The debris shelther we learned to use on the course with Wild-Live last year was totally enclosed and relied on the insulative debris and trapped air. I slept in it for a night and all do it was June I was extreme comfortable. In colder months more debris could be chucked on and I would be wearing heavier clothing so I would imagine it would still work fine if needed. If it snowned it would difficult to contruct do. There for a fire and shelther like the one in Stuarts thread wold be good.
I always have a sleeping bag with me but with some proper thought to the rest of your camp ie. a good matress and over head shelter as well as a fire a blanket or two would be more then enough for most of the year here.
Sleeping bags get damaged, wet and lost as can any other peice of kit. Knowning how to live with out is common sense. Being confident that you can live with out can only be done by experimentation. That can start in the back garden.
We don't go out to rought it we go out to smooth it as Nessmuk has said and we do this be learning ever possible method old or new.
James
