You never get a second chance to make a first impression, or so the saying goes, but how does a beard really alter people's perceptions of it's wearer?

Sexy beards

Secondary sex characteristics are features that appear during puberty which are not directly part of the reproductive system.

They are believed to be the product of sexual selection for traits which give an individual an advantage over its rivals in courtship and aggressive interactions. 

Facial hair in men is a secondary sex characteristic. Recent studies concluded that when shown a range of images of men in various stages of beardedness and non-beardedness, “heavy stubble” (the mid-point between clean-shaven and fully bearded) was deemed to be the most attractive stage.

In the most basic terms this is because clean-shaven men are seen as adolescent, fully bearded men are seen as dominant father figures, while heavy-stubblers are perceived as being in their sexual (and therefore reproductive) prime.

Except, we're not animals, right? We're not so easily swayed by these simple biological cues, even if scientific studies seem to suggest that we absolutely, demonstrably are. I mean it's not like stubble-faced celebrities are always deemed to be at their hottest... oh wait, yes they are. 

Well okay, but it's not as though as soon as I became a father I grew a full beard... oh, yes I did, actually. Right.

Dependable beards

Don't get too smug, stubble-face, because the same biological cues that may be setting hearts a-flutter could be working against you in other ways. In employment, for example.

A capable clean-shaven job applicant may be, at worst, viewed as inexperienced on some level, but malleable also and willing to conform and “fit in”.

A fully-bearded capable job applicant may be, at worst, seen as a person with their own opinions and values, but they are competent, mature, and dependable.

Stubble, on the other hand, may be seen as a sign of an applicant simply having not made the effort to shave (and therefore simple laziness, or disregard), or else vanity and self-importance (therefore not a “team player”).

Also, how are you going to get any work done when you're so busy being sexy? No thanks. Get out of my office stubble-face! 

Real life beards

“So, what about all these young hipsters with their massive beards?” I hear you ask, “How do they fit in to this?”.

The cliché of a hipster is someone who liked anything and everything before it was cool; they've been there and done that long before you.

Nothing visually conveys “my experience vastly outweighs yours, I have been around for ages” more succinctly than a lengthy beard.

Biologically speaking, young men with large beards could be seen as overstepping the mark and making themselves appear less available as reproductive partners, but they are also making themselves seem more reliable, and self-assured than their beardless peers.

It could be argued that these characteristics are actually more important in the 21st century than the ability to reproduce.

It's also worth considering the fact that men can remain fertile into their 80s, so a beard – even a grey one – isn't so much a signal of a male past their prime, as it is a sign of true maturity.

Think of a stag and it's antlers, or a bull elephant and it's tusks;  these are secondary sex characteristics, just like beards, and they continue to grow throughout the animal's life.

Although facial hair may be considered to be in fashion right now there will, inevitably, come a time when beards are not cool.

You know what though? Some men will still have beards, because some of us just hate shaving. Oh, and we're really dependable and self-assured too, obviously.

John Reppion

On the 5th of January 1922, Ernest Shackleton the legendary adventurer who thrilled Britain in the early stages of the 20th century died.

To mark the occasion we have decided to tip our woolly hat to certainly one of the greatest Mountain Men the world has ever seen. Shackleton was a hero who exuded cool even in the chilliest of temperatures, and whose daring and courageous feats deserve to be immortalised forever.

He was a charmer, he was handsome, and a natural leader of men. For many, he was the greatest Polar explorer of the 20th Century.

His most daring adventure, an attempt to cross Antarctica in 1911, perfectly sums up both his strengths and character. In the midst of their daring mission, Shackleton’s expedition ship Endurance found itself in a spot of bother. Stuck in the ice, the 28-man crew were trapped and unable to move free.

The mission was clearly over, but far more importantly, lives were on the line.

As the cold set in, food supplies began to dwindle and certain death stared them in the face. As the end became a reality, Ernest pulled up his boot straps and headed out into the night on a small open boat.

With just five others on board, Shackleton was able to sail to South Georgia and get a rescue team together. The plan worked, as not a man on his crew was lost, and all 28 made it to safety.

The greatest can still have flaws however. ‘The impression I’ve got of Ernest and his expeditions,” said mountaineer Stephen Venables, “is that things were rather thrown together at the last minute and usually short of cash.”

Surely this just adds to the legend though? Ernest was the man in the pub everybody wanted to listen to and buy a drink for. That smile, and that daring, and before you know it, you’ve agreed to partake in his mad plans. Next thing you’re on a boat heading to the South Pole.

Like all good Mountain Men he was a man of action. Stuck in the ice? No problem when you have a smiling Shackleton turning around to you and saying ‘not to worry lads, I’ll go and get some help, shan’t be long.”

Legend has it that after returning to England, Shackleton told his wife, “I thought you would prefer a live donkey to a dead lion.”

Indeed, The real reason Shackleton had turned back on that ill-fated trip in 1911 was because the expedition was running out of food. There was a chance they wouldn’t make it, and so he made the decision to give up on his dreams. He always put the lives of his men first.

Let’s raise a glass to Ernest Shackleton, a true Mountain Man if there ever was one.

If there is one thing that Mountain Men has taught us, it’s that when it gets cold, a real hero will deal with the situation.

This week, our search for the world’s greatest Mountain Men takes a gruesome turn with arguably Britain’s greatest living explorer, as we take a look at a heroic, yet barbaric moment from national treasure, Sir Ranulph Fiennes.

After attempting to walk alone and unsupported to the North Pole, Fiennes suffered severe frostbite to his fingers. The pain was unbearable, even for a seasoned explorer like Fiennes.

Fiennes had been a member of the British Army, had conquered glaciers and found lost cities, but his frozen fingers created a living hell.

“They [doctors] don’t operate or amputate properly until five months after the accident, so, to stop the pain, I bought a black and decker and a micro blade,” said Fiennes.

“I went to my garden and my wife bought me cups of tea. It took two days to get through the thumb.”

In a later interview with the BBC, Fiennes candidly told the presenter, “My late wife said I was getting very irritable,” and you can understand his undoubted frustration.

Welcome to the world of Sir Ranulph Fiennes, fearless, brave, spontaneous, self-sufficient, trusting and damn right mad. By the end of the ordeal, Fiennes had removed every tip from every finger on his left hand.

It’s not just lost fingers that he’s known for however. His list of achievements includes being the first and only man to circumnavigate the earth through both poles, the first man to walk across the Antarctica unsupported, and he’s also run seven marathons in seven days on seven continents.

Like all great Mountain Men, there is a timelessness to Fiennes. At his very core, he’s an explorer who would be as comfortable in Colombus’ crew that sailed the Atlantic as he would in Shackleton’s Antarctic team. For Fiennes, it’s about the adventure and the challenge of the unknown.

So forget James Franco in 127 Hours, there’s something very relatable to Fiennes’ finger horror story. The trip to B&Q, the English garden, the cups of tea, this is a world we know. Fiennes is not so different from you or me.

Mountain Men has returned to BLAZE weeknights at 10pm, and the threat of the wild is once again attempting to devour the brave boys.

The Mountain Men know that nature can be cruel and that out in the wilderness a man can easily find himself sliding a step or two down the food chain. So what should you do if you find yourself face to fang with one of our most ancient and deadly rivals? How do you survive a wolf attack? 

If you find yourself unexpectedly faced with a wolf, your first priority is preventing this from escalating into an attack situation. Avoid making eye contact with the wolf as they interpret this as challenging or threatening behaviour.

Avoid showing your teeth for the same reason.  Lower your head and bow slightly – the wolf will see this as a submissive and non-threatening behaviour. Back away slowly but do not turn your back on the wolf. Fight the urge to turn and run – if the wolf sees you running, it sees you as prey. You cannot outrun a wolf. 

If the wolf begins snarling, snapping and lunging towards you, you need to switch from submissive and non-threatening behaviour to asserting yourself and showing the beast that you are not an easy target. Hold your arms up, draw yourself up to your full height, and shout loudly and aggressively. If you have stones or other objects to hand then throw them. In this situation it is highly unlikely you will be able to actually face a wolf down or scare it off completely – what you are aiming for is to make the creature back off so that you can continue to make your escape. 

Try to get to a group of people. Wolves are much more likely to attack a lone individual than a group of people. If you find yourself in a group and under attack by a wolf, or pack of wolves, group yourselves together with children, elderly, or injured persons at the centre of the group. Stay together; if an individual breaks from the group, the wolf’s instinct will compel it to hunt that person.

Head for a fire. Wolves hate fire and a smoky campfire will discourage a wolf from coming too near.

If you are alone, climb a tree. Wolves cannot climb trees. You may be in for a long wait however, and could find yourself surrounded by a full wolf pack in time. Still, a long wait up a tree is still better than being attacked. 

If the wolf is on you before you can escape, it is recommended that you curl into a foetal position, hiding your face and taking care to cover your neck with your arms as thoroughly as possible. Wolves go for the neck and throat when they attack. You will be bitten but you stand a much better chance of surviving. As soon as you are able to do so, try to get back up on your feet and once again challenge the wolf as in Step 2. 

If the wolf is not backing off and you have no opportunity for escape, use anything you have to hand to strike at the creature. Aim for the face and its nose in particular as this is highly sensitive and a well placed blow can stun the animal. Once again you are looking to show the animal that you are a threat and not an easy kill. If you can demonstrate this clearly enough it is still possible that the wolf may retreat. In 2005 a Saskatchewan man named Fred Desjarlais got a wolf that attacked him in a headlock before a group of his co-workers helped to chase it away. Some biologists recommend making a fist with your hand and shoving it down the wolf’s throat to prevent it from biting; if a wolf can’t breathe, it should decide that attacking you isn’t worth the effort.

Failing that, I’m afraid it’s kill or be killed.