I have no delusions of whether or not Les Stroud is more "fake" than real - I understand it is television and meant for Entertainment first and Education second.

With that said, I've watched all of Survivorman and one episode stands out to me the most always:

Les was dropped off in a desolate area of Yellowstone. He set up his base camp as normal etc.. and went looking for water. He "found" a waterhole something like 6 or 8 hour hike away from his camp and he stocked up on water and then went back. He took that hike 1 more time for more water the next day and when he returned he started talking about how it was too taxing to walk that far for water and such and he wasn't sure if he wanted to stay the entire 7 days because he genuinely seemed a bit concerned.

On day 6, a day short, he packed up and said he was hiking out and that he didn't want to risk the long trip all day just to find water. When he got to the spot where he was going to actually have to climb up the side of a pretty steep cliff to get back out he flat out explained that normally when filming, he would make the trip twice; Once so the camera could actually see him climbing out, then he would have to climb back down to get his camera and do it all over again. He said he didn't have the energy to come back for it this time and he'd send the crew to retrieve it.

Now I KNOW this could all have been staged as well. I just don't think it was as staged as people think. I believe enough of the show to believe that his camera team is set up at least a few miles away from him to let him be but close enough that in a real actual emergency they're close enough to help him out.