Is sleeping without a shelter safe for health?

[John Fenna]

Define "shelter" - even the clothing you stand in shelters you to some degree....
Kipping out in the buff could prove less than comfortable....
A bivvi bag is a shelter from rain and dew: a sleeping bag is shelter from the cold ... how far are you meaning to go?

 

[santaman2000]

Define "shelter" - even the clothing you stand in shelters you to some degree....
Kipping out in the buff could prove less than comfortable....
A bivvi bag is a shelter from rain and dew: a sleeping bag is shelter from the cold ... how far are you meaning to go?

After reading the posts mentioning tarps and umbrellas, I was wondering the same thing.

 

[bearbait]

As well a bivi bag being a shelter from rain and dew it is my experience that a bivi bag will will "add" maybe half a season or so to your sleeping bag/blanket/whatever by virtue of the still air it traps next to you/your bag, especially noticeable if bivi-ing in an an exposed or windy place.

 

[Robson Valley]

Some days are diamonds and some days are dirt.
Most of that depends on whether I get a good (aka undisturbed) night's sleep.
I plan to be covered up = snug, if not cozy.
I can't see as I'd be harmed by sprawling in the dead leaves, just uncomfortable.

It's very buggy and beary in our summer months but at least we have very long warm days.
Pretty dark by suppertime now. On the solstice, the sun will go behind the mountains to my West,
earliest I've noted was 1:52PM = long dark evenings.

 

[boatman]

When a person was lost on the hills or wherever years ago they were often, when found, said to be suffering from exposure. This was never defined and I still don't know what it means, hypothermia being the only thing I can think of as dangerous if you are in the open. Sunburn as well I suppose.

 

[Robson Valley]

Lots of places, snow blindness can and will incapacitate people to make escape travel impossible.

 

[santaman2000]

When a person was lost on the hills or wherever years ago they were often, when found, said to be suffering from exposure. This was never defined and I still don't know what it means, hypothermia being the only thing I can think of as dangerous if you are in the open. Sunburn as well I suppose.

Or heat stroke.

 

[dewi]

Define "shelter" - even the clothing you stand in shelters you to some degree....
Kipping out in the buff could prove less than comfortable....
A bivvi bag is a shelter from rain and dew: a sleeping bag is shelter from the cold ... how far are you meaning to go?

Naked outdoor pursuits... there is a fella on YouTube that has done just that (well, he wore a loin cloth for decency) and not just in the summer months... he went out in minus conditions naked and survived quite well, although not exactly comfortably.

The human race has spent most of its existence living outdoors and its survived, but John is right, define shelter? Are you going to sleep under a tree? That is shelter. In a hollow on a hillside? Arguably shelter. Even a loin cloth is technically shelter.

Personal opinion, unless you know what you're doing, no shelter can lead to a very uncomfortable night. You'll likely survive the night, but you're not going to be a happy bunny in the morning. I love laying back looking up at the stars, or even the clouds... but at the same time I love wrapping a blanket round me and sleeping in a hammock. Might be a tad difficult on Dartmoor with a hammock though

 

[Janne]

I realise that the wording of the topic's title is too generic. I am talking about sleeping outside in September-October, when there's almost no risk of raining.

Yes, perfectly safe. As long as you are warm, or you might catch a cold or worse.

 

[Lancer165l]

Several years in my youth as a soldier, sleeping in a hollow, or shell scrape, or under a poncho in the days before gore tex, did me no harm.
Once we could get hold of arctic sleeping bag covers (pu coated nylon) that was a game changer, and when MVP (gore tex) bivi bags came in it was a quantum leap in comfort.

Now I'm 61 I would not be tempted,but I was camping out in a tent last week!

 

[boatman]

68 years-old was my last time so far and it was wonderful. Age is no bar.

 

[Janne]

68 years-old was my last time so far and it was wonderful. Age is no bar.

Yes it is. You need to be agile enough to be able to pick yourself up from the ground in the morning.

 

[boatman]

Yes it is. You need to be agile enough to be able to pick yourself up from the ground in the morning.

Funny thing is that if I kneel down to retrieve a dropped something it is an effort to stand up but if I am sleeping in a sleeping bag in a tent as I was doing at a, non-bushcraft, meet at the beginning of this September I can be out and up with no effort. Sometimes with some urgency as older members will understand.

 

[rancid badger]

Several years in my youth as a soldier, sleeping in a hollow, or shell scrape, or under a poncho in the days before gore tex, did me no harm.
Once we could get hold of arctic sleeping bag covers (pu coated nylon) that was a game changer, and when MVP (gore tex) bivi bags came in it was a quantum leap in comfort.

Now I'm 61 I would not be tempted,but I was camping out in a tent last week!

What he said apart from the age bit, more than several years and the not being "tempted".

These days I'll happily sleep outside with a "sleep system" consisting of an MVP bag, sleeping bag and thermarest mat, simply finding some sort of natural shelter to compliment what I carry in these situations but I'm only 54!

Steve

 

[Merkeller]

Oh... I clearly underestimated how many people would reply :Wow: I expected one maybe two answers but... wow.

The reason I asked that is because falling asleep with an open window in November (yes, I rememeber I've said September-October but that's different) is enough for me to feel under the weather the next day or even fall sick.

Define "shelter" - even the clothing you stand in shelters you to some degree...

A tent.

Do we live in the same country?

I did say when there's no risk. I was not even considering rainy days. Which are... probable. Very probable. But less than desirable.

 

[John Fenna]

I have not used a tent in years - all my trips are now tarp based in all seasons and weathers ... never felt healthier....

 

[Lithril]

I always sleep better and feel better using a tarp and bivvi out hammock.

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[MikeLA]

I have not used a tent in years - all my trips are now tarp based in all seasons and weathers ... never felt healthier....

Me too. Last time I used a tent was I think 1990. I like the fact you feel like sleeping out more than a tent and are under the stars