Journalist and subculture explorer Mark Haskell Smith says there's a lot we "textiles" (or clothes-wearing people) can learn from nudists — especially when it comes to re-thinking shame.

Haskell Smith joins Shad to discuss his daring nonfiction book Naked at Lunch: A Reluctant Nudist's Adventures in the Clothing-Optional World and how the people who bare all may challenge our attitudes towards sex, body acceptance and what we hide from one another.

"Don't try it at home. Try it on a mountain top," laughs Haskell Smith, who particularly enjoyed hiking in the buff.

q: Have you, or would you, ever experiment with non-sexual social nudity? Should North American societies loosen up about baring all in public?

WEB EXTRA | Browse a couple of images from the clothing optional world below. Warning: both photos feature the backsides of nude people.

"This is the best way to hike ... it's an all-over stimulating, sensual experience," says Mark Haskell Smith, who says that hiking with naturists was a wonderful feeling. (Mark Haskell Smith)