The Untold Truth Of Survivorman 

What's your favorite thing about Les Stroud?

I really liked how Stroud wouldn't edit out his mistakes. It pointed out the reality of survival situations; that messing up can have huge costs.

One other thing I like about Les is he openly says on his site he often coordinates with locals and studies the area before going into the wilderness nearby, and at times local SAR teams have followed him for their own training, and as an emergency back-up. This isn't "cheating", this is smart, honest survival thinking.

The thing I always found most impressive about Stroud is that he filmed all that stuff on his own. He'd try and get shots of him walking away from a location. That means he has to walk back, get the camera, and do it again. I'm sure having to create interesting shots doesn't make survival situations any easier.

Thank God, I thought you guys were about to call him a fake lol.

He's also a great musician. We used to listen to him play on weekends at a bar in Huntsville, Ontario.

I'm running out of piss.. I might have to drink my own water. -Bear Grylls

This guy's legit, his show was phenomenal, this man not only had to survive, he had to set up his own camera shots, set the camera rig up, only to walk back to pick it up again, and haul all his own gear. I loved watching his show.

I'm so glad you guys are giving this dude some much-earned publicity. Les is the real deal. A little known fact also might be that he co-wrote and performed the all music on the show. The AHHHHH-YEEE-AAAAH-AAAA vocal in the opening credits? Yeah, that's Les too.

He's the greatest American hero ever born... in Canada

This is more like "The already known truth about survivorman".

When I was 15 and Les was a guide for BlackFeather, my father, brother and me went white water canoeing with him down the Petawawa. He knows his stuff.

I LOVED THAT SHOW.

when survivorman ended its run on discovery channel everything started to fall apart. the mindless imitators devolved to the point where it was almost like pitching a sitcom. "hey, what about a show where we put a hippie and an army dude together?" "what about one where it's a husband and wife and she's all naggy?" "what if they were naked?" "what if they were naked AND it's a gameshow?"

Les Stroud is a hero to many, myself included. I NEVER go into the woods without one of his books. His books contain valuable and lifesaving info and can help fight boredom. Thanks for keeping it real (and Canadian) Les. 👍👍👍

"Everyone's always talking about man vs nature but, there is no man vs nature. Nature is not out to get you or help you, it just is. Its indifferent" -Les Stroud said something like this on one of his shows and I think he was low-key roasting Bear Grilles .

As a survival instructor myself, all I can say is, Les is the real deal!!

Right on. Les is a genuine guy and I wish him luck throughout any future endeavors he may go through.

"Untold"? Those of us who pay attention have long known all of this.

The most under appreciated survivalist out there. Really miss those shows..

the guy from primitive technology yt channel is a beast too. just giving him a plug. go watch.

Bear Grylls wishes he was half the man Les Stroud is

Les Stroud is absolutely A Great Man.

Thank you! I always knew Les Stroud was the better guy for survival!!

He is the real deal and I love his dvds.

Les Stroud is my favorite source for information. He went out alone and did his camera work, no camera crew. No grandstanding for ratings, just how it need be done. You're out there alone and the least little injury can leave you to die. Reminds me of a quote by an American solider in WWII seeing Sherman tanks taking a Japanese held island. He called them timid creatures. While they outclassed all the Japanese tanks satchel charge or motor shell on their thin roofs could kill them. A person out alone with no way to call for help has to be a timid creature.

Still my fav survival show. By far. The fact he had to survive & be cameraman! Excellent show. Thank you Les

Stroud was also like the first of the survivalist shows which is impressive to make such a show not knowing how well it would do.

I like Les Stroud. I get the impression he's genuine. I feel like he's going to do well at something, or he's not, but either way he's not going to blow smoke about it.

I like that his stuff works for real. We’ve a few people over the years up here in the frozen north that directly attribute their survival when they were lost or stranded to Les’s survival techniques and teachings. I’ve seen everything he’s ever put on tv and I have tried to memorize them all as I tent in the mountains every summer and you just ever know when things could happen. Thanks for the great vid and thanks Les for all you have taught me!

Had the pleasure of meeting him at a concert. Fabulous musician. Check out his song "Arctic Mistress". Seriously powerful. We had a small crowd in Idaho and he still performed like it was a sold-out venue. Very humble, indulged us with stories, answered our questions, and happily took pictures and signed autographs. Go to the show if he's ever playing near you!!!

When I first seen the tag I totally thought looper was going to trash talk Survivorman haha. I'm glad that they didn't because I know what it takes to survive in the wilderness of northern Canada (it sucks, especially in the winter) and you learn great tips and tricks from Les Stroud.

Bear Grylls would be dead right now if not for the help of his film crew on countless occasions.. Les Stroud is second to none.

Les is the real deal. I've been into camping and wilderness survival for years. He's spot on about Bear. I can't count the number of times I've watch that show with my son and told him, Don't ever do that in a survival situation. Bear's dramatic advice would get you killed.

I will never get tired of watching or listening to Les Stroud. Since the 1st time I watched one episode of Survivorman, any time he shows up on a show or a new episode of anything he does comes around, I need to watch it. The best of the best in my opinion.

was obsessed with him in mid 2000's.

Untold truths? These are things told by Les Stroud...

My favorite thing? @4:13, the look on Stroud's face. That's an expression we've never seen before, because it's a face reserved for our loved ones. You can see the love and forbearance he has for his son. I've seen it on the faces of other fathers and I've probably worn the same one, my being a dad of 2 lads and a lassie.

Les Stroud is the original, the best, and the real deal. Absolutely amazed at what he does, and is still humble. Props to you!!

So actually no untold truth. All told truth.

The best fake one of Bair Grills is the wild horse that he traps and jumps on to except it had steel shoes on I don't think wild horses are shoed

Great video, I love watching Les Stroud! Thanks for setting everyone straight on his show being real!

It's funny how you mention how he offers up his failures as well because that was one of the most compelling aspects of the show but also that it kept me engaged and interested

That he does it all on his own. Wish he would do another season.

Les Stroud > Bear Grylls

Loved this guy's show. It gave me peace and I enjoyed his poems that related to his current situation.

I am late to this video, but I grew up watching Les Stroud. He was my favorite survival show, by far. When Bear Grylls was cutting himself a sealskin wetsuit, Stroud was trying- and failing- for hours to start a fire with a bow drill made from his own bootlace. While a Man vs Wild episode isn't complete without Grylls killing and eating some critter in gruesome and spectacular fashion, Stroud sometimes goes the entire week off of a piece of dried fat found in an abandoned cabin. Grylls is out there leaping cliffs and fording rivers with his camera crew, and Stroud is disassembling ballpoint pens, his harmonica, and sometimes his own underwear to make fishing spears. I think he brushed his teeth with a toothbrush he found on a beach, once. My favorite episode was, I think, somewhere in deep canyons. He trapped a ground squirrel using a deadfall, and had an ice pond and a moth-filled puddle to drink from. The squirrel was pretty flat after the deadfall was through with it ("mmmmmmm... ground squirrel... mmmmmm"). Man vs Wild is a fun nature adventure show, but Survivorman is more realistic and genuine than it could ever be. And I'd like to thank Les Stroud in person for making my childhood a wilder yet more grounded place. This video was great nostalgia.

Stroud is a Canadian outdoorsman. Perhaps the only other nationality to be able to produce such a diverse survivalist is Russia. From the Desert to -40 Winters, Stroud can do it. I will give Bear credit though, he seems to kill more meat.

Nothing against Bear Grylls but Les is the man. He does it all solo.

lol always enjoy talking to Les when he comes in to shop for his groceries, always tells me about the cool places he goes

Les has been a great teacher to all who will pay attention. Survival is not easy. Mistakes will kill you. K.i.s.s. , think it through, but most of all prepare for the unthinkable.

Survivorman is a Beast

13 members of Bear Grylls family have watched this video. We've always known that Les was the one doing a more realistic show. But let's be honest here. Bear is no slouch. Not only is he an accomplished military man, but he is also extremely intelligent and a great survivalist.

Less Stroud is the Man. Survivorman is one of my favorite shows. He's Canadian and grew up about an hour from where I live. I would love to meet him one day

He came into my work ( an outdoor store) to by gear. Super chill, low key, even open to some advice I gave him. He was getting gear to head off to the Amazon with his son. Super cool dude. He offer to take a selfie with me and autographed a hat for me.

I never questioned the authenticity of this show

Survivorman = 2nd fav show. River Monsters = the next show Looper needs to do

Thank you for the vid. I learned a lot just from the short clip. I watched the show faithfully.

All of this was addressed on his appearance on The Joe Rogan Experience. I've played paintball with him at Wasaga beach. Les is the real deal and the most down to earth guy I've met. He also taught me Survival in the CF. GUYS A LEGEND!

He was born in my town North Bay.

Don't you hate it when you make a mistake in a comment then you have to edit it?

Les is the best. Thanks to Les, many people will survive and have survived. Thank You Les.

I friggin love les stroud! He's such a great guy! Great shows he made!

Suvivorman is awesome.

bear builds a shelter and then goes to a hotel, now thats funny.

He always was my favorite. It blows me away how many people didn't watch him but paid watch man vs wild. I watched both but Man vs wild was just a show me and my dad made fun of. It had no sense of realism, danger, and having a camera crew with him at all times just bummed me out when we has Survivorman as a better option.

i really love this channel man its awesome loopersuperduper:D

joe rogan with les stroud pod cast are awsome'

He should be called Endurance Man, he lives in the wild for a week and his traps never work he goes the entire week only eating 3 snails and a berry - he doesn't survive and thrive he simply endures starvation for a week!

Great video! Other things forgot to mention.... he does have a GPS emergency beacon for a rescue team. Smart and how he stays safe, I think he said he had to use it at least once. He also has to lug around like 50 pounds of camera equipment he doesn't get to use for survival. Badass.

I think the thing that made survivorman so interesting is how it was first person, real life and death situations! The fact that not only was he trying to survive in a hostile environment he ALSO was trying to film the whole ordeal and show the reality that survival is not easy but you can do it!

I love Les and always knew Grilles was a fake. I remember one episode where he was trying to catch a salmon with a spear and couldn't get one. And the screen cuts and I shit you not it looks like a crew member just lobs a salmon down the stream.

Hell ya its real , if you knew stroud you wouldn't even ask it , bear grills couldn't hang with stroud for a week .

Survivorman was my favorite show as a kid, and honestly learned a lot from it. Sure some things I’ll probably never have to use but it’s cool to know 🤷‍♀️

I've always had the biggest respect for Les Stroud! He's a hero to me!

There's a formula for this. Les > Bear

Survivorman is the only show I will watch when it comes to survival shows the rest are sitting around with camera Crews they all have to eat so that means there's plenty of food the whole thing's fake and a bunch of s*** anyone could tell you that anyone believes anything they see on the other survivor shows I have a bridge to sell you you'll make your money back and tolls and no time.

The only real survival expert on TV, this man is the bomb. Love Les.

Been rewatching survivor man since 2004. This guy is the best survivor type guy on tv. It really took a toll on him though. Hope to see Les back soon.

Basically, if you've seen something in any show by Bear Grylls, DON'T DO IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Fire can be a great waste of time and resources, as well as a danger. , it has its place, yet is overrated.

Les, you're my hero. Keep doing your thing, brother.

Les was my inspiration for taking video in a creative way. He know's his stuff.

A trillion times better than man vs wild

Les stroud is truly the sexiest man alive, HANDS DOWN!!! I would love to be stuck with him in the wilderness

He's definitely the real deal. In one of his episodes he discusses how ridiculous and absurd it is that other 'survival people' will risk breaking a leg, an arm etc. & he said if you're truly in survival mode you're done for if you break a limb so you never take those risks... Just one example among many. Good show.

While Les shows you how to survive, Bear pulls some really dangerous stunts that could get you hurt or killed nothing like being maimed while out in the wilderness.

nice vid looper never disappoint, twd and game of thrones fan on here maybe pleased to knw my death predicton vid is doing really well for s8 of twd , enjoy :)

not going to mention that he believes in big foot and has seen it ?

Les is the best!!...nothing else more to say ,expect love his show,hope it comes back for a new season..

this guy's for real .refreshingly real. i think, occasionally ,they might exaggerate threats of bad weather on the way, and little stuff , but he can live outdoors .he could save a life if need be. let's hope it never comes to that.

not become depressed in the wilderness from the lonelyness, is too be introvert , be happy with youreself and what u accomplised, if you gonna become depressed when it becomes boring, well sensetive arentya? no will too live.. hardened youreself and always boost youre own moral too keep youre going..

This guy lost all credibility when he connected with that Bigfoot hoaxer then went on record, even doing a series about it, declaring Bigfoot is real.

Les Stroud has always set the bar for what reality TV and survival shows should be. Mad respect for the guy.

Thank you for posting this video, I enjoyed your points of view on Les, Bear is a military short term reservoir, not a long term, he might survive for a few days, but nothing like Les can out do any day of the year, Bear is much like all of Hollywood's bunch of wanna bee's... Paid for.. Before Les came along, here in Quebec, we had a Montreal survivalist teacher who would take his university/collage student's out every Summer for survival training, would even spend his Summer vacations living off of the Quebec landscapes and video his many adventures for his new students...

the Open Water episode freaked me out the most watching the first time. thats a situation I don't wanna find myself in

2:29 As a kid, I loved watching survival man, especially since he brought his own camera with him and was not followed around by a camera crew. I remember watching the poop scene years ago from that other show, and my siblings and I always made fun of it. I love survival man.

Les is an amazing person!! I don't remember the last TV personally I liked not to mention respected.

This guy inspired me to hike and be more outdoorsy. I also learned some tips and tricks on how to film yourself with no crew and make ot seem like someone is filming you.

Les Stroud was the godfather of youtubers. The guy is multi talented, an amazing musician, and shot, and produced his own survival show in the first person with no crew. The guy is the OG youtuber in my opinion. Friggin best!