Dual Survival - Discovery Channel

[Yes, 357_SIG]

Dave is able to survive as well, but he needs modern equipment to be more proficient in doing it.  Boots, backpack, etc.  I've not been in the military, but I have several friends who have.  I think the biggest mistake the military makes in survival training is stressing the need to be properly "prepared".  You have to have the full compliment of survival gear to make it.  A 40lb ALICE pack of gear is "needed" to survive.  That kind of defeats the mental part of survival from the beginning, IMO.

Of course, it does get a bit more complicated when there are vast, hostile armed forces ...
with all manner of modern devastating weaponry ...
hell bent on destroying you ...
and the place that you came from.
                                                                                                                                      
That is a bit like the difference between the Marines and the Army.
The Marines have to be able to, with a minimum of gear and support, seize objectives.
The difference is that we [the Army] must be able to seize terrain, deny enemy access, defend terrain, defeat the enemy, and hold terrain ... all of it.
They travel light; we carry everything ...
to include everything from freakin feather dusters to latrines [environmentalist whackos won't allow us to do it in the dirt ... anymore].
We have to make it safe and comfortable for: politicians, "reporters", "environmentalists", "human rights activists", "anti-war demonstrators", IRC / ACLU / ATLA jerks, and other whackos checking our shorts for forbidden contraband like: pin ups, snuff cans, election voting ballots, etc, etc..
                                                                                                                         
                 

[myronman3]

the more episodes i watch, the more it is evident that dave would make it longer.   cody is interesting in some lights, and knowlegable, but his ideals get in the way where the rubber meets the road.   in a true survival situation, ideals go out the window.   

[Dixie Dude]

You are right, Cody going barefoot everywhere isn't the best thing to do, especially in snake infested swamps.  Even in the desert, It doesn't make sense, hot rocky ground or hot sand, snakes, gila monsters, scorpians.  His getting in tune with nature barefoot is a joke.  Even native Americans used moccosans.  I want to see an episode where they survive in Alaska or Canada.  I'll bet he puts boots on in the snow. 

[kyelkhunter3006]

They've already done one in the snow.  All Cody wears is socks.  Still has his shorts on too.  If you want to see, go to discoverychannel.com and they have clips of the shows.

The thing is, Cody's thoughts on survival are the same as the people who do it EVERY day because that's their way of life.  Native peoples indigenous to the areas they're in.  Think about it.  The bushman in africa, the aboriginies in Australia, the peoples who live in the various jungles.  None of them wear shoes.

The modern day theme of survival seems to be to conquer nature (like Dave).  The people who live in it every day don't conquer it, they live in tune with it (like Cody). 

[pab1]

The thing is, Cody's thoughts on survival are the same as the people who do it EVERY day because that's their way of life.  Native peoples indigenous to the areas they're in.  Think about it.  The bushman in africa, the aboriginies in Australia, the peoples who live in the various jungles.  None of them wear shoes.

Thats a good point!

[Dixie Dude]

Eskimos do cover their feet, so did most American Indians in the plains and eastern woodlands.  Hot climates maybe not.  Central and South American indians would use rubber from rubber trees to dip their feet in for protection.   

[kyelkhunter3006]

I know the Eskimo's and American Indian's of the plains and woodlands made shoes or moccasins, WHEN they had the materials to do so.  I don't care how good of a hunter you are, there are times when you get skunked.  They did not carry EVERY animal skin that they killed just in case they needed it.

I'll admit that I've never been to South America, but in all the pictures I've seen and stuff I've read on native peoples, never once have I seen one with their feet dipped in rubber gum from a rubber tree.  Natural rubber is very tacky, almost sticky.  It would pick up all kinds of debris from the forest floor until it was so "full" nothing else could stick to it.  Can you even imagine how uncomfortable and painful that would be?  I can't see why someone is on their feet most of the time would want to deal with that. 

Bare feet can be cleaned and brushed off easily at any time.  With the skin naturally toughening up and callus build-up over time, the soles and sides of the feet would be probably tougher than if they were coated with rubber, .  The rubber coating would prevent the skin of from getting toughened as much as is would without it.  Rubber isn't puncture proof at all, when you think about it.  It's not like they'd get a thick enough coating on their feet to have a pair of natural Nike's.

I'm going to research it a bit further and see what I can find.

[Dixie Dude]

I read about the Inca's I think it was, in South America, that used rubber.  In the World Book Encyclopedia.  They also made rubber balls for sport.  Spanish brought them back to Europe. 

[kyelkhunter3006]

After viewing a few different articles on native american uses of rubber in South America, this pretty much sums it up:

"The Aztec Indians of Central America and the Inca Indians of South America were the first to use rubber on a relatively large scale. Rubber was in use in the New World for perhaps a thousand years before Europeans arrived. Yet, the precise time and circumstance of its discovery are unknown. The Indians used rubber to make a variety of goods, including footwear, bottles, torches, and balls.

There were two problems that kept rubber from becoming a widely utilized commodity by Europeans. First, rubber articles had to be fashioned within hours of obtaining the latex from the tree as, once the rubber congealed, there was no known means to return it to its liquid state. Second, and perhaps more acute, was rubber's temperature sensitivity. Rubber articles became sticky when hot and brittle when cold. This last problem severely limited rubber's usefulness".

So it would seem that they actually made footwear, not coated their feet.  Further reading on other sites indicated that rubber as it comes from the tree basically liquied in hot temperatures and would run like water almost, and in the cold extreme, became so hard as to be nearly brick-like.

I'm still standing by my statement that they'd rather have tough thick skin on their feet VS the issues with using rubber.  Of course, those that live closer to civilization probably  have regular footwear that they purchase.

[Dixie Dude]

I can understand going barefoot while stalking, so you can feel sticks and leaves and such so you can be quiet.  Native Americans did that, but they also used their moccasins and from what I read carried spares, especially when traveling a long distance. 

[kyelkhunter3006]

Well I can tell you for my part, I don't intend on barefooting it around, LOL.  I can barely walk on round river stone/gravel without wincing.  No way I could do it on tough stuff.

[myronman3]

i see cody's point on the barefoot thing.  when you are barefoot, you really are in tune with the world around you.  and if you want to improve your quietness while stalking, take your shoes off.  i guareentee you will be much quieter.  
   but there are places i just cant see it being reasonable.    the look in cody's eyes when surrounded by cottonmouths was priceless.  
  

[Swampman]

Ever had a bad stone bruise?

[myronman3]

i have had alot of things, including all the skin on my feet (except between the toes) blistered right off; the boots and socks had to be cut off.    the point of going barefoot is one is forced to be careful where they put their feet.   

[Swampman]

For many years I hunted only in deer skin mocs that I made myself.  I've had a stone bruise that lasted a year or more.

[kyelkhunter3006]

That's one of the things Cody said in one show.  Going barefoot forces him to slow down, take his time, and SEE what is around him, vs just LOOKING at the surroundings.

[Yes, 357_SIG]

                   
  "Going barefoot forces him to slow down, take his time, and SEE what is around him,"

How well will that work when he ends up in a wheel chair ?   
                               

[kyelkhunter3006]

He's been doing it since he was a kid.  I think that we'll be in the wheelchair first.

[Hooker]

I have only one problem with Cody's methods. In a real life survival situation your number one goal is to remain healthy enough to survive.
Walking around barefoot he risks injury which can result in crippling him or cause infection that will reduce his chances of surviving.
It is not smart to take unnecessary chances when you are in a survival situation. Feeling the need to prove something to your self, pride and ideals are not survival skills.

Pat

[teddy12b]

I think everyone is getting a little bit too hung up on Cody's barefeet.  All these years of being barefoot, his feet are a heck of a lot tougher than any of ours.  Of course if any of us talking took our shoes off it'd be a horrible idea, but he's taken the time and made the effort to condition himself.  Seeing as he's built like a brick house he's probably aware of what he's doing.  For myself, I'll make sure I have some extra boots.

[kyelkhunter3006]

THANK YOU!  That's my point exactly!  It's not like he gets stuck in a situation and says, "What the hell, let's go barefoot!"

He is one stout dude.

[don heath]

90+% of Americans who have come hunting with me have been laid up for at least part of the hunt due to blisters...In a survival situation, blisters will kill you, and quickly. It takes years to develop hard feet...as a kid I was pretty tough and usually went barefoot on the granite hills around our home. I haven't done so for years and now just walking barefoot on a gravel driveway is slow!!!

As Cody himself has written...barefoot is just part of the show...it also means he doesn't need to break in a dozen pairs of speciality footwear! Our African 'Vellies' are perfect for local conditions - dry and sandy with lotts of thorns - but are hopeless in the wet or cold. I have never yet been able to find a pair of european or American waterproof insulated boots that will fit comfortably (US size 11 but need to be 4.6" wide across the little toe).

There is also a lot of difference between surviving a week and sustainable backwoods living. For survival, give me matches,fire fudge,  a space blankets, salt tabs, energy bars, 'coffee bags', water purifying tabs and a big rifle (with limmited ammo) ...for long term the whole picture changes.

[myronman3]

I have never yet been able to find a pair of european or American waterproof insulated boots that will fit comfortably (US size 11 but need to be 4.6" wide across the little toe).

  try a pair of danner loggers..... if you can find them.  i bought two pair 4 years ago and boy do i love them.  although they are getting a little ratty, i am still wearing them daily.   THEY DO REQUIRE breaking in; as does any boot worth having.   the only trick is finding them anymore. 

[Dixie Dude]

I think this is where moccasins come in.  Just wrapping your feet, but still soft enough to feel, protects them.  Cody wearing shorts everywhere is also IMHO, not safe all the time.  Protecting your legs and feet especially in some areas, is necessary to remain healthy to survive.  Having a stick or spear, is also necessary I've seen, using it to poke and prod swamps, grasses, and other areas for snakes, crocks, or dangerous situations, even dropoffs in muddy water where you can't see bottom, or defending against a preditor if you don't have a gun.  Having patience to stay in one area to replinish your energy, obtain food, get warm, is another good idea. 

[quickdtoo]

I like the show, but gotta comment on the "wild" turkey Dave killed in the last episode, that didn't look like any wild turkey I've ever seen, but it sure looked like a domestic bird as dark as it was.   And the lividity marks on the Steelhead made it apparent it wasn't there naturally.

Tim

[kyelkhunter3006]

I'm sure there is a theatrical privilege clause for the producers, LOL.  Cody even talks about it on his website.  Says to take the show with a grain of salt and pay attention to the basic survival tips/talk.  The show where the rat was caught in the deadfall, that was a set-up.  The producers showed up with a dead rat and asked Cody to rig a set-up that shows how it "could" have been caught.

[LabRat2k3]

Bare feet are a good way to end up with a nice intestinal parasite called a hookworm, Ancylostoma duodenale and Necator americanus to be specific. They enter through bare skin that comes in contact with the soil. It can cause iron deficiency anaemia and low protien absobtion. Just the kind of thing you need when trying to survive. Survival isn't about putting on a show so people will think you are cool, it's about doing what it takes to be here tomorrow. If you think that running around bare foot is what gives you a better chance of doing that then go for it. If you want to do it because you saw some guy on TV do it and you want to be cool like him, you should probably leave your shoes on.

[kyelkhunter3006]

Talk about beating a dead "barefoot" horse.  On a couple of other forums, all anyone talks about is Cody's barefeet.  Jeez......

The pad of his foot is probably so thick and callused that he could walk on crushed glass without getting cut.

[Swampman]

He complains about his feet and is constantly pulling thing out of them.  They must not be that tough.

[teddy12b]

I'm going to guess the pads are "tougher" than most, but the sides aren't.  The show where they were walking through the jungle he was talking about things pricking him his feet were getting cut up.  I'm not going to tell a guy with arms that big what to do, but I'll be keeping my shoes on.