Naked and Afraid Thought Exercise

[Clarity]

I know that the show "Naked and Afraid" has been discussed here. I recently discovered the show, and, like others, have found it lacking in a variety of respects. For me, however, it does suggest a thought exercise. If you were selected for this show and could truly pick any ONE item, without knowing what locale you'd be dumped into, what would it be? Let's forget the partner, and assume you got a knife as a freebee (as a knife is often picked by the partner).

I find myself thinking about a roll of clear plastic. Shelter, solar still, make a cup for solar/UV purification, keep you dry, rudimentary clothes, etc. It has a lot of uses.

(As an aside, I've also wondered why none of the people has unraveled their bag to make cordage for snares or to sew a garment. But please don't get sidetracked by ranting on the show!)

So, other than the knife, what would be your ONE item? (No kits, condos, vehicles, resort hotels, etc., please.)

 

[Lex Concord]

The Physician's Desk Reference. Hollowed out. Inside: waterproof matches, iodine tablets, beet seeds, protein bars, NASA blanket, and, in case I get bored, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone. No, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban.

 

[AngryRooster]

I know that the show "Naked and Afraid" has been discussed here. I recently discovered the show, and, like others, have found it lacking in a variety of respects. For me, however, it does suggest a thought exercise. If you were selected for this show and could truly pick any ONE item, without knowing what locale you'd be dumped into, what would it be? Let's forget the partner, and assume you got a knife as a freebee (as a knife is often picked by the partner).

I find myself thinking about a roll of clear plastic. Shelter, solar still, make a cup for solar/UV purification, keep you dry, rudimentary clothes, etc. It has a lot of uses.

(As an aside, I've also wondered why none of the people has unraveled their bag to make cordage for snares or to sew a garment. But please don't get sidetracked by ranting on the show!)

So, other than the knife, what would be your ONE item? (No kits, condos, vehicles, resort hotels, etc., please.)

They probably aren't permitted to do so. There was a behind the scenes show a few weeks ago where the guy was laying around all spread out. He mentioned they asked him to wear his bag in front sometimes so they didn't have to blur every single shot of him. (He said bag. Let the snickering begin)

As for the item it would probably be a firestarter or a metal pot. It isn't as easy to start a primitive fire with poor materials as people think. There have been several on that show that found that out. Huge difference between dry twigs in Tennessee during summer and rotted wood in a swamp.

 

[Trigger Time]

I'd take A sock.

 

[subtlesixer03]

Fire starter. preferibly a mag stick type.

Pretty much anything else id need can be made from the stuff around me. also i have seen very few canabilize the bag. Ive seen none make shoes or cuting tools.

 

[bradmedic04]

Yup, firestarter for me as well.

 

[Sylvain]

What the point of that show anyway?

Looks like they could do the same crap with clothes on.
Since everything is blurred it's just like if they had clothes on anyway.

I'd take A sock.

lol

 

[Combsie]

I'd take A sock.

Funniest comment I've read all week!

 

[BrewerGeorge]

Firestarter

 

[2ADMNLOVER]

A fire starter as well .

I've often wondered why hasn't anyone woven some foot wear of some sort . I've seen the women weave baskets and "clothes" but have never seen shoes .

 

[rosejm]

What's with all the firestarters? Take a BIC or something else that's FAR more effective at making fire. It'll last more than 21 days to be sure. I mean how often are you letting your fire go out?

I like the clear plastic idea.

To be honest, I think I'd have to know where I was going to make an informed choice.

 

[PistolBob]

a condom

 

[PistolBob]

a condom (reusable)

 

[Clarity]

How about a large cat. When you get hungry a week or two in, you can eat the cat and use the fur to make a garment. Until then, you have some self-cleaning and reusable toilet paper.

 

[Thor]

Never seen the show, probably couldn't play because it premises Naked AND Afraid. If I'm naked, well I'M not afraid...

Given that, you say we get a knife as a freebee but everyone is saying they're taking fire starters...a cutting edge will be the basics of survival, from that everything else can grow. Sounds like you should count on a fire starter being the freebee and make darn sure you've got a GOOD knife. Or how about a sword and then you can make two knifes if you need to.

 

[Thor]

How about a large cat. When you get hungry a week or two in, you can eat the cat and use the fur to make a garment. Until then, you have some self-cleaning and reusable toilet paper.

Have you ever tried to kill and skin a large cat with a fire starter?

 

[AngryRooster]

Never seen the show, probably couldn't play because it premises Naked AND Afraid. If I'm naked, well I'M not afraid...

Given that, you say we get a knife as a freebee but everyone is saying they're taking fire starters...a cutting edge will be the basics of survival, from that everything else can grow. Sounds like you should count on a fire starter being the freebee and make darn sure you've got a GOOD knife. Or how about a sword and then you can make two knifes if you need to.

You're not really given a knife as a freebie. Each person gets to chose one item to take (probably from an acceptable list). A knife is usually the most common thing. They are not told what the other person has chosen but the items they can choose from prohibit them from both taking the same thing.

There have been a couple that have made shoes. Some lasted, most broke down and fell apart.

 

[Titanium_Frost]

Have you ever tried to kill and skin a large cat with a fire starter?

I lol'd

 

[BrewerGeorge]

I've always thought that the people don't make enough stuff. Depending on the location, I have to think I'd sit right down after meeting and make shoes immediately. Watching a few behind the scenes episodes (BTS), though, it seems that they edit the show to emphasize the hardships and de-emphasize (or just flat not show) the minor successes. They almost never show them eating wild edibles, for instance, but one of the BTS episodes had them mentioning eating parsnips the whole time. In the same way, several of them were making things like coal-burned containers that were never shown on air except the BTS episodes. I mean, they've got over 500 hours of footage to edit down into 40 minutes of TV.

 

[churchmouse]

Paracord. Let the partner get the knife. Cord would go so far in shelter etc.