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  • I like how the guy is looking for para cord and has a para cord bracelet on his wrist. Did he forget? Or is it a fashion accessory that he is afraid to damage?

  • From the start I thought the guy from florida was the experienced one.. turns out I was right. I have been planning on spending a night out in the woods but the cold night time temperatures have me worried I'm not experienced enough or well geared enough to do something like that. I have everything but a blanket.

  • Dave,

    this is a awesome video, very informative. 1 complaint. AUDIO. But, it did not keep me from watching it. lol

  • Comment removed

  • No offence but a 37 second intro for each vidoe ? DANG !!

  • good stuff dave.

  • Great video! Thanks for putting that up full length for free.  When I saw the size of their fires I cringed. In Brazil where night time temps don't even approach below freezing we teach 1 meter of open flame for a drying fire for a group of people. A fire that size will dry the whole group in half hour to forty-five minutes. We usually work as a group and use one cubic meter of broken hardwood as a rule of thumb, and that's in a tropical country with night temps in the 50's.

  • Dave, participants and support group - outstanding video. Can't say enough how much I admire your taking this on. Having been in a cold water situation, I am impressed by how well you functioned after immersion. Also impressed with your openness to learn and to teach the rest of us.  I notice there are some "you shoulda..." on here - ignore them, they obviously haven't been there.

  • It's Fucking cold right now. @ 17:47. LMAO

  • The guy from Florida said it best.....you can never have enough firewood.

  • Staying in wet jeans is stupid. You are better off naked in the blanket.

  • The new insulated underwear on the market today dries very fast. Wool/synthetic socks dry fast. I have been here, dumping our canoe at ice out in the BWCA. We survived during the last daylight hours drying our inner core items. My quilted cotton hoodie jacket took forever to dry. Lessons learned. We basically survived the night in our socks and easily dried underwear. it took all night long to dry the rest.

  • Great stuff but the quality of the audio makes it difficult to watch.

  • The shocking thing here is how obvious there errors were, and I don't know that I wouldn't make them in the same situation. The most obvious was the guy spending too much time trying to maintain that little fire. Sustainable fire comes first. Until you have everything you need to produce a sustainable fire, you don't set down and try to coax a small flame.

  • Great video, good to see actual "average" people attempting it, gives great info and ideas.

    A lot of the videos remind me of time with my dad, he taught me a lot, really miss him! Thanks Dave, I watch them and it leaves me longing for the woods!!!

  • the phrase "don't try this at home", gotta love it..you know we have to now. Thank You, You and Your Family.

  • Interesting film. Thanks!

  • This is a great, great, great video Dave & Co! Really appreciate that it shows what REALLY can happen & go wrong. Big props to all 3 for hanging in there and giving it a go. What I would have done is take all of my wet clothing off imediately after I had a sustained Fire going. Better to be naked and being warmed and drying my clothes off by the Fire than cold and damp being warmed by the Fire. Once again great, great video and looking forward to more!

    Wulamallessin from The Mourne Mountains!

  • this is so unbelievably intersting. instead of seeing just how its supposed to be done, we can learn from other's mistakes.

    thanks Dave

  • to conserve fuel (wood) energy or for cooking a small fire is ok . BUT NEVER IN A SURVIVAL SITUATION i would make such a small fire specially to dry off wet clothes and to stay warm all night .

    a long logg fire is way more effective

    A STRONG LONG FIRE WILL LAST THRUE RAIN AND ALL THRUE THE NIGHT AND WILL NOT PUT YOURE STUFF IN DANGER when drying it cuz you can leave it further away from the fire since the heat is stronger . i learned by burning stull never to leave stuff to dry over fire

  • This is a great thing that you guys have done , both those ho is participation , making this Test/exersize and Dave and the safety personal , so that we can se and learn in the most real way without being there in person. thanks to you all for this video and great learning experience! Whish you all the best and will be looking forward to more of this kind of thing :)

  • Never had a frozen foot? Come play some outdoor hockey here in Canada :P

  • cordage was on his wrist, why did they find a large flat rock to reflex heat back to shelter, heat stones to help dry shoes, i would love to try this survival training if this is possible please contact me. RonaldAdams61@yahoo.com My name is Ron adams fr NYC , thank you

  • I am just at 8 minutes right now and was wondering why the guy who was looking for cordage didn't use his paracord bracelet? That is why I wear mine, to use it when needed.

  • @watuwaitn4 Noticed the same thing watching the vid and all I could think of was Dave saying, "...function not fashion"

  • @Pohaku66 LOL.

  • @watuwaitn4 u gotta understand they where very cold and in early stages of hypothermia causes disorientation so he wasnt thinking clearly enough to notice he had it

  • @watuwaitn4 I was thinking the same thing

  • i would jack off to get some blood flowing

  • thank you to everyone involved. it is not as easy as it looks. -Good Job

  • This is really great to watch. I've watched you teach for a while but to see everything applied at once is truly informative.

  • Brilliant!

  • thanks dave

  • Comment removed

  • My eight year old son would put all these guys to shame. Dave the yurt videos are great! Maybe I should make a video of my son and I in the glades for a couple of days. See the real Florida through my eyes.

  • OK. Help me please. Did these cats pick their own gear? Was there a weight limit? How about clothing?

  • @henchman99942 They were given minimal supplies as based on Dave's 10 piece kit and clothing was totally up to them

  • I don't get it. Did someone tell these guys not to build big fires? What the hell? Did they have any training before they went out into the woods? Was there class room training?

    I am lost.

    Can they work together? Or is this individual survival, pretending the other guys aren't there?

    I am confused.

  • @henchman99942 There wasn't any "classroom" training but there was a good 2-3 hours of basic instruction the students were instructed not to work together they were allowed to talk of course but it was a definite every man for him self kinda deal

  • LOL now I want a t-shirt that says "Put the Dirt Time In or Stay on the Sofa and STFU" ;)

  • Comment removed

  • @krakaprepper1 I agree, I wouldn't want to be put in a situation like that either. Im certain that I could fare throught the night, the US government has spent tens of thousands of dollars teaching me how to stay alive lol. Still would suck though.

  • Great video! and great learning tool. Thank you

  • @krakaprepper1 I wrote the comment half the way through the video. I’m certain that it wasn’t meant to be a group activity toward the end. The guy in the blue shirt wouldn’t have survived the night. I agree that working together would have worked better by splitting up the chores throughout the group. It also would have helped the weaker link (blue shirt guy) survive.

  • I can’t help but to notice that no one was working together, combining resources or knowledge. Maybe I’ve been in the military to long or they weren’t allowed for the scenario. Thank Dave, keep it up and God bless brother!!

  • @DaPlague82 The idea is to learn self-rescue, and solo survival should be done in a group when you are first beginning, help is there for real emergencies but you should be testing your own skills. Of course it is always nice fellowship to come together at night before bed to discuss the day and what you all learned.

  • ~ I'm sorry Dave but this video is a BOMB ! ... It is not interesting. The people doing the survival test are boring, dumb, and unbelievable. I couldn't wait for the video to be over. This video is not up to your usual standers. I'm going to watch one more and hope it will be better than this one. Now the videos you did on living in a YURT for 30 days is great. I want this to be constructive for your next SAN video. .....thank you,

  • @taztime1 To each his own. I thought it was very interesting seeing how average people respond and act in these type situations. Keep them coming Dave.

  • Guys this is a great idea and a huge learning tool. Thanks for the knowledge

  • 26:50 for godsake put that super mario brother's t-shirt guy into some polypropylene pajamas! wet cotton in cold weather is making my skin crawl. Poor naive bastard! . . . .reminds me of way too many near fatal mistakes I've made!

  • Excellent video. Watching the three levels of experience was an eye opener. I'm thinking about doing a back yard trial like this to see how I would manage.

  • This is a great video! Thank you. How to sustain a fire in the rain? I once poured hamberger grease on a huge log in our fire. It did not catch fire at first. It started to rain so I covered the fire with a tarp The log was 3 feet around. Tarp laid on top of it. During the down pour, it started to smoke heave. I ran over pulled off the tarp. The fire erupted into a huge fire. Flames shot 4-5 feet high through the downpour, never went out till next morning.

  • Not sure what the big guys name was. I didn't mean Dave said anything

  • I was a little surprised to hear that big drop the "F" bomb haha. No biggie. I work In a tattoo shop with guys who have mouths like sailors. Just surprised me since Dave is so good about his language. Keep up the good work Dave

  • Very Great video , I have a question ¿How did this work , They took what they normally had in there bags? Because Bob needed paracord and he had a bracelet that he should used. Again I thank every body for this video

  • ok my college buddies and i here in tennessee play a game were every time dave says survival situation or emergency situation or variation we take a SHOT... needles to say its a good weekend watchin the torrents/vids we love you dave keep it up

  • Like Joe55 said about trying it in your back yard first. Last night I tried this and found out even a large pile of wood did not last. Also it started to rain, and tarp the back held water and things got wet. Then I wondered how do you keep a fire going in the rain? Hum. Sure glad I was in my yard cause now I know what I have to do to improve on. Thank You for this eye opener.

  • wow very nice, ive seen alot of survival video and "this one" is my favorites . ive got just one question for you, will you ever do something like that around here in quebec with de cold temperature that we got around -30 celsius and 4 feet of snow :P . would like to see that !!!

  • People underestimate hypothermia more than any other danger in the woods, and it probably takes more lives than any other thing you may encounter. It sneaks up on you, and you want to go to sleep, then you just don't wake up. Fire, shelter and dry are the top 3 things you take care of in that situation. (don't forget to hydrate as being freezing cold you will neglect that portion as well) You can never gather enough firewood. Once you think you have enough for the night, gather twice that.

  • FIRE FIRE FIRE!

    Great Vid!

    Thanks

  • Great video and advice from Dave and his instructors! However, all these guys would be dead if this scenario occured up here in Northern Ontario! -40 that is cold, these guy do not know what cold is! With that being said they should have gathered 10x the wood they did. And lose the big knives and buy a decent axe, and a small pack saw. If you are ever in the woods without them, shame on you!

  • well this monday morning quarterback has only one thing to say! Debri Shelter! I have built many of them, and they do insulate a lot. and a new trick ive just learned. An upside down fire. build up a couple of layers of wood, platform style and start the fire on top. fire last longer with less work.

  • @broben2 My Dad showed me that technique years ago, he got if from someone at the Battle of the Bulge. Get some forearm size pieces, stacked about a foot or two high, and it will burn almost all night! Monday morning quarterbacking is easy though. Once I dunked my Southern Flatwoods Redneck Hiney in the Ohio Winter Water, I'd have forgotten my name - LOL @ myself!

  • @Joe55darter I live in florida and ive been in one situation where i was soaking wet after hiking in the rain it was only 65 degrees and i started shivering so bad i had a hard time using my lighter. the only thing that saved me was the sterno can cought a spark and lit. i was able to get fire going from that.

  • @broben2 That's why I practice my fire building, even when the wife and I kick one up in our patio firepit or I'm starting a charcoal grill. I've gotten very good at starting one from a ferro rod, tender, and kindling. Sometimes I cheat a little with really big dried out & open pinecones. Feather a couple of "petals" and strike and fire! Try it sometimes!

  • @Joe55darter Joe that was many years ago and one of the reasons i got into wilderness self reliance but im the same. I experiment and try new ways of doing things all the time everything in my kit has had to pass the backyard proving ground before it made it in the pack.

  • Do you ever do these exercises with all female groups? Born and raised in the Shenandoah Valley, VA, I love to camp, hunt, fish, etc... but I would love to do something like this in a group with other ladies! When you think you have enough firewood, gather 3 times more!

  • the one guy is looking for cordage everywhere but around his wrist . whats the point of the braclet if yoy forget its there ? lke the show anyway

  • Great learning video.

  • Greetings from Alabama Dave just wanted you to know if your ever looking for anymore volunteers for any of your videos PLEASE holler at me!!

  • 11:44 i only wear surplus boots there the best you can get for less than 200-300 dollars

    and there extremely well made. i got mine for only $17, And there better than any boot i've had before

  • nice not as easy as you would think, imagine if you only had your knife and the clothes on your back reality TV seems to give people the wrong end of the stick and I wish that some of the survival shows could be better done. If it was wet and windy conditions? what would the chances been? If you could not start a fire?

  • @eightgeorge You are a fool if you EVER go out with just your knife and clothes, Anyone with ANY sense would know better

  • Not trying to dis anyone or necessarily second guess their tactics. I believe clothing/material choices played a bigger part in this than anyone addressed. However, Dave did say clothing was their choice. Jeans & a T-shirt don't cut it! Even a lighter weight faster drying wind blocking material beats cotton hands down if there's even the slightest chance of getting wet or sweating and getting wet before temps fall. Go with true outdoor quality clothing.

  • @Joe55darter I agree with you fully but i wear Military surplus more than anything,

    In fact i am right now haha it seems to me as long as i get the stuff that's in good shape

    its the best you can get without spending $100+ on a shirt..

  • I went back to the beginning of the video and at 2:50 the big guy was in a T-shirt & jeans, my 1st reaction was Oh Crap! Then at 4:04, Dave did address the clothing issue, my bad! I'd say the majority, if not all, survival situations that choice isn't there. If I hit a survival situation, I'd be busted for wrong clothing choice. However, going into the wilderness in winter, I'd definitely choose wisely. I don't mean a $100 RailRiders shirt, but look at Dave's wool Army sweater. Just saying..

  • please don't post a "recap" a la discovery channel at the start of each continuing episode. there is no need and is annoying to rewatch.

  • Very interesting experiment. I would have loved to be apart of an experiment like this. I'd love to do this but like you say, don't do it alone. I have 7 kids ranging from 20 to 2 years old & they need me around!!! Haha... If you need a volunteer, let me know. ronald.pierantozzi@gmail.com

  • @rjpier61 You could try it with your kids with you. They can have the tent and all the equipment and they can taunt you while you do you thing. If you can survive that you can survive anything.

  • @1acroyear1 Haha... This is true... My 2 oldest boys I can see them busting my chops. They are both Eagle Scouts I I can hear them now telling me all the things I should be doing...

  • Mate i learned a great deal from watching these guys...awrsome job done fellas u all did great and to the big fella in the blue shirt i hope u came out of this with a great deal more knowledge for if u find urself like this again great job :)

  • This outstanding video merits a lot of attention. I have been wondering about what differences may have been in how these men allocated their time for acquiring water, gathering fire wood and building their shelters. The consensus seems to be that none of the men had sufficient had an optimal amount of firewood, and at least one, had a totally inadequate amount.

    Were they not gathering their wood efficiently?  Did they need better tools, such as saws?

  • Were the guys not allowed to either work together or build multiple fires? I was on a late season hunt in Texas and fell into the river nearby our camp at the time I was there alone. I built a second fire opposite of the campfire we had going the whole time put my old army cot between the two fires and within an hour or so I was toasty with wy clothes and boots drying on rocks near the original fire we used for cook surface I will admit one fire was already burning before i got soaked in 30f tmp

  • @MrCameron1500 You were in Texas i doubt it gets that cold

  • All your videos I've seen are informative, but this one REALLY hit home. I already feel better prepared just from the knowledge. Thanks!

  • Dave excellent work!!! You guys are saving lives by showing what can happen. Everyone needs to take there hats off to all three of these guys.  There is allot of arm chair survivalist that NEVER get into the bush and only talk theory's. You guys walk the talk!! Please keep up the good work.

  • @grayghost1031 I know what u mean but they need to prioritization better.

  • Sorry if this is an obvious answer, but would anyone know how the Pacific Northwest (Oregon) compares in wetness to Iowa in the winter? I've been looking around, and everywhere is wet wet wet! Sphagnum mosses, lichens, fungi, and giant slugs everywhere, but hardly a dry piece of burnable material. Learning to build and maintain a fire here will certainly be one of my biggest challenges.

  • @S0XF0X i think the pacific northwest is the wettest part of the US you can get to, unless i'm mistaken.

  • @varnoa That's what I was thinking. I guess I have my work cut out for me, then haha.

  • @S0XF0X My advice for the winter cold Westside Wetside of the Cascade mountains of Oregon, wear wool and polypropylene not cotton: invest in a rocket stove or build your own hobo stov out of coffee cans to concentrate heat at the very least, and always make, store, and have plenty of spare dry kindling cut with loppers instead of only axes and saws.

  • We learned.

    Tons of firewood

    Cotton sucks when wet, duh, wool is bitchen.

  • I can't criticize any of them. Kudos for their attempt, I doubt I would have had the balls to take the water plunge. I liked Kevin's description of what it felt like.

  • That video was mesmerizing. Good job.

    I've heard the saying that 'Cotton Kills' in cold weather. It looked like Mike was wearing all cotton. Did anybody have wool socks? I ask this because it seemed like they all had trouble drying them.

    I have a Columbia wool shirt and wool overalls. Would that have been a better choice, even if they were soaked (and weighed a ton) ?

    What did I learn?

    1. Gather more firewood than you think you'll need.

    2. Bring more cordage than you think you'll need

  • @alwjr77 Yea, I have to give all of them Props for having the fortitude to complete this training. I think I am going to have to go enroll as well, this looks like some great training!

  • Thank you Dave. This series was very informative. You're absolutely right,. It's easy to sit back from here and say he;s doing this or that wrong. Another is to actually be out there in the elements making it happen. Kudos to you and thank you again. I'm sure this will help people in the future in one way or another.

  • wet jeans and a cotton tshirt, im glad that guy learnt his lesson in a controlled environment

  • Somebody get that old fat whining guy to the donut shop ASAP..............

  • This is a great concept. It was very informative to see this scenario play out with real decision making and real consequences. Thanks for putting this together.

  • It was funny the guy was worried about his wife watching the video and telling him what he was doing wrong... He was looking for Paracord, all while wearing a paracord bracelet, not doging him, just found that funny.

  • @wraith012 I was thinking the same thing. I just wanted to yell dude you have at least 8 feet on your wrist! Just unravel it lol. Not saying anything negative just thought it was ironic lol.

  • Dave, I believe you are the ultimate authority in wilderness survival [i listen and follow all your advice without question], i thank you for making this video [as well as each participant and staff member involved]. It is very obvious to me that your stressing the importance staying dry, hydrated, having adequate fire and shelter. It is now apparent to me that physical fitness is just as important. Thank you again!

  • You might consider creating a playlist that includes this feature along with some of the instruction of your other videos. I'm thinking specifically of the 5 minute fire and shelter video, the double wedge, and the wool blanket wrap. In addition some of the other videos stressing staying in the warmth rather than going into the cold to relieve yourself might be good. Thanks for this work, it is valued and appreciated.

  • lovin' it Dave.........Looks like one fella got a serious eye opener.....

  • why did they keep saying they need to conserve energy, that is just an excuse for laziness.

  • @hxc247 You need to save calories, so that you have something to burn and conserve your body heat.

  • The one guy is uhm...trying to be nice...out of shape and was heavy breathing from the first scene. i wonder how much that had to do with his ability to prepare for the cold evening?

  • Thank You Dave and all the PathFinders!

  • This is good dave, keep on with real self relianse challenges for the public!

    BR

    Norwegian Bushcraft

  • Thanks guys for putting this together and showing!

  • Does anyone know the brand/type of jacket kevin is wearing? Nice video btw! fav + like ;)

  • seems it would be warmer to just have socks on if they are dry(ish) than putting back on wet boots which suck the heat away as well as re-wetting the socks

  • 7:15 hes in need of paracord scrounging his pack, couldnt help but notice the paracord bracelet hes wearing... just saying

  • well, not using a tumble dryer at home will already teach you a lot about materials and drying times, right ?? Might be to easy though.

  • Love it dave. Keep this Stuff coming!

  • How can I apply to be a volunteer in one of these episodes? I think it would be alot of fun and great learning experience.

  • A fantastic demonstration showing how important it is getting the dirt time and truly preparing yourself.

  • Outstanding video, and demonstration. I am going to love this channel!

    Question:

    Knowing that the participants were chosen based on skill level, did the participants choose the clothing worn without any steering to demonstrate options/effect?

  • Great learning video. Really shows us at home just how much you can miss when you're in a survival situation and trying to multitask everything going on. Thanks to the guys who put themselves in the dirt for all to not only see but learn from as well.

  • thansk for your presentation - please see our as well.

  • this reminded me of when i went camping two years ago in a minimalist kind of way, the first thing i did was put up the shelter then just collect as much firewood as possible, the guy i was with complained etc,

    within 30 mins we were literally inside a storm cloud and the most amazing rain you can imagine, people who knew where we were came to rescue us only to find us warm in the shelter with a really good fire and no problems,

  • 7:30, look on your wrist, unbelievable,

  • Great vid. It just goes to show the value of training and tuition. I have always thought even a small amount of training/ knowledge if remembered can make a big difference.

  • so do they get to choose there clothing?

  • Awesome episode i enjoyed the whole thing. If i was one of these guys i'd probably heat up some rocks near the fire and hold them close to me to warm myself up. or if i didn't have fire, i'd piss in my bottle. Good video as always, and keep em coming

    Charlie

  • Excellent show from top to bottom. The experiences that each man had truly shined through and there were several lessons to be learned. I have one question, will there be a video of one of the instructors showing how it should be done?

    Nate

  • just goes to show why hypothermia is the #1 killer in the wilds....A valuable lesson for sure!

  • Great Video!!! Thank You Guys!!

  • this was great

  • Enjoyed the video. Do you teach the technique of a "scout fire" in the pathfinder school? It seems like it would have been a viable option given the supplies used (mainly the heat reflective blanket) and circumstances once the sun had set (damp wood, limited mobility for collection of wood, etc.). Anyways, it was a great video that brings up the main concerns of surviving a similar situation. Thanks, I look forward to future videos.

  • Cotton is a bad choice, synthetic would be better but still has its drawbacks, WOOL would've benefited all these gentlemen greatly Wool pants, shirt, and socks are worth their weight in gold in the fall/winter forest.

  • The guy looking for more cordage, he had a paracord bracelet?

    Turned out he didn't need to use it, but he didn't even seem to think about it

  • What a great video and learning tool to have at our disposal! Thanks Dave, Iris and all the participants in this video, great job! I do have some words of encouragement hopefully for Mike, the big guy. I give you a pat on the back for getting out there and testing your limits as you said, but I wouldn't necessarily box yourself in like that as reaching your limitations. You'll be surprised at what a positive mental attitude can accomplish. Stay positive and you'll keep yourself in the fight!

  • One problem I see w/ the execution of this experiment is having 3 small fires for 3 people in same area competing for firewood. If 1 person had 3x the wood, coulda had bigger fire to dry clothing, more embers for heat and more fuel to keep the fire going longer

  • @Hhound Trust me there was more firewood in that area than you could burn in 2 days, they just didnt gahter enough before dark.

  • @Hhound they coulda had a bigger fire if they just dragged over some big wood. Personally I woulda started a pretty large fire to flash dry my cloths and build a good coal bed. obviously its different to actually do it so just tossing in my 2 cents

  • I am shakeing my head watching the big fella...., from the begining he appeared a little lazy. Needed a little fire under his ass, sorry to b e critical, but damn man,atleast make an effort. Thanks Dave for the video.

  • Daves narrative is too low. I struggle to hear it over crackling of the fire and other sound. Hope this helps

  • Thanks for the video. Sound level would benefit from editing. Maybe there is a viewer/sound tech student who could offer help?

  • It is absolutely great to see the contribution by these men to help us learn. Everyone of these men are hero's. I think that Mike contributed the most to me, he may not realize it, but he did. Thanks Dave for another great educational vid.

  • ok im at 12 mins in the video and i see 2 things rite off the bat, im not an expert but.... if it were me and im just saying if it were me my fire would be as big as a tree!!! whats with all these little fires? really? secon thing is big guy not gonna make it. hasnt moved an inch since he built than candle, i mean fire lol, thanks for putting this up dave! also why didnt anyone throw together some sort of shelter other than there emergancy blankets?

  • @kilermn I agree man. Thats what i said but i was about 16 min into the video. 

  • @kilermn

    this is a perfect example why you should avoid pine forest at all costs if there is any chance of a survival situation. Pine is a horrible fuel for the fire, the guys spent all their time to gather wood and fix their small fires, it burns quickly and provides little heat. The guys eventually gave it up. I tried this once before (without getting my clothes wet), maaan it was hard to keep the fire going.

  • 16 min into this video and I see the big dude definitely has problems.

  • Great way to learn by mistakes and be safe sametime. Just awesome. Seeing video like this can be a lifesaving for someone never been in that situation. Thumbs up!

    Take care: Ari

  • This was a nice video. Very happy to see this on here!

    I laughed out loud when the guy said "I need to find some more paracord...I have some around here somewhere." Dude, you are wearing a paracord bracelet for situations like this.

  • Awesome video! SAN is an amazing idea and I hope the training video's keep coming! I love how detailed it was. It gave me a lot to consider. I lived through a similar scenario on a backpacking trip in Colorado. I was fortunate enough to have dry socks and a light jacket. I basically got down to my drawers, put on the dry socks and jacket and then built a bonfire and just stoked it all night. I didn't sleep at all that night. I just stoked the fire. A reflective blanket would have been awesome!!!

  • What an awesome way to kick off the SAN! Great job to all involved, I loved it.

    Big fires, lots of wood (preferably hardwood) and hydrate, hydrate, hydrate... lessons learned.

  • Great teaching, Like it alot Dave. Keep up the great work.

    Thanks, Rich

  • the mike was very unprepared in my opinion and he really paid for it.

    but anyway great video Mr. Dave as always!!!!

    God Bless

    SP

  • very interesting video. a very good test for these guys.

  • great vid vary helpful 

  • Dave, a critique on what they did right/wrong (or could have improved) would be beneficial to viewers so that anyone involved in a similar situation can LEARN what not to do. Just simple suggestions from your expertise / experience would be grateful.

  • Quite a reality check if you ask me. I don't think I'd fare as well as any of them.

    I forget where I heard this, but someone once said "when you think you've gathered enough firewood, go back and gather three times more."

    Words of wisdom it seems.

  • Great to see a video depicting realistic survival situations. Although all the participants made it through the night, I was amazed at their lack of firewood gathering. It was obvious that they did not have enough to dry their clothes and stay warm throughout the night. I am certain that if they built a heat deflector in front of their fires that they would have been warmer. They chose their clothing for this exercise. A "Mario Game" tee shirt? Really? You deserve to freeze. Be prepared!

  • A smart man learns from his mistakes, but a wise man learns from others mistakes. Big thanks to evryone involved in making this incredibly valuable video.

  • Yes, big fire is what you want from the start. Once you have tugged in it is very hard to man up and get the fire going again, and by then you are tired, sleepy and disorientated, and when your fire dies on you, and you run off to find more wood, you could even get lost in the dark.

    Thank you for sharing.

  • why didn't that guy dry his jeans out?? then he laid down in them and wet boots and let his fire go out? Maybe he was already hypothermia to start with, isn't impaired judgement one of the signs?

  • Thank you!

  • Thanks for the very helpful and interesting video. Not only did you show what it was like to try and make it through such a situation, but you also showed a rescue and how you go about recovering from mild hypothermia.

    To have your foot frozen to the ground would be pretty scary stuff even under supervision. If alone and on your own and in the dark.... I don't know that I would be able to survive that. This isn't just helpful info Dave is providing - it is potentially life saving.

  • Great video really enjoyed watching it, it was good to see how they coped with a real life scenario and if i was put in the same situation how would I survive the night I have learned from this video.

    Thanks

    Dave

  • great video I was wondering how long they were out there before getting wet. did they have any time to gather firewood before getting in the water

  • ...great film, ...cool, cold and realistic! Thanks for your time and work. Happy Holidays to you and your family.

  • Great video... very interesting.. a little annoying as well.

    This is why I like to carry a folding saw..

    Thanks for all your hard work.

  • Incredibly good stuff guys, Awesome info, I feel like I'm already 10x more likely to survive this situation just from watching this.

  • great vid man love it

  • Lol! I should read the comments before I say the same thing as everyone else.

  • It was great to see normal everyday guys giving it a shot. It's funny to see a guy looking for cordage wearing a paracord bracelet, because I could see that brain fart happening to anyone who was cold and wet. Later I bet he was pissed about forgetting why he made the bracelet in the first place! Good work and keep them coming.

  • Great video with great experiences everybody can learn from. I was a bit surprised that Mike had his wet jeans on, someone should have told him to take them of. Then he would have dryed of and get the heat back in the feets much faster.