Chat Transcript: Bear Grylls, Nov. 10, 2006

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Discovery.com: Welcome to our live chat with Bear Grylls, host of Man vs. Wild on the Discovery Channel. Want to know more about what it takes to survive in hostile environments? Bear will try to answer as many questions as possible in one hour's time. So ask away! And don't miss Man vs. Wild , Fridays at 9 p.m. ET/PT on the Discovery Channel.

Bear: Hi. I just watched the show for the first time myself! Hope you enjoyed it.

retzl90: Who films the show, and how do they follow you?

Bear:  The camera guy and the guy doing the camcorder in many ways are the real heroes of the show and have worked so hard for me behind the scenes. Simon and Paul have become good friends over the series and have had a great adventure along the way. It was funny — they started out going "Bear, that was great" or "That was radical" and by the end, it was "Yawn, yawn, another snake!" They're great guys, and really close friends.

MrOrtin: How did you get interested in survival techniques in the first place?

Bear: I was brought up to climb with my dad when I was a young kid. It was a big part of my life growing up. My job with the British Special Forces was to climb and combat survival as well.

G Gunther: Have you at times stared fear in the face? Such as after a long strenuous day the environment gets even worse? Yet you fight to keep your composure?

Bear: Yes, of course. I'm human, and I've spent a lot of time on mountains and expeditions and even on this series you come out being frightened. But I've learned that that's OK. What matters is to keep smiling, keep going, and as Churchill said, never give up.

MrOrtin: In the video clip on the Discovery site, you fell into and then got out of icy water. What would you have done if you hadn't had dry clothes and a fire ready?

Bear: I would have made making a fire my first priority. This is why doing this sort of thing is so dangerous, and why you have to be prepared. That's why I started the fire beforehand. To give you an idea, within a minute of taking my T-shirt off, it had frozen.

Tommy: What was it like climbing Mount Everest?

Bear: It was a long 3 1/2 months. Sadly, four climbers lost their lives. But two of us did reach the top and that moment was everything I'd ever dreamt of and more. I felt very lucky to reach the top and to get off that mountain alive.

Kyle: What is probably the top three rules to staying alive?

Bear: Be prepared. Common sense. And the human spirit.

Tommy: Do you have any pointers on starting a fire?

Bear: Really, really dry tinder. And prepare your fire well, i.e. make sure you don't go through all the effort of getting your tinder going, then not have enough kindling to keep it going. Trust me — I've done this a few times.

markvader: Where in the world would you most hate to find yourself and have to walk out of to survive?

Bear: I think the Arctic is an especially difficult environment because it's not just cold, it's a damp cold. And I've spent too much time in my life being damp and cold, and I know how miserable that can be.

JoshInOhio: I think everyone would like to know — how did you get the name Bear?

Bear:  Bear is an old nickname I've had since I was about half an hour old. And it's kind of stuck.

alibby: How did you get the water into the canteen?

Bear: A long process of sucking it through a straw and dribbling it into the canteen. But like so many of these programs, you film for 2-3 days, and it all gets edited down to a very quick time period.

G Freeman: What compelled you to start this TV series?

Bear: It's everything that I love to do. Lots of climbing, lots of survival, and trying not to take too much notice of the cameras. Even though it's a lot of time away from home and a lot of travel, I feel very lucky.

Adam: What motivated you to become the person that you are today? Was it your father with the climbing? Or was it numerous things, like for instance just a love for nature?

Bear: My late dad used to say two things mattered in life — follow your dreams, and look after your friends. I've always tried to do that. We only get one shot at this life.

G Gunther: What is your most important top five pieces of survival gear?

Bear: My ESP, which is my Emotional Support Package — the laminated picture of my wife and kids that I keep in my shoe. That, and the flint around my neck. So however miserable it gets, I can always start a fire.

Marco: How well do you sleep in the wilderness, usually?

Bear: I'm often so exhausted at the end of these days that I tend to crash out pretty well unless something is slithering around in the night. That generally puts an end to any good rest! That, and mosquitoes. I hate them! Watch Alaska and Costa Rica for that.

edrobswill: What’s your favorite footwear?

Bear: I guess my Merrells that I wear a lot on the series, as they're good for climbing as well as walking. And no, I'm not paid to say that by Merrell!

Abdullah: Were you worried about breaking a leg or other bone when you made those high jumps? What can you do if that happens?

Bear: Getting injured is always a concern, filming as much as I have been this year. But it's kind of like a rugby football match — when you start being tentative and too cautious, you always get injured. So I tend just to go for it and say my prayers.

BEARisCRAZY: Where are we off to next week?

Bear: I think the jungles of Costa Rica. This is actually one of my favorite shows.

teazalamode: Is there anything you won't do to survive?

Bear: As the series has gone on, a lot of the stunts have become more and more outrageous. But so far I'm just about hanging in there.

mrmck325:  Where is the most dangerous place you have ever been?

Bear: Some of the places that I served in the Army, and the summit of Mount Everest - both not to be repeated.

tseely: Hey Bear, what was the Foreign Legion like?

Bear: A long, hard process that was made harder by the lack of control that you have going through basic training. They control everything from when you sleep, when you eat, when you stop and start running, down to not even having your own watch. It's a process of being taught to obey orders. Although at the end of it all, it did work.

Flyby35: Which was the most difficult environment for you during this season?

Bear: I think probably the jungles of Costa Rica, just because of how humid it was, how much it rained, how ill I got, and how many nasty animals there were about.

Lee: Enjoyed the show! How does the camera crew impact your actions while in a hostile environment?

Bear: They're under very strict instructions not to get involved or help unless my life is in danger, and tend to keep that distance. Having said that, they're right there with me in almost everything and have done some great climbs, etc. that tend to go unnoticed.

JoshInOhio: In tonight’s episode, how were you able to get such great shots when you were under water?

Bear: Simon's a very clever man! But on a serious note, they picked the best camera man around for this job. And he's needed to be fit and able to work in some pretty difficult situations.

AliveinFl: Have you ever eaten a snake? What kind?

Bear: Yeah I've eaten quite a few. I ate a rattlesnake in the Rockies, and in the Army in North Africa we used to carry them around with their mouths sewed up so they'd be fresh when you wanted to eat them.

jeeping31: Bear, I have question — are you going to do a show on swamps?

Bear: I start filming this week in the Everglades of Florida, a whole program just about swamp techniques for next season.

retzl90: How much research do you do before heading out to the location? Do you plan for certain possibilities, or is it mostly improvised?

Bear: I start two days beforehand with arrangers and experts filling me in on all the safety procedures, local animals, etc. I then try to get as many survival techniques that are native to that area as possible. I also have a pretty good idea of the things I want to do along the way, so then of course you're dealing with things as they happen. What makes the final show is generally about a tenth of what actually happened, but that's TV!

firedragon: What's the worst situation you've ever been in?

Bear: I think probably when my parachute didn't open properly while in Southern Africa. I smashed into desert and broke my back in 3 places.

AUGUSTAGA: How was the British Special Forces?

Bear: The formative years of my life, really. It gave me a confidence that I could actually do these things. And it was a real privilege to work with such brilliant people. And it's the people I miss. But the reality of it was 2% glamour, and 98% of the time it was carrying heavy rucksacks across very big mountains in quite scary situations.

encee43: How do you get out of quicksand like that?? I saw it but still don't get it. You're amazing.

Bear: The idea is not to struggle, as struggling just pulls you deeper. Instead, try to ease your body onto the surface a limb at a time, and then swim or wriggle across the top, keeping your weight distributed evenly.

Manning215: Hey Bear, what do your wife and family think of you risking your life on your adventures?

Bear: I have the most lovely, patient wife, I think. They are really the loves of my life and my reason for making sure I come home.

Boy Scout: How do you find out if water is safe to drink or not?

Bear: It's kind of impossible to tell, and that's why it's best to always take precautions and boil water for at least five minutes if you can. I was careless in the jungle and got really ill. But if you can't boil it, look for fast-flowing water from as high up as you can.

firedragon: How do you know if it’s safe to cross a river? What if you can't swim too well?

Bear: I didn't know it was safe! But I did know I could swim. In nature, nothing is guaranteed, and I guess that's part of its appeal. I have through the series developed a pretty good instinct for what is safe and what is not.

Oharrisson: Was there a point where you almost gave up?

Bear: Yes, on a few different occasions! But I think when you're lost and it's been raining torrentially for 24 hours, you can't start a fire, you've got no tent or dry clothes or sleeping bag, the odd moment like that is allowed.

pincheeddie: How many different shows can we expect?

Bear: This season has 8.

Greg: What do you think about Les Stroud?

Bear: He's a great guy, and I'm full of admiration for him.

Mike: Does your cameraman have the same training as you?

Bear: No, but they've learned masses on the way. But then, I don't have much camera training!

ErikdMann: How far do you typically travel on these survival missions?

Bear: It depends. On the volcano one, we covered masses of ground and in the jungle, much less. It all depends on what the terrain is like, and how lost I am.

And1runner: Mr. Grylls, is there any book out there you would recommend that teaches people about survival?

Bear: I've got a book on the series coming out in the UK called "Stranded" that is all the techniques and personal stories from the series and past expeditions.

Sofia: What type of mental preparation do you need to survive harsh conditions?

Bear: I always try to keep a can-do attitude and say "Why not?" instead of "Why?" I plan things well and give it my whole heart.

mrmck325: What is the most dangerous animal you have come across face to face?

Bear: A very close call with a very tough adder in Kenya. These are especially dangerous, and kill more people than any other snake in Africa, the reason being they tend not to get out of your way because they're fat and lazy. They also have the fastest strike of any snake in the world.

Brownski: Love the show. How much do you depend on 'experts' vs. your own knowledge?

Bear: I rely on my knowledge and research with local advice from local experts. It's good teamwork, really.

oslegend: What do you do when you face something overwhelming, but it has to be done?

Bear: If something has to be done that is just scary, I tend just to decide how good an idea it is after I've done it! But that's very different from assessing the risk of what you're doing, which is another matter altogether. It's like parachuting. As an old sergeant used to say, "Make up your mind once you're out the door."

SteveZ: Do you give lectures or classes that teach survival skills? If so, ever in the USA?

Bear: I do a lot of speaking in the US, but mainly to corporations and mostly about things that happened to us on Everest. Really, I guess, they're motivational/inspirational thoughts. That sort of thing.

SamNY81: I want to get into climbing, but it's so damn expensive to supply yourself. Any tips for a cheap climber?

Bear: It shouldn't be expensive. There are local clubs anywhere, and it's actually one of the cheapest sports in the world — part of its magic, I think.

bigfoot: Are you always by yourself while surviving? Have you ever rescued someone else?

Bear: Yes, I helped save my best friend's life in a climbing incident in the Himalayas. But that's another story …

Randy: Isn't there a natural salve to keep the mosquitoes at bay?

Bear: Camphor resin in the jungle was very good. And caking on thick mud in the swamps will be something I do on the show I'm about to film.

marathongirl: When you get back to civilization, what is the first thing you treat yourself to eat and drink?

Bear: Avocados, mayonnaise, chocolate, and a bath with both my kids.

bluechild: In climbing do you prefer using very little if any equipment like you did in the canyon?

Bear: No, I try and use climbing protection whenever I can. The thing about climbing is you can get it right a thousand times, but you only get it wrong once. Even on the series, I don't do anything I'm not 100% confident about.

earthpox: What animals and stuff do you most like to avoid?

Bear: I'm not great with alligators. Or sharks. And I've had close calls with both!

Huntress: What would you do if you came face to face with a grizzly bear, or any other kind of bear?

Bear: Let your presence be known. Make lots of noise. Generally, they should go away. If not, back away slowly and submissively. And get out of there!

lance: What do you do to keep yourself in such great shape?

Bear: I work out most days — either run, do circuits, or some yoga. And then, of course, eat my daily bag of nails.

claytn: How do you plan to deal with the gators in my home state of Florida?

Bear: If you have to be in the swamps, make lots of noise and let them know you're coming; otherwise just keep out of their way. Generally, they'll only attack if they're surprised. They're very dangerous and will win a tussle.

JasonSt: When you are at home relaxing with your family, what do you like to do?

Bear: I tend to have a very cozy home life and live a very un-butch existence.

chillaxed: On tonight’s episode were the clothes that you were wearing the best clothes to wear? If not, why?

Bear: Probably not. But the premise of the show is if normal people get stranded with nothing. So I always avoid going in with all the correct gear. I want to show what would happen if it happened to you.

stealther: What do you have to say to people who claim you used a flotation vest instead of your backpack when you rode down the river in your previous show?

Bear: That was the first show I did, and health and safety insisted if I wanted to get in that river with those rapids, I had to wear a thin flotation device for one particular shot. After that show, I told the producers if I'm going to do it, I need to do it on my terms, i.e. no vest. And the rest of the series, they've allowed me to do it all my way.

Discovery.com: Bear, thanks for being here tonight, and for a great show! Any last comments to add, before we have to close?

Bear: Thanks so much for your support. There has been an amazing number of emails, more than anyone has expected. In the words of Bodi in “Point Break,” “This was stimulating, but I'm out of here!”

Discovery.com: Thanks for joining our live chat. In case you missed anything, look for the transcript of this chat on discovery.com/bear next week, and be sure to check out our exclusive video, interactive puzzles and more. And don't miss Man vs. Wild, Fridays at 9 p.m. ET/PT on the Discovery Channel.

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Copyright 2006. All rights reserved.