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**barelybob** · 02-13-2003, 02:09 AM

This time of year there are a lot of comments concerning the weather. Particularly from those of us who reside in the less than balmy areas, but I find it interesting how well we adapt.
I am restoring an old Gibson tractor. Yesterday I was hammering rust from a tire rim (at least until the retaining spring on my air hammer broke). Since the sun was out, I was working outside my shop in my normal natural state. Sitting in the sun during a beer break, I was thinking how nice and warm it felt. We have been having a very mild winter, but 52.6 degrees (F) would feel cold in the summer.
I have made snow angels au naturel, and go out to warm up the shop wearing nothing no matter the temperature, but I don't feel I have a particular tolerance.
I would be interested in any comments and/or experiences in relation to this. [img]/infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif[/img] [img]/infopop/emoticons/icon_wink.gif[/img]

**Vin** · 02-13-2003, 05:00 AM

quote:
Originally posted by barelybob:
[qb]This time of year there are a lot of comments concerning the weather....

I would be interested in any comments and/or experiences in relation to this. [img]/infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif[/img] [img]/infopop/emoticons/icon_wink.gif[/img] [/qb]

I've been hiking a few times with temps in the 50s. If you are in the sun and/or moving, it's nice. I wouldn't want to be just sitting around on a cloudy day, though. Those can be unpleasant even when you're dressed.

**Guest** · 02-13-2003, 06:45 AM

BB..I had the experience Of ssnowshoeing naked in 4ft of snow in Jan and like you ..I was not cold..The temp probably approached 50F but with the sun out and no wind It felt remarkably warm...Must have something to do with our mindset...and adrenalin...also the exercise.. versus siting and resting....Keep warm! [img]/infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif[/img]

**theoldman** · 02-13-2003, 07:12 AM

Anybody see the piece about the woman swimming a mile in the Antarctic Ocean on TV Wed., Feb. 12. I guess any of us who think we can endure cold weather while naked can't hold a candle to her!

**Trailscout** · 02-13-2003, 08:46 AM

I have often wondered what parts of the earth inherently have ideal conditions for humans to live nude without benefit of clothing or fire, just shelter from rain only.

I think there is likely some variability of tolerance within humankind.

The ancestors of modern Europeans lost most of their sun-protective pigment when they left subtropical Asia and Africa, but their skin has more sebaceous glands per square inch to help withstand damp cold. Australian aboriginals have a unique biomechanism for keeping warm in desert nights, pumping heat to their extremities. This system allows them to sleep through moderately chilly nights without clothing. All other humans shunt blood away from extremities. That may aid survival in extreme cold.

On the Georgia coast I have slept nude without blankets or sheets on warm summer nights. Where the nights never get below 80 degrees, sleeping nude in a hammock is more comfortable than anything else.

I saw a nature show on television not long ago. A man and woman were attempting to follow a troup of chimpanzees, hoping to discover the original human lifestyle at its most primitive. They were wearing shorts and tee shirts. (Even that was too hot for comfort).

Their conclusions:
Humans need much more water than chimps.
Sleeping on the ground is not an option in the rainforest, but humans are highly adapted for life on the ground and go to the trees only to escape predators or gather food in the lower branches.
We appear to be a semi-aquatic species adapted to life near water.
Humans are not capable of being as mobile as chimps. Humans still had to wander all day through the rainforest to find seasonally available fruits and nuts.

It occured to me that humans might be better suited to the edge of forests or open woodlands rather than tropical rainforests.

Pardon me for expanding the topic beyond the original scope, but questions about how we adapt to changes in temperature beg further questions about the original ecological niche of nude pre-technology humans.

**barelybob** · 02-13-2003, 01:07 PM

Trailscout, don't apologize. This is exactly what I was looking for. I do like a change in pace on these forums.

According to anthropologists, we came out of the trees, on two legs, so that we could get onto the open spaces to retrieve food and retreat quickly to the protection of the trees. [img]/infopop/emoticons/icon_wink.gif[/img]

**brainyguy9999** · 02-13-2003, 02:11 PM

To stay nude during the winter and to control my heating costs, I turn the thermostat down gradually over several weeks. I now have the thermostat at 65F and, although the daytime heating has warmed the place to 68F, I am comfortably nude. I probably won't let the temperature go any lower than 65F now that springtime is coming on. I had to adjust gradually to this temperature over several weeks. During the end of last summer's season I shiverred when I saw a forecast with the daytime high less than 75F!! I probably would have adapted much quicker if I didn't have to go to work every day, though. I'll have to work on that. [img]/infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif[/img]

Sometimes my friends come over and I have to turn the heat up a bit to make them comfortable. I'm not yet comfortable being nude around them yet so I usually put on a pair of shorts and a t-shirt. I think it is funny that they will be wearing jeans and sweaters and complaining that it is too cold while I'm wearing shorts and a t-shirt and am on the verge of breaking into a sweat.

I can't wait for the temperatures outside to warm up some so I can go back to Timberline resort in East Tennessee.

Stay nude.

bg

**fns** · 02-13-2003, 03:03 PM

I have also snowshoed nude, temps in the 30's. We all have a different tolerance due to metabolism, body fat, etc. However, I doubt we differ much when it comes to frostbite, so that is something to watch out for. Plus hypothermia. But as long as a person doesn't go to the extreme, getting some outdoor time nude in the cold is probably a good thing, sure is invigorating.

**missouriboy** · 02-14-2003, 06:39 AM

You can actually better tolerate some chilly weather while nude than when partially clothed. Your skin is an organ (the largest organ of the body) and works at its highest efficiency when exposed equally and evenly to your environment. When the entire organ is stimulated to absorb heat, rather than just a small percentage of it, you can be comfortable in surprisingly lower temperatures.

The converse is also true for cooling in the higher temperatures.

**theoldman** · 02-14-2003, 09:29 AM

quote:
Originally posted by yfenni:
[qb]
quote:
Originally posted by theoldman:
[qb]Anybody see the piece about the woman swimming a mile in the Antarctic Ocean on TV Wed., Feb. 12. I guess any of us who think we can endure cold weather while naked can't hold a candle to her![/qb]
But she wasn't naked![/qb]

**theoldman** · 02-14-2003, 09:32 AM

quote:
Originally posted by theoldman:
[qb]
quote:
Originally posted by yfenni:
[qb]
quote:
Originally posted by theoldman:
[qb]Anybody see the piece about the woman swimming a mile in the Antarctic Ocean on TV Wed., Feb. 12. I guess any of us who think we can endure cold weather while naked can't hold a candle to her![/qb]
But she wasn't naked![/qb]
[/qb]

NO, she wasn't, but in water at 32*F (0*C) what she had on was no protection. Body fat was the insulator so they said.

**Nude in the North** · 02-14-2003, 01:12 PM

I like to run out to start my car in the morning before I get dressed for work.
When the temps dip below 0 degrees 'F' it sure wakes you up quick.

Steve

**EricNY** · 02-14-2003, 01:30 PM

I find the cold weather exhillerating. I noticed by the end of the winter I can tolerate more cold than in the beginning
I have sat outside with snow all around, a couple times even shoveled the back deck in the nude.

In the winter when we are all covered up by layers of clothes most of the time, I beleive it does the body good to expose it to the crisp, clean air.

**Snoboy** · 02-14-2003, 02:04 PM

Nude-in-the-North -- I too live in the far North and running out to my car could cause serious problems...FROSTICLES. [img]/infopop/emoticons/icon_eek.gif[/img] [img]/infopop/emoticons/icon_wink.gif[/img] [img]/infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif[/img]

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