tom brown ?

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I know a guy that did some courses with Mr. Brown years ago and there is no doubt he knows how to track and survive in the wilderness (n.j. Pine Barrens) I have read his books and have learned from them. His Hype seems to say he is very impressed with him self. I have not meet him or taken one of his courses so I can not comment about the man or his courses. As for the tops tracker knives they are boat oars and I have both and do not care for them. An original Beck WSK is another thing all together.
 
My wife brought a knife but ended up buying a Mora while she was there...think it was the Clipper in SS....not positive on that though
 
I have the knife, and i like it. Its a decent chopper and cutter, and the saw on the back actually works really well for cutting notches. It's heavy as hell at a half a pound but that just helps it chop that much better. Someone else mentioned it, but if i could have only one tool in the woods, it would be the Tracker.
 
I remember reading "Tracker" when I was a teenager, it was a good yarn, and some of his books have alot of decent info in them..overall, I have a hard time with the Grandfather thing, but he has a good massage. If you dont have a spiritual connection with nature..you should have some kind of connection, afterall, we are here thinking and talking about one major subject other than knives, the OUTDOORs. I believe that I am in a much better state of mind while in the woods...at first entering the woods..I am much like I am during the day at home or at work...but after several quiet hours in the forest..I start to focus better..I feel clear. After days in the woods..I feel "right".
I think that Tom Brown is a good guy, and no matter what we think of his stories..I think calling him "full of it" is way outta line. He isnt here to defend himself, and I have never heard of him hurting anyone...I could be suprised I guess...
 
pitdog said:
I don't know the guy but my impression is that he has a deep love for wilderness and nature and wants to encourage as many people as he can to share in his passion.If by embelishing the facts a little he can get more people interested then that's what he will do !!!
I am not a religious person or even a pot smoking tree hugger but I do feel a certain connection between myself and my surroundings when I'm out on my hikes. I stop to examine tracks, feel the texture of certain trees/ plants and spend time just sat listening to the general chatter of the forests.....now if some would call this having a spiritual connection with the wilderness then I guess I'm just as nuts as old Tom !!!
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How do his noble goals justify lying? I'm quite certain he knows what he's doing in terms of the trade he practices. But why make a bunch of things to go with it? This is like those martial arts/self-defense systems that various personalities invent. Some of them go on to invent outrageous made-up histories for those systems, instead of just admitting they created them, in order to "get more people interested" in the systems. I don't think that goal justifies making up stories for that purpose.
 
I've been to several of his classes and enjoyed them.

Here's my write up of the Scout Class..

http://www.wanderingones.com/scoutclass/ScoutClassPage1.html

There are a LOT of people in each class though, so you'd better be ready to practice the stuff when you get home, cause they have to really move to get what they want covered. There is not the personal attention that one might find in a smaller class, though the volunteers are always helpful.

I won't be back there for some time though, because I can't afford it. However, two of his former head instructors started schools out here, so I'm kinda lucky in that regards.

Clint Hollingworth
The Wandering Ones webcomic
http://www.wanderingones.com
 
Phil,
Do you have any evidence that he is lying? We might like to play airchair ninja here..but the fact is you dont know him personally, and doubt even more that you have trained with him..how do you know he is lying.
It isnt OK to just insult people here in WSS, a fact that I have learned the hard way, if you dont like T. Brown then dont read his books.
And stating your opinion of someone and calling it the persons reputation is bad form..we might not all think much of Tom Brown, (I think ALOT of people here do, he got me more involved in the woods) but I think his Reputation is that of a GREAT TRACKER, great teacher and successful author. (I use this as an example of how I read your attacks on someone that isnt here to defend themselves.)
I think you are a really smart guy Phil, and one heck of a keyboard tyrant..but what is your dog in this fight?
 
I had someone give me some sound advice years ago. "Eat the meat and spit out the bones". If you take it to heart you can apply it to all aspects of life. I don't know anything about Tom Brown other than what I've read in books/internet but I'm sure I could learn something from heim if I did attend one of his classes. JMHO.
 
Sharp Phil said:
And how exactly is one supposed to "go and prove" the various tall tales he's spun about his spiritual journies and mystic teachers?
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The same way the "church" does.........

Sharp Phil said:
How do his noble goals justify lying? I'm quite certain he knows what he's doing in terms of the trade he practices. But why make a bunch of things to go with it? This is like those martial arts/self-defense systems that various personalities invent. Some of them go on to invent outrageous made-up histories for those systems, instead of just admitting they created them, in order to "get more people interested" in the systems. I don't think that goal justifies making up stories for that purpose.
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What makes you think he is lying? I'm curious.... because nobody has legitimately proved him to be a fake, as far as I know.....



He does run his classes with alot of "spiritualism".... and if you're not into it you'll be turned off. I have taken several of his courses and liked them very much. I have also learned under other well respected instructors.... each has had their own way of teaching and most were effective. Most of the folks who will run TBJ down have never attended the class.

He taught most of the classes for one of the weeks I went and I even had a private walk with him for an hour..... we talked about kids and off topic stuff. He has his quirks just like everybody else.... but he is also in the spotlight more than most and that always brings the critics out of the woodwork.
 
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Magnussen said:
The same way the "church" does.........
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Exactly and if what is quoted at church and in the bible ain't all true who cares as long as it gives people faith and enables them to be a better people !
Look some of the biggest epic movies, they are supposed to be based on fact but the missing adjective here is loosely. If most of those epics didn't embelish the truth a little then they wouldn't be half as entertaining !!!

I have watched Les Stroud episodes that showed how he made the series he does and at least 50% of the info and techniques are showed to him by an expert from each area that he visits.....I used to believe that he just knew all this knowledge. Do I now call Les a fake, of course not as his shows are still entertaining and instructional !!!

I don't even have to go into Bear Grylls !!!!

Haven't we all lied about Santa Claus to our kids ? We do this to make christmas more exciting not for any malicious reasons and the same is true of Tom Brown, he inspires using his stories and tales !!!

Man I don't don't normally get on my soap box so I'd better get down now before I fall off !!!!

Ps. If any of you are asking what was that about Santa, I'm sorry of course he's real !!!!!;):thumbup:
 
pitdog said:
Exactly and if what is quoted at church and in the bible ain't all true who cares as long as it gives people faith and enables them to be a better people !
Look some of the biggest epic movies, they are supposed to be based on fact but the missing adjective here is loosely. If most of those epics didn't embelish the truth a little then they wouldn't be half as entertaining !!!

I have watched Les Stroud episodes that showed how he made the series he does and at least 50% of the info and techniques are showed to him by an expert from each area that he visits.....I used to believe that he just knew all this knowledge. Do I now call Les a fake, of course not as his shows are still entertaining and instructional !!!

I don't even have to go into Bear Grylls !!!!

Haven't we all lied about Santa Claus to our kids ? We do this to make christmas more exciting not for any malicious reasons and the same is true of Tom Brown, he inspires using his stories and tales !!!

Man I don't don't normally get on my soap box so I'd better get down now before I fall off !!!!

Ps. If any of you are asking what was that about Santa, I'm sorry of course he's real !!!!!;):thumbup:
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You heard it here, folks. Pit killed Santa.

Damn you, Pitdog... damn you!:p
 
pitdog said:
I am not a religious person or even a pot smoking tree hugger but I do feel a certain connection between myself and my surroundings when I'm out on my hikes.
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Pot smoking tree hugger --- well that is one way to maintain a connection with the land - after a while though, it gives you both cramps and the munchies :D:D
 
Focus on the facts here guys. The original poster inquired about his class. No doubt the Tracker School has a lot of spirituality mixed into the curriculum but lets focus on the question and not name calling. Let's give the original poster ideas and let him decide. There have been plenty of threads already about Brown's school.
 
i think it all boils down to how each person learns. we all have different ways that we learn better by...

for example, i learn by watching someone do something, then doing that skill or task with instruction, then repeating said instruction over and over and over again until i can do said skills under duress. I DO NOT learn well with spiritual stuff, it just does'nt work for me.

your milage might vary.
 
pitdog said:
I don't know the guy but my impression is that he has a deep love for wilderness and nature and wants to encourage as many people as he can to share in his passion.
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I watched some random videos by Brown from youtube.

The "being one with the nature" -idea told by mr. Brown is partly pretty arrogant, imho. He suggests for example, that by moving really quitetly you can see a lot more animals etc. Yeah sure. That also maximises the risk of running into a bear, moose or snake etc. Something mr. Brown fails to mention.

Then he proceeds in laughing at people who hike with a backpack, calling them "aliens to their own environment" and "astronauts". What he again fails to mention is, that in some environments, inadequate gear can get you killed, even if you know the secret scouting survival methods of the Apache. Mr. Brown with his attitude and suggested outdoors gear would not last a day in Lapland during winter.

And what REALLY bugs me in this "living off the land" idea is it's environmental consequences. If everybody would build natural shelters and a fire to warm up every meal instead of using a light tarp and a camp cooker, the woods would soon look like crap. Again, something Mr. Brown fails to mention.

Anyway, I've read a few of his books. The Tracker was a pretty good one, if one likes a wilderness oriented fantasy book. The Way of the Scout was absolutely ludicrous, and I cant recommend it to anyone.

I also read the field quide for "urban and suburban survival". Its mostly pretty damn good. Lots of usefull information, and lots of not-so-usefull-but-pretty-intresting-anyway information. The only thing that bugged me was the most important section (in my environment), i.e. nuclear preparation. Mr. Brown seems to think that nuclear catastrophe = full scale nuclear war, and his thought on the matter was that no-one is gonna survive, so no bother being prepared for that. Well, in Russia, near the Finnish border, there are plenty of Chernobyll -like nuclear plants, so some info on the subject would have been nice. But other than that, a good book :thumbup:

I have no knowledge of mr Browns courses, but if Id have to guess, Id say they are overpriced and overbranded.
 
gunknifenut said:
Phil,
Do you have any evidence that he is lying? We might like to play airchair ninja here..but the fact is you dont know him personally, and doubt even more that you have trained with him..how do you know he is lying.
It isnt OK to just insult people here in WSS, a fact that I have learned the hard way, if you dont like T. Brown then dont read his books.
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The way I figure it, is that Tom Brown is a public figure, and he uses his publicity to promote his books and courses. Because of this, he exposes himself and his claims to public dispute. Some of the claims in his books are pretty obviously made up, and because he writes his books from autobiographical perspectice, I think this pretty much puts everything else he claims in an odd light.

Anyway... one cant just make up ridicilous stories and claims to promote their businesses, and then demand proof when someone calls them a liar. Im sure mr. Brown has plenty of usefull and insightfull knowledge to pass around, but that doesnt mean he cant be criticized.
 
pitdog said:
Exactly and if what is quoted at church and in the bible ain't all true who cares as long as it gives people faith and enables them to be a better people !
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That's an interesting attitude... one that I cant share. But, I can certainly respect your point of view ;)
 
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