-
(#3) You Sweat, You Die
Stroud consistently mentions on his show that sweat is the enemy of anyone trying to survive an extreme situation. In addition to it being the quickest way to lose much-needed body fluids, it also has the unfortunate side-effect of making a person unnecessarily wet. In heat this can lead to chafing and other discomfort (outside of dehydration), in cold weather sweating can bring on a chill that leads to hypothermia and possible death.
If you can, always wear layers and avoid wearing wet clothing.
-
(#2) Staying Calm Is Key
Being in a survival situation can be stressful. Anyone suddenly alone in the wildnerness will be in high stress mode, focused on how to get to safety, find their bearings, and eventually find the items necessary to survive if rescue doesn't seem imminent. Not to mention the immediate adrenaline rush a person gets in survival mode will eventually wear off and leave a person quite exhausted. People make bad decisions when stressed. Les Stroud says to stay calm if you find yourself in a survival situation. Focus on the things you can do and focus on the basic tasks at hand, such as preparing for any potential danger lurking ahead - like the cold of night or a lack of water.
-
(#9) Trust A Guide, But Don't Rely On Others
An obvious aside to Stroud's advice to generally be mindful of one's surroundings and trust one's instincts is to never depend entirely on another person. Even when a designated guide is leading a trip, Stroud advises to always be proactive and educate yourself about the details of a trip. Ask to study the map of where you are going. Be aware of local towns and the nearest places of shelter and safety. Check the weather whenever traveling and know your destination route and what places you'll be traveling through or over if say traveling by airplane. There's no guarantee that a guide or leader will be there when the going gets tough.
-
(#6) Trust Your Instincts And Stay Proactive
Les Stroud is far more knowledgeable than the average person when it comes to survival. That said, his advice to those who don't spend their lives learning how to survive alone in nature is to trust the instincts every human has built into their DNA. Humans innately want to live, it's part of our programming. Trusting those instincts is key, as is being proactive. Survival is often the difference between laying down in defeat and forging ahead.
Stroud has spent plenty of time alone in the woods with just his instincts. He says that following good instincts and trusting them are the best thing that someone can do in a survival situation.
-
(#8) Hunting Is A Waste Of Time In Most Situations
Survival in the wild is often depicted as a test of man versus nature with brute strength being the key to getting out alive. Few people can run as fast a deer or have the strength to wrestle a bear. According to Les Stroud, anyone in a survival situation should put aside any thought of taking down big game without a rifle or fishing without a fishing rod.
Stroud stresses that this kind of tactical hunting is a waste of time and energy without such crucial tools and weapons. Rather, Stroud advocates finding bugs and grubs to eat. Just avoid the colorful bugs. That said, anyone who watches Stroud's shows with fervor can pick up how to trap a rabbit or squirrel, one of the easier hunting techniques and among the few Stroud considers worthwhile in survival situations.
-
(#7) Staying In Shape Is The Best Survival Prep
A plane crash or other survival disaster is a tough enough situation without also being hindered by poor physical condition. Stroud says that staying in shape is the most practical key to survival we can focus on before such scenarios play out. Without being in good shape, it will take much longer and be much more difficult to get out of danger alive. Stroud often has to walk long distances and lift heavy objects while on his survival shows. An out of shape person may add unnecessary injury to an already bad situation. The sort of detail that can mean the difference between death and survival.
New Random Displays Display All By Ranking
About This Tool
Les Stroud suddenly decided to change his career to become a field survival expert. In order to film Survivorman, Les Stroud was in danger many times: crossing a glacier with huge cracks in northern Canada, overheating in the Kalahari Desert, and completely losing contact with a support ship while drifting in the Caribbean Sea. He can eat only a small amount of wild fruits and insects during wild expeditions, and at the same time has to contend with the harsh wild environment and wild animals.
Survivorman not only introduces survival skills but also shows the impact of survival in the wild on people's mental state. The random tool shares 10 useful survival tips from Les Stroud.
Our data comes from Ranker, If you want to participate in the ranking of items displayed on this page, please click here.