. Surely living off the land and not turning into a skeleton is the epitome of successful living in the wild.
Yeah, but he could live off his 'reserves'!
The size of his head mustn't help@@HighWealder
Exactly that’s man hasn’t experienced hunger for decades 😂
Some people obviously don't understand British humour, lofty is taking the piss out of people he knows, go ask Ray and bear what they think of lofty and they would probably tell you he's the Yoda of the bushcraft world and call him a wanker too!
+Matthew Smith
There is probably some truth in that. However, Lofty """HAS""" served in the REAL DEAL 22 & reached the dizzy highs of being the YOUNGEST W.O.Class 1 . & served all over the globe. & not the week end warrior brigade. Saturdays and Sundays (S.A.S) I have seen B.G. at two talks, peddling his ""TAT"" & on BOTH of them, he""" intimates""" that he was Regular full time 22 Reg. SAS when he was 21 reg TA. It was only when a lady in the audience challenged him directly did he admit that he was a TA Reservist ( all be it a S/F) one. I later found out her husband & son Were serving & had served with 22. Nice lady.
+Belfastchild I bet that lady doesn't get any crap from the locals! LOL
she was a very quiet unassuming lady who was just annoyed with all the LIES Grylly that were pouring from this boy scouts mouth. She said that ALL of the regular members of 22 looked upon & treated BG as a T/A """WALT'''
Lofty is bloody hilarious and I'd bet money Bear and Mears would totally agree! The SAS aren't easily offended..
I don't get what your implying Belfast, its irrelevant if by is reservist or lofty was regular soldier, both reservists and regulars have in recent times played with their blood for this country it should not even be an issue raised, I have personally seen unprofessional reg soldiers and really shit hot reservists show up so called professional soldiers, its swings and rounabouts
Oh, COME ON! Ray Mears has a huge knowledge of edible plants/animals and has spent time living with almost every indigenous population on earth learning from them. John Wiseman has some military survival experience. Survival in the military is a compromise. You only have so many hours in the day, and you have to spend a lot of them learning to shoot, maintaining your fitness, etc. Survival training is usually a one week course here and there.
You dont know what your talking about, lofty is not a big mouth like the others, i would estimate of the 27 years head did more life threatening than the others put together, survival for publicity is not the same as living off the jungle desert at deaths door with thousands of the enemy wanting to behead as happened to three troopers.
Bear G - Survive and get out fast!
Ray Mears - Live.
That is the main difference. Bear is Army get to safety and survive. Ray teaches people about living in conditions. Not being scared of nature, but respecting it. Bear will sleep in a deer, Ray would build a house and oven an cook the deer. Both very different approaches, for differing scenarios.
I agree... bead just does it. no questions asked. Ray mears enjoys it more, but beat grylls is awesome!
*****
Good point, but I think Ray Mears has more than what you just described. He has whole different episodes and a series dedicated to survival.
A well documented rebuttal.
*****
'nowt' further to add - Is thee from up North in the UK?
If you're stuck on a desert island with no way off, you build a house. If you're just lost somewhere you survive on the way back to civilisation..
While not disputing his knowledge and learning he could certainly do with a lesson in humility.
+James Moore Its called having a sense of humour.... :-)
+steppenwolf ..Ur right..So many are rude,ignorent wth a smart mouth but when sumone tells them a home truth to their face,they cant handle it,have a hissyfit..I found nothing rude at all wth comments..Perhaps it's a generation thing..Everyone's so fragile and over sensitive these Days(except on the Comp)
Given his service and qualifications, Lofty has the right to judge people in his field, BUT, like all old soldiers, they're a very arrogant intolerant lot...
Ray didn't serve, he was rejected from the Royal Marines because of his eyesight problems.
Ray's life goal is to teach people to respect nature and be comfortable living out in it.
His Woodlore Bushcraft school has been going for almost 40yrs ! He's succeeded in teaching thousands of people to become ambassadors for his respectful methods and pass on those skills to others.
That makes him worthy of respect in my mind..
Ray before lofty any day.
All i know is that Ray loves what he does,and he's happy which makes him the real 'wise man'. i would go into the wild with Ray coz basically he's a nicer guy and would actually be more fun to be with. he's not confrontational. Bear Grylls is also really nice, but in his show he's always so fucking full on, hyper,it does my head in. that's why i can't watch his show much.perhaps he's different in real life. the difference is, is that Ray is being himself in his shows.
Lofty being lofty. Very funny and honest sensible man. I had pleasure of being taught combat survival by him in the late 80s. Total respect for him.
Ray Mears never put on the image of a survival guy though. He's just passionate about bush craft and nature... And very knowledgeable
Good old Lofty, his SAS books are by far some of the finest survival manuals about, tho I enjoy Ray Mears programs.
Ray Mears is unpretentious, he’s gained knowledge about survival from the greatest experts across most of the world, almost always from the native people themselves. He has nothing to prove and doesn’t need to look like he’s trying to survive. He has the composure of someone that’s gonna have the best odds in any situation
Nice vid! I love watching earth, explore and relax...
Thanks for the video
I'm surprised he took that view. A true pro would have been more diplomatic I feel. I have no doubt that Ray and Bear both could handle themselves with ease in the wild. I prefer Ray's TV work to Bear's by a long chalk but I have no doubts whatsoever in their abilities. Perhaps it is the green eyed monster at work?
If anyone didnt get it,Lofty teaches the most relevant survival skills here, aka humour and wits.
Great answer!
Legend!!
i got his books over 20 years ago and to this day you could drop me off naked anywhere in the world and i could survive because of this man!! :D
Really. You now where Arctica is ? Beeing in a ice block does not mean you survived. :)
Sonja S Arctica was an ancient continent which formed approximately 2.5 billion years ago in the Neoarchean era.
Whats your point? Lol
People miss what the point to those two is... Ray Mears isn't that much about surviving, he's about living in the wild with techniques passed on from previous generations. Bear Grylls is all about the extremes of survival. He wants to show you what extremes you can go to in reasonable safety. And i find it weird when people compare these two people. Ray Mears, showing you how to live in comfort in the wild, and Bear Grylls, who shows you what the extremes look like. Completely opposite eachother.
***** Reasonable safety as in "you could do this if you really needed to and it won't kill you".
Cristi Neagu Finally someone who understands it!
+Cristi Neagu
So ... where does overnighting in a travel lodge fall into that?? ( as B/G's team have done)
*****
1. Bear Grylls did that *once*. When his kid was born and his wife travelled to a nearby town so he can see his kid. WTF is wrong with you? Are you that desperate to badmouth someone?
2. It's not like Ray Mears spends each and every night sleeping in caves on cold stones and under rotten trees.
3. Even if Bear Grylls never spent one night in the wild, what's your point? It's a show that's meant to teach you about the wild and survival, not about what Bear Grylls can and cannot do.
Frankly, all you people screaming out this "he spent a night in the lodge" argument are grasping at straws.
@Hugh Jarce He spent one night in a hotel with his *family* and his *new born son.* *ONCE.* The fact that you let a one time uncommon event overshadow everything else he did, after all this time, i might add, shows how unreasonable you are.
Lofty is a Legend
Brilliant stuff Lofty SAS WHO DARES WINS 👍🇬🇧.
Maybe Ray Mears should give this guy a lesson in being humble.
Haha not to be recommended.
+Ice Hockey is Pretty Pretty Good I wouldn't bet on that.
Exactly, no matter what your opinion of someone you can learn from them in some way even if you don't agree with their ways, they know something you don't, accepting that makes learning so much easier
Well said sir
Ha ha, I know what you mean! I do love him though, amazing and fascinating, and such a lovely attitude.
What about the Bush tucker man, another legend!!
Les is the top bloke down under,I used to love Bush Tucker Man,great series.Loftys expertise covers all situations whereas Les Hiddins is more specialised in that way.Both top blokes.
@@redpillnibbler4423 Totally agree with you there mate 👍.
When an Instructor from the SAS stands up to speak, I listen. If I could learn half of what he has forgotten, I will become much wiser.
Yea you might learn how to get lost in the wrong desert
id go with mears since i think scaling down the frozen water fall with the polar bears at the bottom will more than likely result in my demise.
having just watched the Island, and some hapless chap fall down a cliff, I think Lofty has point on BG!
i remember being about 22 yrs old (im 47 now) i had just come out the Army,the Book i had Bought and been brought up on was Written by Lofty Wiseman was of Course his First ...."The SAS Survival Handbook" Amazing Fact Filled book!
Mears! He has both the knowledge and the wisdom. He was asked the same question (except about the grylled buffoon and the poftylofty) - he refused to answer as he did not know either of them... even though he added that the "grilling of the buffoon"-show seemed a little more entertaining then informational.
It is about perspectives,the two guys are both correct in their ways,they approach the subject in different ways that is all.
I was thinking in terms of the high media profiles of Bear and Ray, now that 'survival' has become a hot subject for television.
lofty is the king !
Listen to this guy. Voice of reason.
Someone should have asked him about John Hudson. He's the best of the best.
The argument is not whether or not they're "fakes" or who is "better". Both know a lot, that is as much as we can objectively say.
The argument, in my opinion, is how they present and convey their knowledge; and in that respect I think a lot of people can agree that doing what Mr Grylls presents on his shows actually might lead to increased risks for people in dire situations.
Personal opinion: Bear Grylls makes entertainment, Ray Mears tries to teach.
As to who is "better"? Does it matter?
I have the greatest respect for boh Ray Mears, and Les Hiddins
They have an episode togheter,in the Walkabout series of Ray Mears.
Hes also the best of the best of the best... and lived to prove it!!
I grew up with Ray, but I don't see why both just can't be respected for sharing their experience with everyone curious.
I can EAT the pair of 'em! A Classic Sense of Humor... LOL!
One of THE most important elements of SAS survival - A SENSE OF BLOODY HUMOUR!!! Jesus H Christ - some people...
Lighten up guys, really! Have you ever heard of humor, especially the British variety?
Exactly!!!
@Tabourba cry more. Fukin snowflake
Ray Mears is a legend
Bear grylls was not in the SAS, he was a reserve. Ray mears is the ultimate survival expert
Wrong: 23 SAS IS a Reserve unit, but the Regiment was mobilised in it's entirety to serve in Afghan in 2008.
Three killed by IED.
It was widely reported upon, because a woman, Intelligence Corps soldier, Cpl Sarah Bryant , was in the Land Rover to engage with Afghan women, was also killed in the blast.
23 served very well in Afghan. and SAS reservists are routinely called up as individuals or teams to supplement 22.
They have one thing in common Ray Meats and Bear Grylls, they both went to Eton.
I have nothing but respect for anyone who can get through the SAS test. I used to go hunting here in Australia with a SAS (Aussie SAS) fella and what he told me that he went through was inhuman. I swear i doubt 99% of men could do it.
Antipodean33
That's why the selection process is so brutal...to sort the men from the boys.
A couple of guys died on the process three or four years ago.
Sad.
Sadder was the press focusing on the two dead and not the rest who _did_ survive!
When sas or military guys go stalking with my dad who's a gamekeeper, he makes a mockery of them, they all miss their shot
I agree with most of what Lofty Wiseman said.
Real-world survival is first and foremost about preparation. Key subjects are understanding are: survival psychology and staying as positive as possible; leaving a travel itinerary with a responsible entity like the local police, fire department, forest ranger or mayor's office, with a defined time for rescuers to start looking for you; being skilled at firecraft and shelter construction; carrying a recent topographic map and know how to terrain associate ; gain knowledge of the local area, including the wild edibles season, climate,elevation, predators and game animals; know how to understand and recognize weather systems; learn how to forage, trap, hunt , fish and create fire using at least one or two primitive methods; and learn which multi-functional kit items are truly necessary to survive that first night in the wilderness and avoid unnecessary items to keep pack weight down.
Dave Canterbury's "10 C's of Survivability" and "5 Redundant C's" is a good template for building an emergency survival kit or bug out bag. The ten C's stand for:
1. Cutting tool(s)-belt knife, axe and/or folding saw
2. Cumbustion device(s)-BIC lighters, ferro rods and magnifying glass and a tinder pouch
3. Cover elements-your clothing, headgear, footwear and gloves and shelter materials like a sleeping bag, wool blanket, survival bivvy or even a few large plastic garbage bags 4. Container(s) made of metal-mess kit, steel water bottle or a bush pot
5. Cordage-parachute cord, tarred bankline or rope
6. Compass-plate type with a rotating bezel and signaling mirror
7. Cotton bandana(s)-many uses, from making char cloth to a sling for an injured arm or as an improvised container, as a neck kerchief etc
8. good template for putting together a survival emergency kit and add whatever other items specific to the area you'll be travelling in are absolutely necessary
Once you're stuck somewhere, begin by addressing your immediate needs, like moving a short distance away from eminent danger like predators, unstable ground or uninhabitable areas. then creating a quick shelter. Tarps are great for that, to get out of the wind and rain.
Remember the basic survival motto of Shelter, Fire, Water: stay warm and dry and avoid overexertion especially late in the day; find the tinder, kindling and fuel you need in your area to get a fire going and keep it going all night; and remain as fully hydrated as possible.Use the best techniques for using sharp-edged tools safely, to avoid injury, especially to you feet, legs, crotch, arms and head. Conserve calories as much as possible by focusing your attention on passively and actively signalling for rescue and avoiding foolish and/or unnecessary risks.
Moving from a safe location to another campsite should only be done if the area you find yourself in lacks the key resources you need to survive or you know where you are and how to get back to civilization. Think of the 4 W's for selecting a new campsite with adequate survival resources:
1. Wood-adequate for fires, tools and shelter construction;
2. Water-to stay hydrated and for cooking, cleaning and first aid;
3. Wind- avoid areas where trees can be blown down and ensure the open side of you shelter is at 90 degrees to the prevailing wind to keep smoke out of the shelter; and
4. Widow makers-avoid camping in areas where trees are leaning against other trees, as they can become dislodged and fall on you in a wind storm
Use an intelligent strategy if you must move. It is always a good idea to head downhill to warmer conditions and follow streams or rivers, since both strategies will eventually lead you to civilization. Always take the safest route possible, even if it is somewhat longer, to avoid injury. Keep your eyes open along the way for useful resources like natural tinders, wild edibles or signs of civilization, like towers, roads, power lines, lighthouses, piers or other structures. Avoid crossing fast running watercourses unless:
1. It is absolutely necessary that you cross it and the water is relatively shallow an slow-moving. Areas where streams widen out and shallow are the best sites for crossings;
2. You use a pole or survival staff as a thrid leg, to help steady you during the crossing;
3. You have extra dry clothing and socks in your kit firecraft materials in your pack; and
4. Conditions permit you to build a warming fire after you've made the crossing and gotten into your dry clothes.
If you can do all of the above, you have a pretty good chance of surviving an unscheduled encounter with mother nature.
I will add, though, he's one of the few out there who Correctly point out that eating the food RAW will maximize nutrition.
It depends on the food. Most vegetables and salt water fish..yes. kangaroo meat is full of parasites and must be cooked, as must snake meat.
so when bear says to pole vault down a mountain you shouldn't do it? LOL . some of you are disrespecting lofty, he literally wrote the book on survival.
So true
Lofty wrote the book (literally) on survival. If you want the best advice on how to survive in any situation, pick up the SAS Survival Guide or SAS Survival Handbook. I'm sure both Ray Mears and Bear Grylls have gleaned techniques from it over the years. I believe he could probably out-survive either of them due to his real-life experiences, but both Bear and Ray, and Les Stroud (Survivorman) or the guys from Dual Survival for that matter can all teach some creative techniques.
If we are talking about the same book, I would say a percent of it is of very little practical value for many readers. Like the parts on jungle survival for example.
mears is an expert that would never miss a meal..bear grillz is a joke
Bitter and jealous comes to mind, the healthy weight for someone living in the wild is of Rays size, just look at any native people living in the wild, with the exception of a few tribes in Africa they all have a bit of weight behind them.
Ray Mears is a legend in my opinion and could teach you some about being humble...
haha idiot
fartunique
It's called dry humour.
I like bear grylls
"Ray Mears is the wrong shape for survival, i'd love to be on an island with him, i'd live of off him for years" lol
British Army humour at it's best and i am sure Ray would buy him a beer, Bear also.
Bear grylls has done both the things wiseman claims to admire Irwin for
+Deaglan Madine
Apart from serve in the Regular army U.K. Special forces ( Lofty Wiseman being a former 22 Reg R.S.M) & not 21TAVR claiming by intimating he was 22reg.
Lofty is truth on this. Les Hiddins the Australian army major is the man. But people now do not know who he is or know what he knows, or can do what he does. Bushtucker Man.
Wiseman is just that: A wise man. Everyone will have a different idea on what to do in a survival situation, but lets just be straight. Wiseman has both the knowledge and experience, where Grylls and Mears are still young. They are both great survival guides, and could show us all a number of brilliant techniques. I'm sure we'd fair quite well with either of them. I'm also sure, that Wiseman would be much more prepared for the unexpected.
True pro,this guy has done more in his career,and help save other sp force soldiers by teaching them to stay alive,than ray who seems to be chasing money issues.
I have been on a course with lofty and others from hereford,and he is real deal,and helps alot of groups who needs support.Could you see ray passing selection lol
Ray ain't any "ex Commando" he lives close to me and started his first bushcraft company at the age of 19.
i was there!! what a legend!
You have a fair point, just a small one of my own. Wiseman was in 22 SAS Bear was in 21 SAS (reserves) theres a significant difference.
Not as significant as you'd like to think.
I think teaching bushcraft survival and saying ‘if you stranded these two on a desert island with nothing but the clothes on their back’ are kind of different things, Rays trynna get us prepped for a weekend with the lads in the Brecon Beacons and Bear is a showman with a urine addiction. But I don’t think either of em were trying to present apocalypse survival shows
Ray Mears great instructor love his videos
Yes he was. But it was the Territorial Army version of the SAS. John was in the full time SAS and was part of the assault team on the Iranian Embassy in 1981.
Where it all began. Lofty is a Legend. My Leathermans and Lofty, survival kit packed.....
This annoys me... You cant compare the two.. Ray Mears is bushcraft and Bear Grylls is survival...
All three men are awesome and know their stuff!! Lofty is a legend and humour is good for moral. None of us has earned the right to critic them. Just saying 😂
Lee Hart Speak for yourself
Apparently some people have 😂
I wouldn't "critic" his survival knowledge, I'm sure it's adequate. I would criticise his attitude though - his resentment for those more successful than him is obvious.
+Lee Hart Grylls doesn't know anything more than the hired experts he has on his show tell him.
John 'Lofty' Wiseman is the author of the SAS survival handbook, which in my opinion is THE most comprehensive tome on the topic of survival EVER written. The only thing that's far fetched in Lofty's book, is his advice on zig zag swimming to evade Great White Sharks - if you're in the water and a Great White's in the water and it decides to bite you, it will...
His other classic is when he advises getting on your hands and knees in a storm so that if lighting strikes it has less distance to travel to earth itself thus causing less internal burning - If you're unfortunate enough to be struck by lightning, you'll either survive it or you wont - it's down to luck, NOT posture. Fortunately getting bitten by Great White Sharks or hit by lightning strikes, is pretty rare so all in all it's an excellent book...
Actually, it IS good advice to get as low as ou can,particularly if you are as tall as Mr. Wiseman, He's not called "lofty" because he's 5ft tall, he is, IIRC from his book,6ft 8 inches.
Lightning, like all other electricity, will take path of least resistance, which is often the shortest path (depending on the conductivity of the materials between source and earth.
Air is a very poor conductor, a wet human or three much better, metal hugely better, so getting low is better.
As for his advice on evading Great Whites--phooey!
I would instantly employ The Octopus Defence and hide in a large, self-generated cloud of ink.
BROWN ink!
Many years ago I had the great good fortune to spend a week with Lofty living rough. Ray and Bear are for today's audience but Lofty and his pals from Hereford are from a different planet and also does a brilliant Tommy Cooper impression. I wonder if he still has the parrot?
Ray and Bear are glamming it up a bit for tv. But if 'any' of you weren't motivated to 'get out there' by a few programmes, I'd be surprised. We all learn off each other, thats' whats 'FUN'! :) ... Here in the U.K. we have all done our little expeditions...but be honest.. you're never really more than 20 miles from the nearest house (overpopulation) .. air-dropped into wild Alaska mid winter ..how would you fare?
Fear,morale and local knowlege play a bigger role. Keep your feet on the ground guys, and watch the nice telly programmes. You will always learn 'something', no matter how smart you 'think' you are. above all else...have fun! :)
Lmao that was awesome!
I get his comments regarding Bear, he's just a showman. But I've always thought Ray Mears is an extremely knowledgeable and humble broadcaster that certainly doesn't deserve this kind of criticism.......................
Ray Mears anyday!!
Lofty’s comments about Ray Mears are uncalled for. Yes Ray may look out of shape these days but it’s a well known fact that he contracted Lymes Disease which went undetected for years. As a result of his illness he can’t exercise as much as he would like to. As to his survival skills, they are second to none. Ray has a proven track record of using his survival skills to good effect. It was largely his skills that enabled his film crew to survive when their helicopter crashed a few years back.
Ray mears! No doubt
Some valid points here,the most I ever had at one time was a knife,survival bag,and a few bits,none of it would have amounted to more than a fiver.The rest I caught or nicked from fields nearby,I had more fun and learnt more in those years gone by than some will ever do,axe and knife brand/grinds meant bugger all to me.The gear fetishists are just bothered about poncing about and looking the part with Gucci stuff.Detracts from the point somewhat.
😂😂 What a character. Never seen him before. Natural banter. Brilliant. 😂😂
thats the same thing i was saying about them both they r like rock stars of survivalist but but truth be told they r still better then me
For me it's an invalid argument as it's comparing two men with two different skill sets.
Ray Mears is a bushman, and an excellent one at that. His niche is about showing his craft and his ability to live off the land longterm in safety and relative comfort. Bear Grylls doesn't claim to be a bushman. His aim is teaching basic survival methods in extreme and unexpected conditions. 'Survive at all costs'. Yes, he is reckless no doubt but that's TV for you.
If I wanted to 'bug out' and live off the grid for a while, I'd take Ray. If I was in a plane wreck in the middle of the Amazon and wasn't sure how best to go about rescue, perhaps (imagine if!) without an axe, bush knife or paracord, I'd want Bear.
Lofty, as much as I admire and respect him, is a bit disrespectful unnecessarily to his two (three if you count the Steve Irwin comments) contemporaries in this clip. Hey, he got a laugh though...
lofty Wiseman has been doing this for years - criticising his peers , he was saying the same stuff 40 years ago about a fellow survival instructor and SAS man Eddie Magee ` could`nt survive in tescos` same old mantra , Ray mears is one of the nicest calm most humbeling man you will ever meet
Well said!
Although I respect Mr Wiseman for his Military service, I have to disagree with him on this. Ray Mears is the real deal, the knowledge in Rays books are infinately better and more useful than anything Mr Wiseman has published.
Was a bit harsh to say steve irwin deserved what he got.
As for bear grylls what everyone doesnt remember is that his stuff is set up to show you what to do in certain situations not him surviving the wild
I’ll give him the benefit and say it’s just his sense of humour and if he met Ray Mears or Bear Grylls they’d probably get on really well and have a drink or two and a bit of a banter.
I can't stand any negative sentiment towards either Ray Mears or Bear Grylls. They have done more for getting people (young people in particular) excited about getting outdoors than this bloke who I've never heard of before ever has. Ray and Bear are a big part of why I like the outdoors, bushcraft, camping, hiking etc as much as I do I will forever be grateful for them. And I'll have forgotten this tossers name by tomorrow (-;
Update: In full disclosure, I just realize after Googling that John Wiseman wrote the SAS survival handbook, which was actually THE first thing that ever got me excited about the outdoors. I discovered the book in my grandad's bookshelf and absolutely devoured it. So he's definitely not 'some bloke who I've never heard of', and he's certainly done a lot for the outdoors. That being said, I still don't like his sentiment towards Ray and Bear, and I like them just as much for the flame they stoked in me, which was initially ignited by the SAS survival handbook.
Ray yes Bear no he's a prick.
As an Australian, I have to agree with the statement about Steve Irwin. The guy was an amazing bloke but we really do play his death up as if it was some terrible tragedy when the reality is that Steve chose to jump in the water with that sting ray (and knowing Steve, he likely chose to do that in such a way that it really, REALLY pissed off the sting ray, too).
It's sad but we shouldn't pretend like there wasn't a direct cause leading up to Steve Irwin's death and that direct cause was himself.
As a kid in eastern europe,growing up in 90's and early 00's,we had two educational channels: Discovery and Animal Planet. I used to like Steve Irwin,but now,i realize he was a dork. Picking animals up all the time,his kid over the fence and all kinds of "crickey" things...And i've heard that his zoo is kinda way over the top commercialized-even his father Bob,is outta the scheme,and the family...He was in a sort histrionic like Bear Grylls...
Now,Ray Mears,on the other hand-let's say that i still watch his shows. In a way,he made me fall in love with your country-especially his series,Walkabout.
I dreamed of going far away,and luckily enough,i managed to do quite that,even to your own country. Fantastic place,a piece of europe at the end of the world...
Btw,i love your cinema,especially Peter Weir's movies.
Proposition was awesome too,and a few weeks back i saw that classic Sunday,too far away!
I hope one day to revisit Australia, and New Zeeland also.
Take care,and have fun.
to me i don't really care of what Ray or Bear Do . But what i have learn from them might one day save my life :D