Stroud actually survives for a week as best he can by himself. Stroud has no crew except for emergency rescue, the lost at sea episode being a prime example. He hauls that camera equipment around as part of his gear, which impedes his progress during shows when movement is key.
Bear is teaching survival skills using various techniques. He's a bad-ass mofo, but he's not doing anything more than teaching in his show. IMO, the melodramatic things he does are a huge negative. Bear really does not have to eat a live fish more than once to prove he's hungry. And just once I'd like to see him make a fire without using that damn flint he "happens" to carry.
Bear's show is based on
fiction and some of his techniques are faked. Stroud does what he claims, WYSIWYG.
Survivorman FTW.