“Naked Hiking”, a wonderful book on the awesomeness of hiking naked

When I first thought of hiking naked some years ago, I thought I was alone on the planet. Then I gradually discovered many other people who were hiking naked. A new world unfold in front of my eyes, I was not alone!

The book “Naked Hiking” from Richard Foley, webmaster of the www.naktiv.net site, is a symphony to naked hiking written by many different authors, sharing their wonderful experience of hiking naked in various locations on the planet, including an exclusive testimony from Steven Gough, the naked rambler, from his prison cell.

Naked Hiking is a collection of 23 texts, curated by Richard and focusing on one topic: hiking in your birthday suit. The topic is not covered from a theoretical angle, but through real life examples. All authors are either seasoned naked hikers or new to the activity, and all share their experience of hiking naked on public trails, interacting with nature and other hikers.

All the texts are well written and easy to read. The numerous pictures (over 80) help to visualize the context of the hikes, particularly the encounters with textiles and the beautiful landscapes surrounding the trails. It’s a quick and pleasant read, a must-have for all fans of naked and natural living.
Whatever the angle you look at the topic and your feelings around hiking naked, this book taught me two key learnings

• Many opportunities exist to hike naked in many countries, from Germany to New Zealand, from France to Australia, from Spain to the USA, just to name a few, it’s just a matter of choosing the right track, the right time … and get naked.
• Clothed people met during naked hikes are for a large majority supportive or indifferent. There are very few who are against and see it as offensive, but it’s a minority.

Here are a set of quotes I liked from various text that I will probably reuse in the future:

• Mark Storey, “The best thing that you, as the naked hiker, can do is to smile, look like it’s the most ordinary thing to be walking nude, and be congenial”
• Olle Strand, “Naturists seek the harmony of naturalness, not confrontation with dissidents”
  • “Nude hikers are not a danger to society.”
  • “We have every right in this beautiful world to demand the same respect due to all people in a humanistic society.”
  • “Now we all are natural naturists out on a hike, we are immediately filled with a sense of freedom, joy and harmony.”
  • “We did meet some people on the trail; they had clothes on and this did not bother us.”
  • “We naturists say to our textile friends: I you want to go hiking well wrapped up, then it’s your choice. If we choose to wander freely without clothes, why would this bother you?”
• Daniel A. Kidwell, “You can freehike in a surprising range of weather conditions including some that would make a textile hiker miserable.”
  • “Feeling a cool sea breeze caressing one’s entire body on a warm August afternoon is about as good as it gets in this realm of existence.”
  • “In my experience hiking without clothing on the long distance trails in the Northeast [of the USA], I have found that through-hikers are frequently more concerned with their own hike, and tend to be supportive of others on the trail, and open minded for the most part, about what other hikers find for themselves to constitute a good hike.”
  • “As you gradually become at east with yourself, you will eventually forget that you are naked.”
  • “The slower pace and the heightened state of my sense brought on by my nakedness have allowed me a deeper appreciation of some very special parts of this planet we inhabit.”
• Howard Anderson, “If walking naked is so rational, why don’t more people do it?”
  • “So why go walking naked? Unless you try it for yourself, you may simply have to take our word for it.”
  • “Body shame is a successful meme, it is often taught without thought of why.”
  • “When asked, most adults will say they have no argument against nudity from an intellectual point of view but they would not participate for emotional reasons, their memes are more powerful than rationality.”
  • “Naturism is enjoyable and harmless so people work out for themselves that nudity is fine.”
  • “Get out to the countryside, take off your clothes and breathe the fresh air of freedom.”

Overall, if you are a naked hiker or are intrigued about naked hiking, jump on the occasion to put your hands on the book, it will fit well in your own personal library. It’s available here from Amazon.

Get Naked, Stay Naked, Live Naked, and Share the Naked Love!