#117 | Andrew "Reptar" Forestell on Being Naked and Afraid

In today's episode of Backpacker Radio presented by The Trek we are joined yet again by our old pal, Reptar. Since we last chatted way back in 2018 (when we still had Kobe and Anthony Bourdain), Reptar has kept very busy- most notably being the co-star in a recent episode of Naked and Afraid. We ask all the sophomoric questions you'd want to ask someone who earns fame through grit and genitalia, including how often his unmentionables rubbed against spiky things, what it's like to meet your survival partner in the nude, and mastering the proper angle to bend over when a camera is on you. We also chat about finishing the PCT, his next documentary, and a new survivalist video game he's developing.

We wrap the show with a few trail food ideas, a triple crown of dried fruit, and finding the precise line where peeing in water goes from cool to gross.

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Interview with Andrew "Reptar" Forestell

• Instagram
• The AT Experience (Documentary)
• Watch Naked & Afraid on Discovery Channel or Discovery+ on 9/5 at 8pm ET.

00:02:57 - QOTD: How long would you last on Naked & Afraid?

00:04:57 - Reminder: We are coming to Wisconsin and specifically to Delafield on October 13th and Fitchburg on the 15th.

00:06:17 - Reptar returns! See his previous episode here.

00:07:40 - What's been going on with you since we last talked?

00:09:14 - Let's talk about Naked & Afraid - how did you get involved? Can you explain the show to us?

00:10:31 - Is there a prize at the end of the 21 days?

00:11:27 - How did you get involved with the show?

00:12:16 - How did you "hit up" the people to try and be on Naked & Afraid?

00:12:48 - Did you revise your pitch or do you think it was just your persistence? Did you send a video?

00:13:30 - Do you have to send in dick pics to Naked & Afraid? Did they ever ask to see you naked?

00:13:47 - Do they let you apply in pairs?

00:14:37 - How much notice do you get before going on the show?

00:15:24 - What does "conditioning" for the show look like?

00:16:17 - How much of this is fitness training and how much is just wanting to look good naked?

00:16:42 - Did you hit up Yukon for tips beforehand?

00:19:02 - Did they tell you the type of climate or environment you'd be in before time?

00:20:42 - Was there any talk of a malaria vaccine?

00:23:53 - Do you think you got lucky with where you were?

00:24:45 - What is your naked encounter with your partner like? When do they tell you to take off your clothes?

00:26:25 - Did you use a satchel to cover yourself?

00:26:44 - Did you try to cover up?

00:27:52 - How soon after the initial meeting does the game show portion start?

00:28:50 - Do you get any supplies?

00:29:53 - What was your partner's one item?

00:30:09 - Was it more difficult to navigate because of how strange the situation was?

00:32:48 - Did your partner's study of mushrooms come in handy?

00:33:59 - Did your partner eat the mushrooms anyway?

00:34:38 - Did you feel like you and your partner pulled equal weight survival wise?

00:36:15 - How do you prepare cactus?

00:37:15 - Could you not slice the cactus with the machete?

00:38:26 - Would you still eat cactus today?

00:40:30 - What was the wildlife situation like?

00:49:45 - How did your hunger compare to hiker hunger?

00:52:04 - Are the camera crew allowed to eat or drink around you?

00:52:36 - Do you have to think about not bending over and exposing your bare butt hole?

00:54:48 - Was there ever a time where you got a little "excited" and had to hide it?

00:56:58 - Did you ever hear creepy noises coming from African animals?

001:01:28 - What is your sleep setup?

01:02:20 - Did you guys weave blankets?

01:05:00 - How cold was it at night?

01:07:26 - What kind of security blanket do you have in terms of the medical crew?

01:17:58 - When do you get your clothes back? What is the "re-clothing" like?

01:21:20 - Did you guys ever have a moment where you were ready to throw in the towel?

01:24:08 - How do people watch your episode of Naked & Afraid?

• Discovery Channel on basic cable or Discovery+ on September 5 at 8pm.

01:26:03 - Can we talk about your PCT Experience documentary?

01:28:30 - And is this the same story we interrogated you about?

01:29:42 - What were you carrying to achieve the shots you got?

• Canon 5D Mark III Full Frame Camera

01:32:28 - When you are hiking and making a video like this, does it affect your hike?

01:36:16 - How many details can you share about the game you're developing (Far North)?

01:42:00 - Do you have to feed your person regularly?

01:45:14 - Anything else BPR listeners should be aware of?

SEGMENTS

6 Trail Foods That Never Bore Me (No Matter How Much I Eat) by Kelly Floro

Triple Crown of Dried Fruits

Gross or not gross: When does a body of water get too small to pee in?

Mail Bag

Eel Facts

5 Star Reviews

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