bear grylls stuff fad or functional?

I think Bear Grylls is better than his product line. It's a sad shame that his products are not superior. From a viewpoint of getting people budget minded equipment and getting them out into the woods.. awesome.. but let's do it with less Wal-Mart/cheesy sell-out style.

Les is dangerously close to Bear in this regard, with his Camillus knife. We all know the Dave Canterbury exaggeration fiasco, Cody Lundin is off the radar as of late, Creek Stewart is getting more well-known... Ray Mears has the charisma and charm to teach people who pay attention, but his designs are so astronomically expensive people stop caring.
 
Grylls' knives are what they are. I think they are precisely what he had in mind as a middlin knife for the masses and mostly kids. It is all about making money.

Canterbury's knife still hasn't shown up with ESEE..... No idea why other than to say that ESEE is really slow. His knife would probably be a pretty good blade and it is sized pretty much along the lines he prefers for woods use.
 
I had several of those Bear Grylis knives in my retail cutlery store about two years ago and they are for first time buyers to go play survivalist with in the backyard.
 
Figure there is nothing wrong with getting first time survivalists a blade for the back yard. It likely leads to other knives as you learn more. Knife buying and use is an evolution in thought based on experience and most of us want to gain our own experience.

I always get a kick out of the threads on BF where the OP states he's looking at a certain knife and then asks what people think and for suggestions for alternatives. More often than not, the original knife is chosen regardless of what people recommend. I of course then wonder why they bothered starting a thread in the first place.
 
JasonJ said:
I think Bear Grylls is better than his product line. It's a sad shame that his products are not superior. From a viewpoint of getting people budget minded equipment and getting them out into the woods.. awesome.. but let's do it with less Wal-Mart/cheesy sell-out style.

Les is dangerously close to Bear in this regard, with his Camillus knife. We all know the Dave Canterbury exaggeration fiasco, Cody Lundin is off the radar as of late, Creek Stewart is getting more well-known... Ray Mears has the charisma and charm to teach people who pay attention, but his designs are so astronomically expensive people stop caring.
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Jason, you really need to research the behavior that Mr. Grylls has modeled on his TV programs. The quality of "his" knives is the least of his problems. Ex: You parachute into a tall tree. You have miles of cordage and strap. What do you do? Why you jump, risking fracture(s) or death. Da' Bear. :rolleyes:

In fact, the latest version of "his" large knife ("Ultimate Pro Fixed Blade"), while not a leader in the category, is significantly improved over the first version in design and materials.
 
Exactly,
There is enter level in knives just like automobiles and every other product. Remember the Ford Pinto?
 
I wonder how Grylls would have done as a participant on Alone? Probably no better than the last four contestants. I bet he wouldn't choose one of his Geber knives? However, if SHTF, I wouldn't mind having Grylls on my team. Not likely going to climb Mt Everest even if I had to. I'd go around.
 
22-rimfire said:
Figure there is nothing wrong with getting first time survivalists a blade for the back yard. It likely leads to other knives as you learn more. Knife buying and use is an evolution in thought based on experience and most of us want to gain our own experience.

I always get a kick out of the threads on BF where the OP states he's looking at a certain knife and then asks what people think and for suggestions for alternatives. More often than not, the original knife is chosen regardless of what people recommend. I of course then wonder why they bothered starting a thread in the first place.
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That's pretty common in the world of online advice. People don't want advice; they want validation that their opinion is best. And when they don't get that validation that's when the fun begins.

As for Bear, he's a TV personality who's area of popularity is infotainment. If you asked him I think you'd find he never expected to turn out this way. He's probably making enough to live but not enough to quit.
 
My guess is that Mr. Grylls is likely very knowledgeable and capable, but that his shows are strictly entertainment and not a representation of what he would actually do in such a situation if he weren't being paid to do it. I could be wrong, but that's my hunch. :)
 
Junk.
It is made by Gerber. (Again, junk - or worse)
He does not actually use any of "his" gear on his show (or so I've heard. I don't own a TV, nothing on worth watching for the last ... 40 ... 50 years, so why bother?) if he does not trust it, why should you?
There are better products for less money.

I think they are aimed for the wannabees that hang out at the malls, and city parks.
 
FortyTwoBlades said:
My guess is that Mr. Grylls is likely very knowledgeable and capable, but that his shows are strictly entertainment and not a representation of what he would actually do in such a situation if he weren't being paid to do it. I could be wrong, but that's my hunch. :)
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Sounds about right. $$$$$$$
 
FortyTwoBlades said:
My guess is that Mr. Grylls is likely very knowledgeable and capable, but that his shows are strictly entertainment and not a representation of what he would actually do in such a situation if he weren't being paid to do it. I could be wrong, but that's my hunch. :)
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I agree. I'm pretty sure he wouldn't be stupid enough to actually believe that backflipping off a cliff into a pool of water is a bright idea during a real survival situation.

Jim
 
I am obviously in the minority but i have a compact parang . I have no complaints. It does its job. It's light, cheap, has grippy handles. Is 1095 i think and has done a good job on 1 inch or below bramble and green wood.
 
How many of us would be willing to do a back flip off a cliff even if you know how deep the water is at the bottom? Not me. I don't even like diving into a pool head first. :D Why? I hit my head on the bottom a couple times as a kid and will no longer take any chances even if it is "fun".

I honestly like Bear. I liked his old show not this more recent thing with all the people carrying his knives.
 
You know, I just can't get into the Bear Grylls stuff. Firstly, I think Gerbers products are poor quality and poorly made. Secondly, they just feel like Fisher Price: My First Survival Knife/kit/canteen/etc products to me. I just don't like them, and there are better options for literally the same money, or less.
 
My nephew's ten year old neighbor showed me his Bear Grylls knife, he thought it was superior to my EnZo because it has more features. I had to concede... I mean, he IS only ten.
 
For everyone's info, I understand that Bear Grylls is former British Special Forces. That said I still prefer Les Stroud's show. The thing I like about Les is he bares all, every screw up as well as success. My favorite was when he built a fire too close to his shelter and his shelter caught fire with him sleeping in it. Didn't have the camera on it but he told of it even though he wouldn't have to. Keep thinking that's the kind of fuck up I'd do.
As far as Grylls, I am not able to do a lot of what he does. Stroudt does things that for the most part are in my physical capabilities and does so without drinking piss.
They both offer cheap knives for the fanbase. If their shows and cheap equipment motivates people to get out, then I have no problem. I don't own their stuff myself, but it's good motivation for those who are new.
 
I think if they made the BG line just a little bit better and sold it a little bit cheaper it'd be some pretty serious product for the most part. Product that caters to the entry-level masses, still, but contenders within that market even for more informed beginners.
 
Mike Clen said:
Ok, so I found a Bear Grylls Scout folder a few months ago, and stuck it in my pocket. It looked pretty new, so I started using it as a work knife. I work outside in the weather, and muddy/sandy situations as an excavator operator, so wanted a beater knife. I have some very nice knives, and I'm sure they will easily stand up to my environment( that's what they are made for ), but don't want to trash them. This one however, I don't care. So, the pivot sucks from the beginning, the lock back is shallow and hard to close, but does lock up pretty good. The handle has held up ok for me, and no signs of rust yet.
I have sharpened it twice so far, and the steel is soft and the edge doesn't last particularly long.
So having said all that, if you find one, use it and beat the hell out of it. If your thinking about spending money on one, don't bother. I would never have picked one up myself, if it wasn't free......

Come to think of it.....maybe that's why it was "lost". Someone else didn't think it was worth keeping.
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Get a Becker BK24. D2 will hold up to your conditions, and the carbides will cause it to perform when cutting silicate rich material.
 
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