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History Channel’s reality TV series Alone returned for season 10, and fans are just starting to get to know the new contestants. Some competitors seem like they’ll make it through the Western Canadian wilderness, while others are less likely to survive very long. No matter what, cast members need to remain tough to get through each day. Here’s what Alone Season 10 producer Ryan Pender said about what he looks for in competitors.

‘Alone’ Season 10 producer Ryan Pender explained what he looks for in contestants

Not just anyone could join the cast of Alone. The show puts seasoned survivalists to the test by dropping them into the wilderness with little supplies. Whoever can outlast the rest of the competition wins a monetary prize.

So, what does production look for in a potential cast member? “I always look for folks that live this,” Alone Season 10 producer Ryan Pender told Redbook. “Not just the folks that are able to do it on the weekends, like backpackers and stuff like that may not have the skills that these folks really do.”

Pender also noted that the most successful contestants have goals that expand beyond the basics of survival. “I think if you go out there thinking you know everything, and you’re just going to conserve calories and do the very basics, mentally and physically you’re kind of doomed,” he added. “I think the folks that are doing these projects to make their lives better out there and solving a problem — and not just sitting there — those are the folks that really, really do well.”

The cast members chosen to compete head to a boot camp before filming

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Signing up for Alone is one thing, but proving cast members have the skills they claim to is another. Alone Season 10 producer Ryan Pender noted potential contestants have to attend a boot camp to prove they have what it takes.

“We narrow it down from … I think this year there was like 10,000 people in our inboxes,” he told Distractify. “What we get every year changes. We narrow it down, eventually down to 40, then narrow down to about 20. We put them through a boot camp to make sure that everybody can do what they said they could do.”

The 20 contestants who go through the Alone boot camp don’t get a sneak peek of where they’re headed into the wilderness. The boot camp takes place at a different location than where the season films.

So, what happens at boot camp? Hired survival experts show the contestants various scenarios they may encounter while they survive in the wilderness. The experts evaluate the contestants based on the tasks they’re asked to accomplish. After boot camp, half of the 20 contestants are cut, and the other half move on to the actual TV show.

Fans familiar with the show might want to see what items past ‘Alone’ winners chose

Alone Season 10 fans already know what each cast member chose to take with them. Contestants can take a certain number of items into the wilderness to assist in their survival — and what they choose can make or break their experience.

Unsurprisingly, many past winners chose to take the same items. Every past winner chose to take a sleeping bag for their sleeping gear. The ferro rod, the fishing kit, and the two-quart pot were also popular items, as were the ax, saw, and knife. Most of the current competitors this season chose to take these items, so fans will have to see how they fare.

Alone Season 10 airs Thursdays at 9 p.m. ET on the History Channel.

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