Shelter
Shelter (noun): A building, tent or temporary structure or natural formation which gives protection from bad weather, danger or attack.
Camping also incorporates both survival and glamping to some degree, on a sliding scale. Some equipment which would be ideal in a survival situation will also serve just as well for somebody who is enjoying glamping holiday or camping trip. That said, much of the equipment a glamper may enjoy is going to be either unavailable or an unnecessary burden for somebody who finds themselves in a survival situation or undertaking an expedition where they have to carry all of their own equipment for many miles on multi-day trips. Our handy scale is illustrated below and will be used to show where we think various activities sit on the spectrum.
Glamping
Be it a fabulous canvas pavilion, geodesic dome or beautifully converted shepherds caravan, glamping is an amazing way to connect with the great outdoors. However, it is also about doing so in absolute comfort, with beautifully appointed accommodations and normally with a unique style and class.
You are unlikely to be hiking with a glamping set up, so this is definitely going to need a large car or trailer to move your site (if you have your own gear). Alternatively, there are numerous places where you can book a stay in a pre-built glamping accommodation. These often come with wood fired hot tubs, electricity, fires or other sources of heating.
Camping
Tents come in all shapes and sizes to meet varying needs. These start from single person bivi-shelters constructed from lightweight materials, designed to fold away into a small light package which can easily be carried long distances in a rucksack. Larger tents can still be carried by one person, or broken down into sections to be carried as multiple loads that can be shared by a group. Tents made from more robust materials such as those made from canvas can be far heavier, making them less suitable for carrying over long journeys, but if space and weight aren't an issue then there are many comfortable and spacious options.
Survival
N.B. SURVIVAL ACTIVITIES CAN BE DANGEROUS AND SHOULD NOT BE ATTEMPTED WITHOUT PROPER TRAINING AND EQUIPMENT.
When it comes to shelter in a survival situation, at the most basic level, we are looking for a place to keep the rain and wind off. This could be a tarp strung up between trees, an A-frame of branches, sticks & boughs, a burrow dug into the ground or an igloo! With time and the right tools & equipment more elaborate shelters can be built which offer protection to a greater degree with fires and insulation.
Various organisations offer survival training courses about how to survive in the wild. Many of these will cover: building shelters; lighting fires; finding safe water & sources of food.