Men of the forum! - Do you wish you were like Bear Grylls?

[Itchy]

Ray Mears would kick his ass

[redbikejohn]

fight ! :laugh: :laugh: :laugh:

[Nigel]

Ray Mears would kick his ass

1+

[Selous]

As for Bear CV yes very impressive, yes he was with the SAS as already stated 21 TA weather 'he' missed the TA bit of or if his press people did only they know that, point to note 21 SAS is trained in Observation work & intel gathering not CRW or 1 or 2 other bits and bibs. Selection for 21 is smilier to regular reg but not quite, still hard work.

Hummm, I don't think it matters one iota the prefix to TA, Rsqdn or Vtroop selection is exactly the same for both so whoever told you that is speaking utter bolloks.

we all have our own options on this site, however some info for you from here http://www.stuff.themutual.net/taselect.htm (see bottom of page) or http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov. ... /index.htm
because they are TA some of there training is done over longer periods of time.

I never at any point said it was easier, or he was any lesser man, I did however pointed out fact that 21 & 23 where & still are Long Range Recce & OP work. even the MOD & Janes web sites state this. & yes further fact there are member s of 21 & 23 serving in 'warmer' climets as do all other TA units.

[Zeebad]

Bear Grylls annoys me by trying too hard. Like most of the others I prefer Ray Mears. But would I like to be like either of them? Nope,I've got enough of my own tricks and I'm happy being me

[Alun]

At the end of the day he MADE IT where many failed, the quote about Everest is nonsense there are plenty of people who can't make it to base camp let alone summit, only Bonnington considers Everest a playground the rest are armchair heroes who like to belittle people as they will NEVER accomplish anything... fact - all trips are escorted with Sherpas,

Not wishing to hit any nerves here Wiso122, just looking to clear up a point or two.

Hiking to Everest Base Camp (on the Nepalese side) is no more technical than hiking to the top of Scafell Pike. If you can put one foot in front of the other the only thing to stop anyone reaching Base Camp are physiological problems with the number one being your body takes longer than average to adjust to altitude.

This in no way belittles the efforts trekkers put in to reach EBC but it's a shorter walk from EBC (5364m) to Gorakshep (5164m) where you can buy a pizza than from the top of Scafell Pike to the Wasdale Head pub, where I also think you can also buy a pizza.

Bonington spent most of his time on more technical mountains in the greater Himalaya/Alps/South America rather than Everest, here's a list of his most prominent climbs. He only climbed Everest once, in 1985 at the age of 50.

1st ascent Annapurna II (26,041 ft) 1960
1st ascent Nuptse (25,850 ft) 1961
1st ascent Central Pillar of Freney 1961
1st ascent Central Tower of Paine (8760 ft), Patagonia 1963
1st ascent Old Man of Hoy 1966
Leader of successful Annapurna South Face Expedition 1970
1st ascent Brammah (21,030 ft) 1973
1st ascent Changabang (22,520 ft) 1974
Leader of successful Everest South West Face Expedition 1975
1st ascent, the Ogre (23,900 ft)1977
1st ascent Mount Kongur, Western Xinjiang, China (25,325 ft) 1981
1st ascent Shivling West (21,250 ft) 1983
1st ascent West Ridge, Panch Chuli II, Kumaon Himalaya, India, 1992
1st ascent The Needle, Greenland 1993
1st ascent Rangrik Rang (21,499 ft), in the Kinnaur Himalaya, India 1994
1st ascent Drangnag Ri (22,312 ft) in the Rolwaling Himal, Nepal 1995
1996 Reconnaissance Expedition to Sepu Kangri (6956m) in Tibet
Leader of 1997 British Expedition to make the first attempt on Sepu Kangri
Leader of 1998 British Expedition to Sepu Kangri
1st ascent Danga (24,776 ft) in Nepal in 2000


Not all climbs are escorted by Sherpas but for all climbers going over 6000m it is mandatory (or it was when I was spending my time climbing in the Nepalese Himalaya) that you have a 'Climbing Sherpa' assigned to the expedition. The 'Climbing Sherpa' is not there to be a pack horse but is a legal requirement and his function is to lead, if need be, and advise on the climb. If you need additional Sherpas to carry equipment then you can, as the commercial trips do, hire them.

Apologies for being pedantic, but I used to spend a fair bit of my former life up in those big hills.

[Wilso122]

selection for 21 is smilier to regular reg but not quite, still hard work.

I appreciate that people are allowed an opinion, we have all seen what happens when opinions have been 'enforced'. I get it Bear is like marmite... But i'm sorry your post 'implied' that it was a lesser role entry requirement merely due to the term TA where as in fact that is really nonsense.

A lot of people make the mistake of thinking that because 21/23 SAS are T.A units, they provide an easy route to joining a special forces unit. Nothing could be further from the truth. (from one of those sites)

To my point exactly mate, final selection (the weekend of) is exactly the same as a regs entry JUST the training before / after is different.

Given the very nature of the unit where on earth would anyone believe the nature of deployment as per those sites is in anywhere near the truth! So seeing as this is in the public domain.

The traditional role of 21 and 23 SAS(R) is to carry out long range reconnaissance patrols for the regular UK Army (although these days the focus is on augmenting UKSF operations), freeing the regular SAS from recon tasks and onto direct actions. 23 SAS had previously been trained for combat search and rescue (CSAR) although it's now reported that role has been given to dedicated RAF Regiment units.

In the 1991 Gulf War, members of SAS(R) were used as battlefield casualty replacements for deployed 22 SAS units, namely landrover fighting columns from A and D Squadrons who were operating in the Iraqi Desert.

SAS Reservists deployed to the Balkans in the mid-90s. Members from 21 and 23 SAS formed a composite unit known as 'V Squadron' and were engaged in peace support operations.

I did however pointed out fact that 21 & 23 where & still are Long Range Recce & OP work.

Seriously mate you make it sound like its purely escort duty and looking through a field lens!

[Wilso122]

Apologies for being pedantic, but I used to spend a fair bit of my former life up in those big hills.

Alun, horizon expeditions unlimited??? Alun?? you used to work with / know Bonny Masson and John Eames? have I got the right one? Respect to you then. But equally you know that and stated some people simply can't adjust to the altitude due to illness, physical problems or mentally I'm not talking technical climb here. And you know the speech I mean where Sir B referred to Everest as a tourists playground and from there everyone jumped on the band wagon stating that everest wasn't hard enough etc etc. It may well be a walk but its a bloomin tough one and the one where I found out I had a heart murmur despite having been passed as fit and after soloing Izta 3 months prior (admittedly its only 5-2), having walked up from ameca, and yes there also you can get a fry up on the weekends at 4-2.. So my point is why are people having a go at a guy who summited everest, it just doesn't make sense. Some people, myself included don't make base camp!


What gets me is so many people seem to want to belittle the guy, he is a top bloke, a real good laugh, so what his show is a little zany what would people rather X factor?

[davsato]

i can see a theme for an ABR rally coming on!

ABR "youre gonna die 1st" rally
you lot, ullapool, january,
you get an army jumper with elbow patches,
pink legwarmers,
inflatable snake (for effect),
survival tin containing-
condoms (pool your recourses, its one way to keep warm)
teaspoon and grinding stone (to fashion your own design of bushcraft tool)
carole nash carrier bag (upmarket kit, thicker than cheap chinese tesco or sainsbury bivvi bags)
a jamjar of belly button fluff to make string with,

and we see who does the best from thursday-sunday

[numptyspence]

+1 for Bruce Perry

Anyone that can get the BBC to pay for you to go and get stoned in loads of different villages with strange drugs deserves all he gets.

I cry when I remember one series where the local STYLE was to push you penis inside yourself he didn't understand what the guy was saying so the guy decided to show him using Bruce own tackel. The guy nearly fainted, and threw up.

:laugh: :cheer: