What one item would you bring on the show?

[mad_typist]

So on the show, each partner is allowed to bring one survival item. If you were on the show, what one item would you pick, and what would you want your partner to bring?

Assuming my partner was bringing the machete (which seems like an automatic), I'd be torn between bringing a fire starter, or a pot. The ability to boil water, cook food, etc would be really valuable, so that would make the pot very helpful. You could also use it to easily ferry material around (e.g. water, mud, whatever you need).

Having said that, given some of the climates they've gone to have been fairly wet, the ability to use the firestarter to generate sparks can't be overestimated.

[Calanna]

Like you said, assuming that a machete is a given, I would definitely bring a firestarter. A cooking pot would also be nice, but it is possible to make one out of something found in the environment. Without a fire you have no warmth and no drinkable water.

[ramble]

I'm still not convinced that the folks get to pick their item as much as production tells them what to pick, but I'm cynical that way. It's too bad you don't know your location up front because I think that would definitely influence your choice, but I'm with y'all that a fire starter is huge. (And all I can hear is stupid Jeff Probst telling me fire equals life. Argh!)

RambleJr the Younger informed me she'd bring a fully stocked pop up tent. I told her I thought that defeated the point of the show & she said the point was stupid since the crew probably has exactly that. She explained that she imagined them eating a protein bar as they sprayed on the big spray & pulled out a fresh bottle of water while filming the nakeds. Oh dear, my cynicism has been inherited.

[mad_typist]

I'm still not convinced that the folks get to pick their item as much as production tells them what to pick, but I'm cynical that way. It's too bad you don't know your location up front because I think that would definitely influence your choice

I do wonder about how much info the contestants get in advance. We've never seen them bring the same item, so you have to assume that the producers tell them in advance what the other person is bringing (or at least if there's a conflict where they both want to bring the same thing). I do also wonder about the location - do you know for sure how far in advance they're kept in the dark on that? Because if I knew for a fact I'd be heading to a very wet climate, I'd be more inclined to bring a fire starter. But if I knew I were going somewhere like the African savannah or desert, I'd be less concerned about starting a fire through primitive methods (or keeping a fire going once you get it started).

[PityFree]

I would bring a cooking pot made of flint.

Or cow. A cow would come in handy.

[rainsmom]

I have no insider information, but I bet the producers have them list the top three things they would bring, and then the producers choose. They probably try to pick the top items, but ensure there's a knife and consider whether the other possibilities might add some drama.

 

I think I would bring a slingshot. Assuming proficiency, it would allow hunting of birds and small mammals, including those out of reach. Not a bad weapon either.

[PityFree]

Maybe I'd bring a tent made out of beef jerky.

[ari333]

I think they should give them all a fire starter, a pot, and some kind of knife. Then let then choose another item. Imo, even with those things it still wouldn't be easy. It gets a little sad and boring watching people sit around starving day after day.

[mad_typist]

I would kind of love it if a contestant was like, "The one item I'd like to bring is pants."

[greyhorse]

I think they should give them all a fire starter, a pot, and some kind of knife. Then let then choose another item. Imo, even with those things it still wouldn't be easy. It gets a little sad and boring watching people sit around starving day after day.

I agree.  Fire starter and some type of knife have become the Wheel of Fortune equivalent of "R S T L N E".  These two items should be a given.  Then let them each choose something else.

[rainsmom]

But that's just it -- they don't want them to have more. If they had even the basic three -- knife, firestarter, and pot -- the task would be significantly easier. Not having one of those three items -- or two, if someone elects to bring something else -- is the basis of a lot of their struggle.

[Yeldarbe]

I think I read somewhere that they make them choose three items to bring and then the producers choose the actual item that they get to bring, to ensure that both people don't bring the same thing.

 

I think I would bring a flint machete.

[Taylorh2]

A Survivalist.

[blackwing]

Assuming my partner was bringing the machete (which seems like an automatic), I'd be torn between bringing a fire starter, or a pot. The ability to boil water, cook food, etc would be really valuable, so that would make the pot very helpful. You could also use it to easily ferry material around (e.g. water, mud, whatever you need).

Interesting that you said this months ago, as on this week's episode, the guy brought some kind of knife, and the woman brought a pot.  On most episodes, it seems the woman brings a fire starter.  But this episode had a guy who was utterly confident that he could start fires in his sleep, so of course they give the woman the pot.  Then ironically, he can't start a fire for almost two weeks.

[henripootel]

Why bring a knife when you can bring an axe?  My choice would be the Gränsfors Bruks Amercian Feller - great for chopping down anything and it will skin a snake in a pinch.  The problem for the producers is that I'd chop down pretty much everything in sight as quickly as possible, and it seems like these guys favor a low-impact approach.  As do, I'm sure, the landowners the producers lease from.  Tough shit, I'd be out there like Thor with Mjölnir, cuz god forbid that somebody has some actual fun on this show instead of building weedy shit structures and suffering. 

 

If I were a woman, my item would probably be a jock strap.  Soon as I was introduced to my guy companion, I'd hand it to him and say "For you, dude, cuz I don't fancy 21 days of looking at you hangin' brain."

Edited August 11, 2014 by henripootel

[Scout Finch]

Based on his posts here and in the "How Would You Prepare?" thread, I would bring henripootel.

Edited August 11, 2014 by Scout Finch

[beagletime]

The contestants are in the wilderness Naked and Afraid.  They are supposed to use items they find to survive.  Well if I stumbled across a fully stocked production campsite I'd steal some food and water.  That would be using items I find.  

 

Otherwise I'd bring a canvas tarp.  Bits could be used for clothes and the rest could be a tent or rain catcher.  Or a cellphone programmed with the nearest Domino's. Or my horse so I could ride the heck out. 

Edited August 17, 2014 by beagletime

[Hipshooter]

22 rifle w/scope and box of shells

 

great hiking boots

 

6 dozen condoms

22 rifle with scope and box of shells

 

or 

 

great pair of hiking boots

 

or

 

6 dozen condoms

[Ceruleana]

A pot can carry food, collect rainwater or sterilize stagnant water, etc., so that's what I'd bring.

 

Oh, and in my pot I'd carry guts...since the latest group of contestants seem to have none.

[Grub kim]

Depends on where I was going. If to a tropical island, assuming partner brought machete--heavy duty bulk sized tube of massive DEET bug cream, because the bugs seemed to torture them more than anything else, and because

You can build clothes and some kind blanket of grasses and leaves.

There is always trash on a beach where you can scavenge up bottles, containers for gathering, cooking, purifying water.

And I'd pray to the heavens that I arrived on a warm sunny day, because there would be a good chance of starting a fire.

But I'd never do the show. I also think the nakedness is just a stupid way to attract audiences while making it a show kids can't watch, or I would not let my little kids watch it.

If you are on prescription medications, surely the producers would allow the RXs or disqualify you.

[NorthwestSage]

I'd bring a flame thrower.....

Easily starts a fire,

Will kill and cook your caiman in one trigger pull,

Will decimate your campsite at night of any and all mosquitoes, snakes, other vermin,

You can take it to the watering hole and blast the pool until it boils making instant drinkable water and will bring all fish to the surface, pre-poached,

You can heat the ground in your shelter at night to have a heated bed.

I'm sure you can come up for more useful ideas, but that would have to be the ultimate survival tool!

[XPac]

These days they're provided with a firestarted, right? That that pretty much almost always gurantees one person bring a pot while the other bring a knife (personally I'd probably bring a small ax over a knife).

 

Though in rare instances we've seen people go outside of the box and bring climbing rope or duct tape... and they actually worked pretty well. I wonder if you could starilize water in a duct tape container. I assume you can't straight up boil something in duct tape over a fire. But maybe pasturize water or stone boil. Maybe.

Edited September 18, 2015 by XPac

[Dobian]

I'd bring duct tape after watching all the cool things the Mythbusters did with it on one of their shows.

[Diane M]

A big bottle of sunscreen.

[stillhere1900]

These days they're provided with a firestarted, right? That that pretty much almost always gurantees one person bring a pot while the other bring a knife (personally I'd probably bring a small ax over a knife).

 

Though in rare instances we've seen people go outside of the box and bring climbing rope or duct tape... and they actually worked pretty well. I wonder if you could starilize water in a duct tape container. I assume you can't straight up boil something in duct tape over a fire. But maybe pasturize water or stone boil. Maybe.

 

No. I don't think they are provided with a firestarter, or every team would have one.

[ClareWalks]

The absolute non-negotiable is a machete/ax. The other would depend strongly on the environment. I'm surprised they don't automatically provide the machete/ax and let the participants each pick one item besides that. You really cannot do ANYTHING without a blade. It would be like requiring one of the participants to choose "diary cam" as their item.

Edited March 23, 2016 by ClareWalks

[ElDosEquis]

One of those special forces tomahawks - The one piece steel job - with all the little extra features.

I'd bring a flame thrower.....

Easily starts a fire,

Will kill and cook your caiman in one trigger pull,

Will decimate your campsite at night of any and all mosquitoes, snakes, other vermin,

You can take it to the watering hole and blast the pool until it boils making instant drinkable water and will bring all fish to the surface, pre-poached,

You can heat the ground in your shelter at night to have a heated bed.

I'm sure you can come up for more useful ideas, but that would have to be the ultimate survival tool!

 

Make a fire to signal your pick up vehicle.

Clear the campsite of weeds and plants

Make charcoal to have a BBQ

Kill your partner, it they turn out to be douchebags.

Threaten the camera crew to get you home faster?

[Maharincess]

I would bring a tarp. I can handle anything except being wet so I would bring some kind of tarp to cover up with during rain storms.

[SURVIVALPRO]

OBVIOUSLY, none of you know what you're doing.

SURVIVALPRO is here to tell you that I would bring a live, full grown chicken. She would bear me eggs every day so that I may have a wonderful breakfast of raw yolks and egg whites. Cooking eggs is for wimps. Twice a day for dinner and lunch I would slice a bit of her off to cook and make fried chicken. If I ever needed a snack, I'll train my chicken to fetch me mice and roaches. You're obviously all amateurs so I'll let your foolishness pass with nothing more than my utter disapproval.

[discoprincess]

Quote

On 9/15/2015 at 5:06 AM, NorthwestSage said:

I'd bring a flame thrower.....

Easily starts a fire,

Will kill and cook your caiman in one trigger pull,

Will decimate your campsite at night of any and all mosquitoes, snakes, other vermin,

You can take it to the watering hole and blast the pool until it boils making instant drinkable water and will bring all fish to the surface, pre-poached,

You can heat the ground in your shelter at night to have a heated bed.

I'm sure you can come up for more useful ideas, but that would have to be the ultimate survival tool!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It'd be too easy to start a fire with a flamethrower. I just rewatched the episode with Clarence and Bree last night. Bree accidentally let the fire get out of control and it burned down their shelter. It could wreck havoc in the wrong hands.

I'd have trouble deciding between bringing soap, hand sanitizer or insect repellant. If I were a fair-skinned individual, sunscreen may edge out everything else. 

Edited March 6, 2017 by discoprincess

[AdorkableWitch]

Mosquito netting. 

I hate bug bites. 

[Nancypants]

Weed.

[calpurnia99]

I saw a few where they were given the pot.  I've been watching all the old ones.

[Bulgakov]

"Survival Tips and Tricks" book

[slasherboy]

Could someone tell me where the participants get all that cordage?  Watching the Smoky Mountains episode right now and they have so much you'd think they just unwrap it off a cylinder they bought at Ace Hardware.