REI Co-op  Flash 55 Pack - Women's

I bought the Women’s REI Flash 55L backpack at the beginning of June 2019 and have used it on three weekend trips now. I am 5’7” 145 pounds and bought the women’s medium in olive oil. Thank you REI for making a women’s product that didn’t only come in pink, purple, or teal!! The pack weighs 2 lbs, 11 oz on my home scale, including all attachments. Before purchasing the Flash 55, I used the Osprey Aura 50L (2014 purple version, women’s small, 3 lbs, 1 oz on my home scale), which I absolutely loved, that is, until I used the Flash 55L. This is now my favorite, go-to backpack. It is extremely comfortable and didn’t rub or chafe me anywhere. Unlike some purchasers, I did not have any experience with the hip or shoulder straps loosening up while wearing the pack. Once tightened, the hip belt straps are pretty long on me, but I haven’t decided yet whether I’m going to cut and shorten them. I like the two external side-pockets on each side of the pack and am able to get my Smartwater bottles out of them by myself. This was not at all possible with my Osprey. I also like the hip belt pockets which, unlike the Osprey’s, I can reach while wearing the pack. I have not had any issues with the zippers on these pockets. I typically keep snacks, compass and maps, multi-tool, sunscreen, and lip balm in these pockets. I like having the accessory pocket on the front shoulder strap, but I wish it were more usable. It isn’t big enough to hold a Smartwater bottle or my iPhone X (in an Otterbox defender case), so I use it to hold my sunglasses when I’m not wearing them and a bandanna. Also, the flap’s magnetic closure has a habit of popping open—perhaps a stronger magnet or hook-and-loop fastener on the next version? I do plan on buying a couple of extra packmod straps so that I can attach my Helinox backpacking chair to the outside bottom of the pack. The main interior compartment is roomy and seems larger than 55L, and I can easily pack all my gear with significant room left over. In bear country, I carry a BV 450, which can be placed horizontally inside the pack. I like the fold over top, although it does take longer to open and close compared to the Osprey’s string cinch closure. I also like the brain, which can be removed, but I keep it on for managing various small things I need to get to quickly, like first aid kit, toiletries, trowel/tp, Sawyer squeeze, headlamp, trail lunch additional snacks, etc. The large front mesh pocket is nice, but the closure doesn’t stay closed. I would classify myself as a lightweight backpacker with base weight usually around 17 pounds. With 3 days' food, 3L water, and adult libations (one 750 ml flask of wine and a small flask of scotch), my pack weighed in around 32 pounds but felt much lighter. My longest trip was a 16.5 miler out-and-back in 90-degree weather, and the pack held my gear comfortably and close to my body with no shifting. My Osprey felt a bit top heavy, but my Flash did not, even though I packed both packs exactly the same way with the exact same gear. While described as mesh, the back panel is really more of a formed foam pad covered by a mesh fabric. My back got sweaty, but it was that way with my Osprey too, which actually does have a separate mesh trampoline panel that sits off the back of the pack. Even so, my Flash 55 is more comfortable than my Osprey and is the pack I will be using almost exclusively from now on. TL;DR: Despite some small shortcomings, this pack is lightweight, comfortable, and spacious. I love this pack and am extremely glad I bought it.

The amazing: I purchased this bag to replace my Ariel 65. It was a huge change that I was so excited about. I took the Flash 55 on a 110 section hike from PA to Harper's Ferry. My base weight for this hike was 14 lbs. Fully loaded with 5 days of food and two liters of water, I was at 24 lbs. Lightweight heaven! It holds all of my stuff perfectly. The extra snap on the water bottle pockets cinched down on skinny bottles. The two huge side pockets were perfect for storing my wet tent and dirty water bag. The large front pocket held my rain gear and gross camp shoes. The hip belt pockets were the perfect size, and were only slightly annoying to zip closed while hiking, but I got used to them after the second day. Being able to move all of the compression straps and attachment points made it so easy to change how I packed my bag each day depending on how much gear was wet and how much food I had left. After resupply, I could rearrange the compression straps all over again to get a good fit. The rain shield phone pocket and brain are awesome!! Nothing got wet, ever. My gripe: It sounds like the perfect bag, right? Except the hip belt. I will say that the hip belt was comfy. I never experienced bruised hips which always happens with other bags. It was definitely a comfy fit. However, the hip belt would loosen constantly!! Maybe every 15-20 minutes I would realize that all of the pack weight was on my shoulders (again), so I would have to readjust and cinch the hip belt down (AGAIN). For a 110 mile walk in the woods, this was extremely frustrating. It almost took the zen out of my alone time in the green tunnel. After a few days, I tied a knot in the side of the belt that seemed to be slipping more. This meant I only had to readjust every 30 minutes or so, but it was still super annoying. Tying a knot in the hip belt completely defeats the purpose of having an adjustable belt. I still haven't decided whether I'm going to return the bag or not. I'm hoping I just got a bad bag, and maybe the rest aren't like this. I have seen one other review that mentioned the slipping belt. I love the bag so much other than that one super annoying not-so-tiny problem.