Sleeping naked is warmer?

[bwg]

I've searched and found little logic or empirical data to support sleeping naked. Recently I tested a 30F down bag with about two weeks of outside sleeping with many clothing configurations, and consistently I found more layers (wool, synthetic) produced more warmth. Just a few days ago I found my legs chilled at 27F in my 30F bag when I worn only shorts; add thermal leggings (polypropylene) or athletic training pants and the chill is removed.

If in doubt about layered clothing vs. naked claim, experiment yourself. I think it would take only a few nights sleeping outside in 30F or less temperature for each reader here to establish the veracity of the naked claim for himself/herself.

[adkpiper]

I find that I sleep plenty warm with clothes on, and it makes it that much easier to get up. Although there's plenty of merit to the idea that restrictive, tight clothing will make you colder, well... restrictive anything will make you colder. And the argument is a non-starter--it's like saying that an uncomfortable backpack will make your trip less enjoyable. Yeah, okay, but not all packs are uncomfortable.

I'm definitely in the insulation-is-insulation camp. If I'm wearing some clothing that can trap any air at all, that's an insulating layer whose air pockets will stay warm. If I'm wearing no clothing, the closest air pockets are made by my skin and the sleeping bag--these are bigger pockets and more susceptible to dissipation by moving the bag around.

Now... there are some things you can do in your sleeping bag while naked that make you FAR warmer than when you're clothed. Perhaps this is what the authors mean?

[TexasRT]

Not hammock (ground dwelling due to lack of trees and not wanting to be a bear taco) related but on my first trip to Alaska I was freezing every night. Then, one of the old time guides told me to try sleeping naked in the sleeping bag. Night and day difference - I actually slept warm. He explained it from the perspective of getting too warm with under clothes (high tech polypro long johns) on and then sweating and then freezing due to moisture. He also offered a "body heat radiation" theory. What ever it was, I have always slept nude since then and usually sleep much warmer.

I'll also note that with a good bag, if you crawl in nude, you can feel the body heat radiating back at you. With insulated underwear on, you don't feel the same effect.

[cavediver2]

I have been told by some old timers (guides) that sleeping naked would keep you warmer,this maybe the case with there old type of filling in sleeping bag years ago but I am not sure that this is the case anymore. I can remember my grandfather telling me the same thing when we use to go hiking and fishing when we would camp and I would get cool he would tell me that sleeping naked i would stay warmer but as a young kid then that was not going to be an option. I think that the clothes that we were wearing back then was not conducive to keeping warm either. Now we have so many materials out there that clothing is become better and we can now stay warmer in them. I can tell you that I have been hypothermic from falling in a lake and taken off wet clothing and going naked in the sleeping bag felt wonderful though.

[Rushthezeppelin]

Well as best I can tell this is very subjective from person to person. I think I remember one person saying it changes from person to person usually due to age.

[kayak karl]

i posted before that when it went below 0* i was warm in my hammock with just briefs and a t on.
others with layers on were cold. there probably is some truth to this, but if you're going naked, stealth camp

[froldt]

I haven't tried sleeping naked in my hammock, so I can't say much about that.

I do carry a fresh set of clothes for sleeping. I've definitely noticed a (temperature) difference between wearing my hiking clothes and a fresh set. I assume this is due to the build up of body oils from the day's activities in the clothing (much more noticeable in cotton clothing). An extra shirt, boxers and pair of socks aren't too much weight for my comfortable sleep.

[Spogatz]

Isn't there a real danger of getting your man parts caught in the zipper if your naked?

[bwg]

Isn't there a real danger of getting your man parts caught in the zipper if your naked?

Maybe for some, but, sigh, not for me.

[ringtail-THFKAfood]

the whole point of this myth was started to coax young ASU freshmen into getting naked. Well, it worked for me a couple o' times.

It it worked... you were very warm for a while.

At Colorado State we used the check for ticks technique.

Sleeping naked is warmer than sleeping in the denim you hiked in all day, but not as warm as a good base layer.