Matt Wright
Matt Wright isn’t just the biggest star to emerge from Discovery Channel’s wildly successful “Naked & Afraid” franchise, having won the title and survived four different forays into the wilderness on the daunting show. He’s also an U.S. Military Veteran, survivalist and co-owner and knife maker of Extreme Instinct knives, that he founded in 2005. And one of the better big-game hunters, bow-fishers and fisherman in North America, too boot. In other words, he’s just a tad bit talented across multiple fronts.
Married to fellow EHG Tribe pro staffer Brooke Benham-Wright, Matt is used to pushing his gear and himself to the limits.
“After multiple commercially made knives failed to perform, I decided to take things into my own hands (with Extreme Instinct),” said Wright. “I now make knives and gear guaranteed to meet any demand and come out shining.
“As a veteran of the U.S. military my training ingrained a further understanding for the importance in gear you can trust. The only way to continue to innovate and improve gear is to test it to the max. Here at Extreme Instinct we do just that. Whether guiding hunters or teaching survival we push our gear to the limits.”
Most recently, Matt went on the ultimate survival challenge on TV. He was sent out on Discovery Channel’s Naked and Afraid 40 Day XL 4 challenge in Africa, completely solo. Prior to this epic adventure, he was in the Amazon jungle on Naked and Afraid XL 3 and also spent 21 days in the Thailand jungle.
Matt’s epic adventures have been featured in a number of magazines, newspapers, podcasts and TV shows:
Knives Illustrated – May/June 2019
Naked and Afraid – Season 10, Ep. 7 – “Stomping Grounds”
People Magazine: First Married Couple to Take on Naked and Afraid
Naked and Afraid XL SAVAGE Series
Savage Journey on Discovery Channel
Solo on Naked and Afraid XL All-Stars
Transition Wild Podcast: Naked And Afraid Survival
People Magazine: Surviving the Most Dangerous Challenge
People Magazine: Alone in Africa 40 Days
Wilderness Attitude Podcast Part 1
Wilderness Attitude Podcast Part 2
People Magazine – Hunting & Survival
Lakewood Sentinel
Denver Westword
Naked and Afraid XL 3 Preview
WCIU Chicago TV
WGN Chicago Radio
People Magazine Wedding
Season 6, Episode 8: Hell or High Water
“There was no better chance to take the skills I teach and the gear I make than on the ultimate test. Naked, with only my knife in hand, I gained a greater appreciation for a sharp knife and the skills to be prepared”
– Matt Wright
