REI Flash 45 Pack

Comments about REI Flash 45 Pack:

First use was a 4 night hike along the Washington coast. My total weight was just under 30 lbs. and this pack carried it comfortably. I like that my bear canister (required on the coast) fit between the floating lid and main part of the pack. The wrap around mesh outer pocket came in handy carrying rain gear and stuff I wanted to get to quickly. I carried my camera in the right hip belt pocket and a snack bag of gorp in the left. I have the large size which is a 50 Liter capacity, and I think my 30 lbs. is the max it's designed for. If your pack weight is over 30 lbs you should consider a larger pack.

Comments about REI Flash 45 Pack:

This pack is great. The few issues I have with it are not a bash, but definitely worth considering if you hike the same way I do.

Floppy - I know, what the heck is this guy talking about? It's that when you unload this bag, the bag acts like a slinky and likes to flop around which causes another issue I'll get to in a minute. Since the top is the only sealed area you can store in besides the main compartment I have a lot of items loaded up there. The way the suspension system works on this is that the top contains an aluminium bar that spreads the pack and mounts a flexible piece of plastic piping that acts as a support when the bad is loaded.

When you remove the load from the bag these flexible plastic "pipes" can no longer support the load in the top of the bag and instead turn into springs that flop around.

As I mentioned, this leads to a second issue I have; the bags mesh outer pocket is too big and as soon as the bag is unloaded slightly items contained in the mesh will start to spill out of the bag as you try to sort through items.

Since I like to keep my needy items in this area for quick access, like my rain jacket and water bags, filters and other items like gloves, hats, snacks I found this to be a very annoying and potentially dangerous situation. I found that my water filter had fallen out of the mesh area as I hiked and I was just plain lucky to hear it hit the ground. Otherwise, I would have been without a water filter.

A set of straps on the top and bottom for attaching various items would be nice (like the larger flash models). An additional compression strap on each side, lower on the bag would be a very appreciated too. Once you diminish your food supply it's hard to compress the bag since it tends to be empty in the area of the only straps on the bag.

As another reviewer also mentioned, a rolldown top would be nice to keep water out since the top doesn't seal up well. The bag is also not sealed at all, so water will roll off, gather in the seams and then leak into the bag soaking anything that isn't protected. My bad for not checking, but why waste the heavier material to not tape it off? Might as well just use mesh all the way around at that point.

Ok, so if you managed to read all this, the pack must really be calling your name. Honestly, the bag has so many pluses that I'd buy it again at full price in a heartbeat.

The padding was just right, which I was really concerned with since it seems so thin compared to other packs I've used. The pack loads easily and comforms well once loaded properly. It can take some prodding to get the backpad to sit comfortably at times (nothing a few kicks couldn't fix)

I just did 5 nights in it with starting weight at 3o lbs thru hiking the Rogue river trail. It handled the weight great, with some days at 10+ miles, was able to transfer the load on the fly and fit really well for a lightweight large capacity bag. I was able to fill the pack by not compressing my sleeping bag as much as my food supply was consumed since it became too unstable unless it had some volume filling it out.

A few alterations like making two side bags and one main bungee mesh section on the front will make it almost perfect along with a few compression straps for each side. If they had just mirrored the Flash 65's design in a smaller form factor, I think the issues here would have been minimalized more effectively, but this is still a great product.

Comments about REI Flash 45 Pack:

The thing I like most about this pack is the size - I'm a thick 6'4", and this is the first "large" pack I've bought in a while that actually fits me. It's so nice to be able to buckle the belt strap around my waist with the pack still on my shoulders where it belongs. I also love the extremely light weight, flexible frame, the vented padding on the back, and the sternum strap that doubles as a whistle... nice touch.

The thing that really kills this backpack for me, and brings it from 5 stars to 3, is the cargo management ability, i.e., none. The large size has a 50l capacity, and that's awesome, but it consists of a large toploading tube, a removable pouch on top, and a single mesh bag that wraps around the sides. That's pretty much it, and it makes the bag pretty much useless for light or intermediate day hike loads. There's no internal dividers (other than the hydration bladder pouch), no smaller pockets, the two lonely compression straps are at a silly 45* angle and useless, and the single wraparound mesh makes it very difficult to keep things where they belong.

The addition of a few useful compression straps on the sides, and the elimination of the single mesh pouch in favor of mesh Nalgene pockets on the sides and bungie webbing across the front, would bring this backpack back to 5 stars for me(and I'm tempted to break out the sewing machine and do just that). It could also use webbing attachments for lashing things onto the bottom and top, which could turn it into a viable pack for multinight or thru-hiking. In the meantime, this pack is too large and the cargo management too nonexistent for every day use or light overnighters, and at 50l with limited ability to strap things to the outside it's really too small for anything but a warm-weather overnighter or winter daypack, and if you load it down too much I expect the flexible frame might become a liability anyway.

I want to like this backpack, and it's great for a load that fits it exactly, but it's just not versatile enough for me. I guess I'll keep looking.

Comments about REI Flash 45 Pack:

I love the REI Flash line. I own the Flash 18, Flash 22 and now this model. This is a large capacity lightweight pack for minimalist overnights or dayhikes where a large capacity is necessary. Keep in mind that all hikers have their own style and backpack needs. Not one pack is for everyone. I like the extended exterior mesh pocket. I have been able to reach around back without removing the pack to change hats or gloves. This is a pack that opens from the top and some might not like that style, however, it is common in lighter weight packs reducing zippers, pockets and other features that add weight. Pack is comfortable, roomy. I like the hip belt pockets. Wouldn't want to try more than about 20 lbs load. I purchased this for 8 days on Kilimanjaro and I think it will do the job (porters carrying most gear). Some may criticize it for not having a rain cover, however, I find that rain covers don't really keep packs dry and prefer to use a trash compactor bag as a liner to keep all contents dry.

Comments about REI Flash 45 Pack:

The pack is designed well. The features are not over-the-top, but also not minimal. I have no reservations about the materials. Of course, if you go bushwhacking, the mesh on the outside panel could potentially tear...but that's not a negative IMO, because this pack isn't made for that.

The front mesh pocket is great and holds things fairly well, but the open design makes it a little more susceptible to gear shifting around...but not much. The pocket is continuous from the sides, to the front. This gives you more room, but like I said, can make it a little easier for gear to shift around. On the side, the pockets are deep/wide enough to fit a 1L nalgene, or two smaller ones. It shouldn't have any problems keeping any bottle secure. I do wish it had another compression strap underneath the mesh pocket, like the Osprey Exos packs. (REI, take note!)

The foam backpanel feels solid as well. It is double-layered and seems like it would breathe well.

The load lifter straps are excellent! The buckle in the middle lets you adjust the angle of the strap to optimize the lift. This is perfect for getting a custom fit.

The webbing on the belt is floating, and not secured 100% to the padding. There is a sliding buckle underneath the pocket that helps it distribute the load between the padding and the frame of the pack. So when you tighten it up, the sliding buckle pulls on the second set of webbing, which then transfers the load effectively to the frame of the pack. Both the waist belt and the frame get pulled toward your hips. This result could also be achieved by securing the frame directly to the hip belt. Yet the way they have done it here seems to remove the need for waist belt stabilizers.

The waist belt is where I am probably the most excited. I have a 31" waist, but a 22" torso, making most packs impossible for fitting. Though the large is said to fit waists of 34"+, the large Flash 45 fit my 31" waist fine, with a few inches to spare. I think what allows this is the previously mentioned belt webbing attachment system. While most packs attach the webbing to the belt padding, this system allows the buckle to slide over the padding a little further. When I have the pack loaded and secured to my back, the buckles are not overlapping with the belt.

And lastly, while you can remove the lid, the closure on top is messy and leaves too much of an opening. The lid weighs ~100g, so I think it's worth it to keep it. A few ounces isn't going to make or break your trip. Plus, the extra storage is worth it for rain gear and other small items that are best kept separate. (REI, take note again - add a roll-top closure!)

This is a great pack, and there are only two things I would change: a lower compression strap under the side pocket and a roll-top closure.

Comments about REI Flash 45 Pack:

I bought this pack about 6 months ago to be used on the AT in April for 5 days. Have made 6 training hikes and discovered its short comings and will not be using it on the AT. Some of the flaws are: The top cince strap compresses the tube to the water bladder and makes it hard to draw water. The belt pockets are so small that once you take something out (such as a camera) you can't get it back in the pocket without taking the pack off. The chest strap slips up towards your neck constantly. The load lifters do not help to take the strain off the shoulders. I have it loaded at 35lbs and the shoulder straps are already starting to tear.

Service and delivery comments:

It was delivered prompty and received in good condition.