Luminox catches up with adventurer and brand ambassador Bear Grylls to uncover what it really takes to prepare for life in the wild. From mindset to survival essentials, Bear shares his approach to tackling the toughest terrains — and how readiness, resilience, and the right tools make all the difference when adventure calls.

⁠Bear, you’ve been to the most remote and harshest landscapes on the planet, by yourself, with military units and guests on your TV shows. Which expedition, mission or adventure sticks out as the most “on the edge” survival learning curve and why?

Every expedition teaches you a different lesson, and often the toughest moments are the ones you never forget. Climbing Everest after breaking my back in a parachuting accident, was a huge survival learning curve. Up there, every decision is life or death, and the margin for error is so small. It taught me about preparation, humility, and respecting the power of nature.

But equally, I’ve had some of my hardest learning curves with guests on Running Wild. When you’re responsible for someone else’s safety in really hostile terrain, it’s a different pressure altogether - you have to adapt fast, think on your feet, and keep their spirits high when everything in them wants to quit.

You’ve also tested gear in the harshest environments on Earth. What role does a reliable, lightweight watch play when spending long days in the wild? Is it just comfort or a reliable tool?

A watch in the wild isn’t about comfort - it’s about survival. When you’re out in the jungle, the desert, or up on a high mountain, time is everything. You need to know how much daylight you’ve got left, when to move, when to rest, when the weather might change. A lightweight, reliable watch is like a lifeline - it’s one less thing to worry about when everything else around you is unpredictable.

Can you recall an instance in the field when a piece of gear has meant the difference between comfort and survival?

I’ve seen many times where the right bit of kit has been the difference between making it through safely and being in real danger. I remember once in the subarctic, caught in a sudden whiteout with temperatures plummeting and needing to find my way off the mountain. Having a small button compass on my watch meant I could navigate even in the whiteout and make it out without drama. Because drama in those conditions kills fast.

That’s the reality about gear: You don’t need much, but what you do carry has to be reliable. One piece of solid, dependable kit can give you that margin to survive when nature turns against you.

This new series carries a classic field watch design with a highly legible dial and Luminox Light Technology. Why is instant readability day and night such a critical feature when you’re navigating or under pressure outdoors?

Because as they say in the wild when it comes to precision timing: if you can’t see the time you do the time! Look at Everest. Your cut off time to turn around on summit day with oxygen levels dwindling every minute is the difference between success and failure and life and death.

⁠And can you share a story of a time when being able to read the time in total darkness could have made—or did make—a life-saving difference?

On one of the Running Wild episodes, I was with a guest in the mountains and we had to push on well after dark to reach a safe spot. We were cliffside, the weather was closing in, and the only way to keep moving safely was to pace ourselves by time and footsteps. In pitch black with no moon, being able to glance at a watch that glows reliably without fumbling for a light was such a game-changer.

It meant we could stay on schedule, get out of danger, and keep on track. Something as simple as being able to read the time in total darkness becomes one of your most valuable tools.

⁠You’ve collaborated with Luminox for several years now. How does the new 3710 Series represent the next step in your partnership with the brand?

The partnership with Luminox has always been about building watches that you can truly rely on when the chips are down. I’ve worn their watches in deserts, jungles, and mountains, and they’ve never let me down. The new 3710 Series takes that to the next level - they are built with the same Luminox durability and reliability as the rest of the Bear Grylls range, but these are made from ALUMI-NOX which is aerospace grade aluminium, which means they are super lightweight, they’re anti-corrosive and have been specifically designed for extreme and wet landscapes.

For fans and adventurers who might be considering a new watch, what would you say makes the Bear Grylls Survival Land 3710 Series the choice for both everyday life and their next adventure?

What I love is that it’s not just a piece of kit for me - it’s something anyone can wear, whether you’re out on an expedition or just facing the everyday challenges of life. Reliability, resilience, and clarity - that’s what our survival watch is all about and I’m so proud of that.

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