Naked and Afraid Taught Me These 4 Things

If you are a fan of survival shows, then you have probably come across a show called Naked and Afraid. Despite the title, this show has nothing to do with romance or horror. It is actually a show where two people are dropped into the middle of nowhere for 21 days and have to survive on the land without clothing. They are allowed to take one tool that they find useful, and sometimes, they are provided with a flint and a pot for water. They are also given a map.

Besides the map, two tools, the flint, and the pot, all other resources are supposed to be found by the couple in order to survive. This includes shelter and food. They have to make it for the 21 days, and on the 21st day, the couple has to make it to a meeting point on the map so that someone can pick them up.

This show can get pretty intense at times as not all of the participants know how to hunt and gather, and sometimes, creating a fire even with a flint is difficult to do. The terrain is rough and the animals around them are wild, so you can only imagine the crazy situations that they find themselves in. After watching this show, I have learned quite a bit about survival, but there are four things specifically that stand out to me.

1. Dead fall traps are not the way to catch food.

In every season, there is at least one person that creates a dead fall trap, hoping that they will catch some small critter that is passing by. I have found that this rarely works, and when it comes to food, fishing is one of the best ways to get something to eat.

2. Creating a shelter with a waterproof roof is essential.

This may seem obvious, but there are several times where people decide that they are done with their shelter and need to focus on other things. This is usually when it rains, and when it rains, the couple is usually faced with the treat of hypothermia. Therefore, I have found that covering the roof with large leaves to keep out the rain is one of the best things these couples can do.

3. Cover yourself with ashes.

This sounds like it is a messy way to do things, and though it is, it also keeps off the bugs. There are several instances where the couple suffers throughout the day and night due to bug bites, and if you cover yourself with ashes, this will detour these small critters.

4. Dig a water well.

During the first couple of days many couples have issues getting their flint to lit a fire. Therefore, they can’t boil water to quench their thirst. However, I have seen some people dig small wells by the main source of water to filter out all the contaminants through the sediment so they can still drink it. This is a good back up plan if your fire doesn’t light.

Naked and Afraid has taught me a lot of basic survival skills, and it is a great way to approach the random what-if questions that people may have about survival situations. This show goes through the ins and outs of survival as the contestants are faced with situations regarding securing food, shelter, or even water. It even shows why the need for human companionship is so important.

So, if you want to learn a couple new skills while enjoying an entertaining show, check out Naked and Afraid. Maybe, you will pick up a couple new skills.