# That guy who wants to play with grizzlies **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [June 22, 2000, 4:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/that-guy-who-wants-to-play-with-grizzlies/23172 "2000-06-22T04:49:04Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Marlitharn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/779978/32.png) [@Marlitharn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marlitharn)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2000, 4:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/that-guy-who-wants-to-play-with-grizzlies/23172/1 "2000-06-22T04:49:04Z")
While watching Ripley’s Believe It Or Not tonight, I saw a segment on a Canadian guy named Troy something-or-other, who has spent the last ten years trying to build a “super suit” so he can get really close to grizzly bears and not get mauled to death. He cooked up some kind of new material in his garage, using advanced polymers, quail feathers, and spider webs, among other things, coated this space-suit looking thing with it, pumped it full of compressed air, and climbed in. Then his buddies swung a 3,500 pound car at him, knocking him through a brick wall. I guess I have several questions about this behavior. 1. Why would you be interested in going out and playing with an animal that’s above you on the food chain? (Think of the Crocodile Hunter: “Right, he’s takin’ me down for a death roll now! Oh, he’s grouchy, all right!”) 2. When is he going to stop letting his friends swing cars, logs, and cement blocks at him, shoot at him, hit him with sticks, throw him off cliffs, etc., and start going out and using the suit for what he allegedly built it for, i.e. getting up close and personal with the grizzly bears? I mean, it’s been ten years! 3. According to the segment, he’s also working on some kind of chemical bear repellent. He was shown spraying black bears in the face with some kind of green spray. Aren’t black bears a protected species (I may be wrong on this), and if so, shouldn’t someone jump his ass about Macing the poor things? 4)Given that he can’t get in or out of the suit without help, can only see what’s directly in front of him while he’s in it, can barely walk, and can’t move his arms at all, how useful is the damn thing? I submit that what we have here is another daredevil who pulls publicity stunts and makes money off people’s basest desires, like the desire to watch some poor sap get mangled or killed in some gruesomely new way. What do y’all think? ---
**Author:** ![Jophiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jophiel/32/66_2.png) [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2000, 5:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/that-guy-who-wants-to-play-with-grizzlies/23172/2 "2000-06-22T05:08:31Z")
I’m afraid I can’t answer your questions, but I think I found the guy you’re asking about: [http://www.nfb.ca/E/4/suit.html](http://www.nfb.ca/E/4/suit.html) ---
**Author:** ![Gunslinger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/4491bb/32.png) [@Gunslinger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gunslinger)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2000, 5:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/that-guy-who-wants-to-play-with-grizzlies/23172/3 "2000-06-22T05:13:21Z")
I think he has admitted that the current (there have been many prototypes) version is rather impractical for it intended purpose for 2 reasons: 1. Marlitharn’s point #4, and 2. bears seem to be scared of the thing. They run away from it. ---
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2000, 5:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/that-guy-who-wants-to-play-with-grizzlies/23172/4 "2000-06-22T05:36:51Z")
> [@](#): > > \*\* > I’m afraid I can’t answer your questions, but I think I found the guy you’re asking about: > [http://www.nfb.ca/E/4/suit.html](http://www.nfb.ca/E/4/suit.html) > > * * * > > “I guess one person can make a difference, although most of the time they probably shouldn’t.” > \*\* I viewed this link and never was your tag line more apropos. I really wonder about the “Fireproof rubber exterior from Minnesota” … is the Grizzly packing a flame thrower? I’m waiting for this “adventurer” to meet up with a very nearsighted male grizzly “in the mood”. “Growl!! Hufffa! Hufffa!..Man she’s ugly but what the hey!!! Huffa… Huffa… Growl!” “Aiiiieeee. Oh God no!!! I never bothered to armor that section.” ---
**Author:** ![eggo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/c4cdca/32.png) [@eggo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eggo)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2000, 5:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/that-guy-who-wants-to-play-with-grizzlies/23172/5 "2000-06-22T05:53:09Z")
i don’t know, but i think this would be a great anti-bomb suit, you’d have to do without the hand covers, but bomb squads would like this i’m sure. ---
**Author:** ![JBurton99](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ea5d25/32.png) [@JBurton99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JBurton99)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2000, 8:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/that-guy-who-wants-to-play-with-grizzlies/23172/6 "2000-06-22T08:27:38Z")
Hmmm, i dunno about you guys, but i think we should keep tabs on this nut case. He sounds like he going for a Darwin Award. [http://www.darwinawards.com](http://www.darwinawards.com) Personally, i’d love to see him get it by the male bear up the arse for macing the poor critters. :wally ---
**Author:** ![Milton\_De\_La\_Warre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e480ec/32.png) [@Milton\_De\_La\_Warre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Milton_De_La_Warre)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2000, 5:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/that-guy-who-wants-to-play-with-grizzlies/23172/7 "2000-06-22T17:34:11Z")
In California, at one time (before they killed off most of the bears) there was a sport of sorts called “hugging the bear” which the vaqueros supposedly invented. One horseman would lasso one front paw, and another horseman would get the other. A third very brave and/or stupid guy would approach the bear and try to kill it with a bowie-type knife. If there was any slack in the ropes holding the front paws, the bear could easily kill the moron with the knife. ---
**Author:** ![Mousseduck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ecc23a/32.png) [@Mousseduck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mousseduck)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2000, 5:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/that-guy-who-wants-to-play-with-grizzlies/23172/8 "2000-06-22T17:48:17Z")
> [@](#): > > I really wonder about the “Fireproof rubber exterior from Minnesota” … is the Grizzly packing a flame thrower? It’s in case you fall into the campfire struggling to get into the suit while a really angry bear is charging at top speed toward you because some idiot sprayed it with mace. ---
**Author:** ![Smeghead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f1d935/32.png) [@Smeghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smeghead)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2000, 1:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/that-guy-who-wants-to-play-with-grizzlies/23172/9 "2000-06-23T01:22:11Z")
I just have one simple request: some angry grizzly bears with flamethrowers attached to their heads. But now my Cycloptic colleague tells me apparently this is not possible. Throw me a frickin’ bone here, people! We do have some mutant rabbits. Are they ill-tempered? It’s the most foul-tempered rodent you’ve ever seen! It’s got huge fangs like this… ---
**Author:** ![tennents](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/fbc32d/32.png) [@tennents](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tennents)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2000, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/that-guy-who-wants-to-play-with-grizzlies/23172/10 "2000-06-27T19:01:31Z")
as far as i am aware black bears arent protected species and so there isnt a problem with that. the suit searves a purpose, i mean how else are you going to study the bear in its natural environment. being fire proof is just a bonus, the suit can serve many other purposes then protecting one from bears, it has potential in law enforcement and rescue. anywas just check out the nfb site for more info [http://www.nfb.ca/projectgrizzly/](http://www.nfb.ca/projectgrizzly/) ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2000, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/that-guy-who-wants-to-play-with-grizzlies/23172/11 "2000-06-27T19:20:25Z")
How, precisely, are you studying a bear in its natural habitat when you’re chasing it around in a gigantic space suit? I somehow do not think a bear’s behaviour towards someone dressed as “Captain Adams, Space Dork” is reflective of its natural behaviour. If you want to study bears, take a freakin’ camera or a pair of binoculars so you can see it up close without actually standing next to it. Anyone dumb enough to walk up to a vicious animal the size of a small automobile deserves what he gets. I think Bear Suit Man has taken a few too many blows to the head. ---
**Author:** ![Philbuck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/e9a140/32.png) [@Philbuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Philbuck)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2000, 9:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/that-guy-who-wants-to-play-with-grizzlies/23172/12 "2000-06-27T21:13:35Z")
> [@](#): > > He sounds like he going for a Darwin Award Well, he’s already won an Ig Nobel: [http://www.improbable.com/ig/ig-pastwinners.html#ig1998](http://www.improbable.com/ig/ig-pastwinners.html#ig1998) I’ve seen parts of that video. Regardless of how idiotic, silly, etc. it all is, it’s well worth it to see him get hit by a pickup, or whaled on by bikers… ---
**Author:** ![Groundskeeper\_Willie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/eb9ed0/32.png) [@Groundskeeper\_Willie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Groundskeeper_Willie)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2000, 12:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/that-guy-who-wants-to-play-with-grizzlies/23172/13 "2000-06-28T00:32:36Z")
I think you people are being too hard on this guy. Sure his ‘hobby’ is unusual but its his own money, effort, and time he’s expending. Do you also laugh at people with other unusual hobbies, such as building catapults _Look at this loser! Thinks he’s in the middle ages! I hope he gets brained by one of his own projectiles!_ or launching model rockets? _What a dumbass! I hope a rocket moter explodes in his face!_ Bill