Something that has been overlooked. The Americans took on the final test as well rested and well fed soldiers. More importantly, the actual SAS candidates had already endured 4 weeks of brutal testing before this final yomp.

America's eternal weakness. They overestimate themselves and underestimate everybody else.

I was part of a Territorial Army winter warfare course.  Four regular US green berets joined us but all dropped out before the end of the exercise.

I was born in Crickhowell army base hospital my father trained the SAS and lead them on excises. The 1st Welch regiment

The traning for Royal Marines & para's would be classified as elite in the usa

I used to camp there back in the day ! Its tough and unforgiving terrain .
The nights felt spooky like we were being watched (whilst we slept in our tent) 😮

The UK weather (especially in Scotland) is what makes our soldiers super tough, we've been born into it for countless generations. Our Marines train in the Nevis area of Scotland, a very tough region and the winter conditions will reduce you to tears, if you are not used to it.

I have done this as a tourist. I only had a day sack and it was brutal. We passed SAS guys. Gave a nod and a big smile. It is Left-tenant in the UK and Commonwealth.

People really do die walking on the breacon beacons, it can be sunny then change, wind, hard sideways rain in the face, and fog. Sp you cant see much coming down rocky slopes can be fatal.

I enjoyed walking Pen-y-Fan years ago. Very picturesque with beautiful views.  Miserable when raining though.

and thats the summer . even the slugs have vitamin D deficiency.

Look at 7.50.  In the photo why does the scale have a reading of 0 when a bergen is hanging from it?

Old pictures with my favourite weapon, the SLR.

Seals would finish SBS water training as they will not be able to cope with the cold conditions.

The Australian Army has two companies of SAS. One is on deployment and one is back home resting. One 500 troops, less than ten are commissioned officers. The SASR are the embodiment of an NCO led unit, where the sergeant major and regimental sergeant major are the top of the combat field structure. To join the SASR its an invitation only process where you will have already had a stellar career in Special Forces for some years. You will be 25-35 and when you are approached to try for selection you only have a 5% chance of making it through.  That process can take a year. When you join you have the option of assuming a new identity or retaining your own. Everybody starts as a private again, but the pay and allowances are on a separate tier. You have 5 year tours with the option by invitation for another five, but over the age of 35 is considered risky due to the accumulation of injuries. The only higher trained and more capable are the RAN Clearance Diving Team. This team has only 16 members and are on another level again. Their identities are kept secret. They are a bit like the SBS in Britain and its run by the Navy.

The Brecon Beacons in south Wales are barren and unforgiving. Rainfall in the east part of the UK is some 900mmm (35 inches) a year, in the west part of the UK (Wales) it is double or more, 1800mm (near 71 inches) a year. Weather conditions can change very quickly as most of the prevailing UK weather comes in  from the west. The first bit of land it hits is Wales and it is happy to dump cold, heavy rain for hours and hours, day after day. Pen y Fan mountain in the Brecon Beacons is the highest peak in South Wales at 886 metres (2,907 ft) above sea-level. There are several well worn paths up, I've done it myself a couple of times. The SAS do not use the well known public paths, they use the most deserted, toughest unforgiving areas of the vast area, there is nothing in the way of trees easily recognisable landmarks or shelter of any sort, it is tough and wild.

Ah yes, the "sickeners!"

Just looking at that terrain scares me.

Brecon Beacons is one place I spent a lot of time then I was a young man and to this day still with me cold wet and more cold and more wet up and down not should if doing good of bad  I still hate that place to this day .

Just a Thursday morning