User Review: Exped Wallcreeper PL

Exped Wallcreeper PL
Above: The current Wallcreeper PL, which may differ slightly from the version reviewed.

Reviewed January 22, 2005 by Strummystick

Rating:
Design: mummy
Fill: Poly-pro ? synthetic
Price Paid: ????? can't remember

I hiked the Vermont Long Trail end to end with this bag during the summer of 2005. (All 270-ish miles ... and I was 50 years old. I brag ... I can't help it.) Its versatility more than makes up for its lack of warmth. The perfect solution is to bring along a lightweight liner, because the bag was perfect 90% of the time. I was in the Vermont mountains for a month and there were only two nights when I needed to beef up its warmth. There were many warmer nights however when I appreciated its venting possibilities.

The option to use this bag as a jacket is awesome. I could get up to pee in the middle of the cold night and not even have to get out of my bag ... if I was careful! I was the envy of everybody in the shelters when I walked around in the evening and mornings in my toasty "jacket".

What's more, I keep it hung up in my closet at home now because it's my favorite covering when I'm watching TV in our cold family room. I've really fallen in love with the thing!

Why didn't anybody think of this sooner? I'm so glad that I took the chance and bought this one in spring 2004, even though all I had for a recommendation was a Backpacker magazine review. They said it was great but kind of treated its versatility as a novelty instead of the long overdo innovation which it is. Double duty gear like this is worth its weight in gold when you're on the trail!

The only reason I give this bag four stars instead of five is that the temperature rating is much too generous. If temperatures are expected under 40 degrees F then bring along a lightweight liner. Otherwise its value is a "no brainer". Go ahead and buy it!!!