question on sleeping outside with no gear

[David Hineline]

Ok a few yrs ago me and daughter unit got stuck outside wet with no gear at all or source of fire.
We snuggle camped it at 53 degrees F.

At that temp the clothing never dried at all and we were cold.  Thinking about it now would we have been warmer if we had shed our wet clothes perhaps out bodies would have air dried at that temp.

So my question did the wet clothes keep us warmer or cool us off.

[Dan W]

Wet clothes act as a conductor to draw the heat out of the body, so it's essential that any wet clothes are removed immediately, and dry clothes substituted if possible.

source:
http://www.trails.com/how_9360_survive-hypothermia-wilderness.html

[bullit]

Dave,
I would rather think of you with your clothes on. 

[ComputerCowboy]

Hiyya,
I have been in some pretty bad places and had some bad stuff happen. You may be interested to know that multiple layers of damp cloths are quite warm even in the sub zero. I found that if you exert yourself you can generate enough heat to start a kind of steam heat process happening. It's not ideal and you do prune up and get trench foot in just one full day. I'm just talking about survival here so going forward keep a camping "go bag". It should be water tight, puncture resistant, and contain emergency supplies. My guideline is that if I'm wet, cold, thirsty, hungry, lost, injured, and faced with 10 minutes to prepare for a bear attack it had better be in the bag.

[wrenrj1]

My guideline is that if I'm wet, cold, thirsty, hungry, lost, injured, and faced with 10 minutes to prepare for a bear attack it had better be in the bag.

Computer Cowboy, you could not have said that any better!