Puffy, Goofy, Nifty: The Multi-Purpose Exped Dreamwalker 450
With Halloween only slightly behind us, and the nights getting colder, we’ve been looking for ways to keep warm and found this particular item reminiscent of something we might wear if we wanted to dress as a sumo wrestler meets red riding hood. We realize that when camping or hiking, different standards apply. While missing body parts might be fun during the Day of the Dead, losing them due to hypothermia is something to avoid completely.
Exped has provided us with the Dreamwalker 450, a modernized version of what any relatively new caveman would wear. It is composed of ripstop nylon, polyester, and a 750 fill Goose Down. It functions as a parka, blanket, sleeping bag, and even as a liner when conjoined with a bivy sack or synthetic bag. Yes, it looks a bit non-traditional… maybe even goofy. But that’s never stopped us before.
We decided to take it on a recent camping trip to the China Camp State Park on the shores of San Pablo Bay near San Rafael, California. The Traditional North American Rating on the Dreamwalker is 1°C/35°F. Though it didn’t get down to that temperature, it did get below 50. Snow and ice sound like a lot of fun but hey, that’s why Samuel Bert invented the snow cone maker.
When we settled down to sleep, we decided to use the Exped 450 as our sleeping bag instead one of it’s other configurations. There were convenient zippered armholes on both sides so we could engage in some games before bed- most notably, Travel Scrabble. This is also perfect for those of you who need to read a map or a guide on: “How Not to Attract Bears with Sticks”.
A huge advantage of this bag (perhaps more so for our female readers) is a bit of relief for those who need to get up in the middle of the night to use the bathroom. I bowed down to Buddha and kissed his stomach when realizing the accommodations the Exped 450 had made. There is a drawcord placed strategically at the bottom of the bag so you can easily pull the bag up over your feet to put your shoes on. You just simply pull the drawcord and tighten around your way and it transform into a parka. Though moving around in this bag can feel a little like being the Marshmallow Man, you get used to the added bulkiness. We tried the long version, meant for those a bit taller, but a medium version is also available.
One of the nicest features was the collar, which kept us toasty. As folks who hate cold zippers touching skin, we appreciated the chin guard in place to insulate against the zipper. The hood can be worn up or down as it adjusts, and it is also insulated. The 450 is a down bag, and though we experienced a bit of bunching, the construction was pretty even. Three other models are also available- the 250 and 650, as well as a lighter-weight, warmer-weather synthetic 133.
We also tested the Exped 450 as a blanket for our hammock and it provided a toasty bit of warmth if you are into stargazing. One thing is for sure, this multi-use sleeping bag comes in handy for multiple purposes. It’s one of the niftiest sleeping bags we’ve tried- more comfortable by far than other multi-purpose gear we’ve tried and about the same weight (three pounds) as one of our recently-reviewed mummy bags. Available for around $230 or $300 depending on length at Amazon, it is only available in one color (a red/grey combination).
