The Secret Naturist Handbook

[jbeegoode]

I prefer my fivetoes/five finger toe shoes, barefoot, or hauraches, dependent on terrain.
Jbee

[jbeegoode]

Here is our thread about shirts:http://freerangenaturism.com/forum/index.php?topic=6.0

[John P]

Skirts, not shirts, JBG.

I'd say your Freudian slip is showing, if it made any sense.

[jbeegoode]

skirts, shirts, they are all part of those nasty ol' impositions called clothes. Perhaps I am mearly expressing my attitude of "whatever"...

'
...or, bugger the lot...or, h and k are close on teh key pad...or,....

Okay, it is like capitalizing and spelling. I need to be clear.

[jbeegoode]

HEADGEAR: From the Secret Naturist Handbook

A simple hat or baseball cap can be useful to the secret naturist for quite a number of reasons, not all of them obvious, and should have a firm place in your secret naturist kit bag.
During cold weather they provide some protection to the head, helping to keep a large percentage of body head from escaping into the air. Interestingly, I find that wearing a warm hat will make walking naked bearable in cold weather. By preventing heat from escaping from the head, more body heat is available for the rest of the body, for keeping warm.
Conversely, in hot and sunny weather, a baseball cap provides shade from the sun, helping to keep the head cool and also for shading the eyes from direct sunlight. Spectacle wearers or those wearing sunglasses, will also find they can see much better as glare and reflections are reduced by the hat. The same applies when using binoculars.
My personal collection contains two hats, both by LoweAlpine. The first is a simple baseball cap and is used throughout the year except in cold weather when my ears suffer from the cold. It has also been treated with spray-on water-proofing to give it some degree of waterproofing for use when raining. In colder conditions, a LoweAlpine Mountain cap is used. This model has fold down sides which offer protection to the ears and is also wind and water proof and breathable.
Hints & Tips:
•   Baseball caps fold up and pack easily into a bumbag.
•   Pick a hat that folds up rather than a stiff brimmed one.
•   Avoid one size hats - adjustable are more comfortable and stay-on better.
•   Have more than one hat of different types for different conditions.
•   Spray on water-proofing keeps hats dry in the rain.
At night a baseball cap can be used to shade the eyes from light reflected from the sky or from streetlamps, thus making it easier to see the ground where you are walking. I can vouch for this method from an experience recently when descending from the some local hills at night. The glare from the street lighting below in the town made it quite difficult to see the path, particularly when walking in the direction of the streetlights. A baseball cap is the perfect answer to this problem.

[jbeegoode]

I wear my trusty converted mack . The brim shades my nose from burn. It saves on lots of squinting and sunglasses. I use a cover for my shoulders rather than a wide brim hat, which gets airborne.

A hat or cap is good to protect the thin hair spots that so many of us acquire.

I have noticed the difference when wearing a cap in the sauna more Russian style. As Lookee mentions it holds in the body heat. I notice when camping out, how much difference there is when my head is covered as I sleep. 

I chose a tan color to blend in in stealth and to reflect heat.

Baseball caps ,jus' ain't me, but m now with this beard that I'm playing with, I've gotten a couple of cracks about my "Lenin-esque" look.
Jbee

[Greenbare Woods]

I agree that a hat is beneficial to wear even when the rest of one is naked.   However I've never been a fan of ball caps.  Find a more adult hat.

[ric]

I find aaseball cap useful if I'm driving towards a low sun, it gives a better cut off than the sunvisors in the vehicle.
I find a cap or brimmed hat cuts out the skyglare so eliminates the need for sunglasses inmost conditions.main exceptions being reflections from water or cars.
My fav hat has a zipper pocket in the crown just large enough for car keys.

[BlueTrain]

My distaste for baseball caps started in the army, back when that olive-green baseball cap was standard. It was the worst of all possible military headgear, with the possible exception of the unlined beret now on issue. However, I wear one when I wear a jacket with a hood. I can wear the hood over a baseball cap and the cap keeps the hood where I want it. Otherwise I wear some kind of hat with a brim.

Once, when I had taken a nice, long, mostly nude hike up in the mountains early one spring before the leaves were out up there, I came back with a slight sunburn on my shoulders with stripes where the pack straps had been. Only time that ever happened. It's rare that I could get in any nude hiking with no leaves on the trees.

[jbeegoode]

I agree that a hat is beneficial to wear even when the rest of one is naked.   

"You Can Leave Your Hat On" Joe Cocker, of course.
Jbee

[BlueTrain]

I just noticed your line, "barefoot all over." I prefer to think "face all over."

[nuduke]

I noticed this typo in the headgear post below - made me smile

to keep a large percentage of body head from escaping into the air.

In the sun I wear a wide brimmed hat.  I discovered on holiday in California that the cowboy hat is not just a decorative idiomatic shape.  It does a good job improving my tolerance of heat and sun (although it was lesser protection in the 35-40 deg heat of Egypt).  The hat has a tall crown that provides insulation, a wide brim, and shade (opines Wikipedia!).  Mine is not so large as a stetson, made of a sort of stiff canvas and has latticed vent holes in the crown.
In the cold I wear a wooly hat and I do have a sort of peaked fur lined thing with ear muffs that untie and drop down but I don't wear that much as I look a bit of a berk in it!

John

[jbeegoode]

Warmwear: From The Secret Naturist Handbook:

If you have read most of the pages in this web site, you will have gathered that I'm an all-seasons secret naturist, being active all year round, even in the winter months. Obviously,  weather warm enough for prolonged periods of nudity during the cold winter months can be rare but good days do exist, mostly in early spring and late autumn.

This page is about selecting suitable clothing that will keep you warm during the periods of your secret naturist outing when you have to wear clothes, such as approaching and returning from the location. At the same time this clothing should also be low in weight and packed bulk for easy storage inside a bumbag.

The basis of my cold weather clothing is actually the clothing mentioned elsewhere in this section but with a few small additions and changes. The t-shirt is replaced by a long-sleeved thermal shirt by Helly Hansen. This forms the base layer, on top of which goes a North Face Expedition jersey made from Polartec 100 fleece, followed by my usual windproof Rohan jacket. If I need further warmth, then my Pertex waterproof jacket will be used. For the lower half, standard shorts with baggy longs on top are usually more than adequate for most temperatures down to freezing point.

Head and hands are next on the list to get cold weather protection. On the head goes a windproof Polartec 200 fleece hat, while hands are catered for with lightweight thermal and windproof gloves. Both items take up little space inside the bumbag when walking naked. In fact, all the above items can be carried inside the LoweAlpine Mesa Runner with the exception of The North Face jersey which is strapped on top with the compression straps. Strange as it may seem, I can easily withstand temperatures between 5 and 0 degrees C. for short periods, up to 30 minutes without wind, as long as I keep my head and ears warm!

Down at ground level, the customary sandals are replaced by sturdy approach trainers by Merrell and two pairs of thin socks are worn. When snow is lying, one pair of socks are replaced with waterproof Gore-Tex socks to keep the feet warm and dry. It's worth pointing out that the key to keeping warm is to keep moving. If you find yourself getting chilled, step up the pace a bit and get the muscles working and the blood circulating.

Information on secret naturism in cold weather can be found in the Weather section.

[jbeegoode]

Waterproofs: From The Secret Naturist Handbook

The third part of my secret naturist clothing system comprises a set of lightweight waterproofs. They were originally bought for mountain biking and other outdoor activities but are also ideal for secret naturist use. Being lightweight they are easy to carry with the bumbag and offer great protection when the weather catches you out.

I don't always carry them but they are usually with me when I take the car on outings. My main use for them is as a third set of backup clothing. They live inside a dark coloured stuff sack and I often drop them near the car as backups, particularly when I intend to hide my clothing. Knowing there is always an additional set of clothing available is great for peace of mind.

If you are looking for lightweight waterproofs, which can also be worn at other times as well, there are plenty on the market and most outdoor shops will stock a wide range. However, you do get what you pay for and I would recommend going for breathable fabrics rather than the cheapest you can find. Golf shops also carry some good examples as do running shops.

I once had a set of lightweights made from Pertex. This fabric looks like parachute nylon and weights next to nothing. It is shower proof but not waterproof and I've worn them on their own without any clothing underneath. Interestingly, you almost feel as if you are actually naked, even when wearing these items of clothing, particularly when there's a cool breeze. Actually lost them somewhere and have not found a suitable replacement yet.

[jbeegoode]

These two wrap up the "Clothing Section."

The next section in line is titled "Gear." A dozen topics of "Gear" will appear eventually.
Jbee