REI Flash 18

Use it for traveling, climbing, to the gym and as a sleeping bag stuff sack…

For the hip belt, if you aren't using it as intended you can wrap it around the back, slip it through the lower daisy-chain loops and clip it back there. it also functions to compress/constrain the bottom some.

I know some folks cut off the hip-belt, bet I love belts too much to do that. I've also read of people cutting out the sleeve inside as well, and bringing total pack weight down by almost a third (if memory serves).

Ayres,

I bought one off of Gear Swap for $20.00 not too long ago. I too couldn't resist this little pack.

I am not tall but I am broad in the shoulders so I removed the sternum strap. The hip belt and the ice axe loop met up with Mr. Fiskars and the webbing went into my project pile along with the two buckles.

I replaced the drawcord and original cordlock & webbing pull tab with some 3/32" nylon drawcord and a mini-mini cordlock from Quest Outfitters. I used a simple overhand knot to secure the end of the new drawcord and singed the ends and the knot with a lighter. The neoprene weather flap at the top was trimmed down by half. I cut out the excess material inbetween the daisy chain reinforcements inside of the pack and singed all the edges to avoid the webbing unraveling.

Last to go was the tags inside and the REI label on the outside of the pack.

I have the weight savings recorded somewhere and I'll edit this post later to add those figures. But if memory serves me the final weight was 7.65 ozs. :-)

Edit:

The 7.65 ounce weight was including the sternum strap. With the sternum strap removed the final weight was 7.2 ounces. :-)

Party On,

Newton

good points, dan and newton… and in fact, i am not really concerned about the flash's weight. but i love the dedication of others to shave off weight from a 10oz, 18 liter bag.

i'm always a bit reluctant to cut off the belt due to uncertainty of if/how i might need it. i love the idea of reversing the belt and looping it around the back and through the daisy chains. i'll try that.

there are times that i will want the sternum straps, but for casual wear (with a baby girl due any day now, i'll be using this also as a diaper bag), i'd like to expel of the straps somehow with the option of attaching them when needed.

has anyone experimented with removable sternum strap clips? before i break the plastic on these, i want to be certain that there is a decent alternative.

opinions welcomed! and i'll see if a trip to the nearby home depot turns up anything.

I use mine for commuting back and forth to work, (the waist belt and sternum strap are nice for this to keep it from sliding around on the back), as a travel pack and yes it has also been used as a diaper bag.

Mountain Laurel Designs has a removable sternum strap that would work well if you want to remove the factory one.

http://www.mountainlaureldesigns.com/shop/product_info.php?cPath=25&products_id=135

Ayres,

Quest Outfitters has a sternum strap "slider" item #3091
that can be removed and reinstalled on the shoulder straps at will. If you have trouble removing the "permanent" one on the Flash 18 replacing it with the ones from Quest is an easy solution.

It can be hand sewn onto the ends of the sternum strap so a sewing machine is not necessary.

Party On,

Newton

one is the old version (rei UL pack) and one is a new flash 18. i cut the old version to nothing except the shoulder straps and the main bag body (all the interior stuff and webbing is gone too). if i remember right, its around 5oz and i just use it as a stuff sack on backpacking trips, that way i can use it as a backpack if i needed to (summit pack). i also have a new one that I've just removed the sternum strap on since i don't think its useful. i haven't weighed it, but i use it everyday for school and has held up well to the abuse. i like the waist strap if i was going to do some running with it, but that would be the only time it would be used. i left it alone on my new one.

for what it's worth I was looking at this bag(REI Flash) yesterday compared to the EMS Packable Pack. EMS claims the volume of the Packable Pack at 1500cu in vs. 1100 for the Flash, and its weight is 9oz vs. 10oz for flash. it is the same price as the Flash 18-$30 but does not have the daisy chain on the back, but does have loops to add your own straps. After my typical "improvements" with the scissors mine weights 6.5oz. So a 6.5oz daypack/stuffsack/etc. for $30, not bad. After I use it for a while I may be able to cut a little more weight, but I am happy with it for now.

http://www.mec.ca/Products/product_detail.jsp?FOLDER%3C%3Efolder_id=2534374302699687&PRODUCT%3C%3Eprd_id=845524442633274

with removable sternum strap … a bit more expensive … but slightly lighter .. and youll look like a yuppay !!!

when you're looking at $30 packs, the extra $19 is more than a "bit"…

Though HermitsHut has it for only $45… ;)

jason … obviously youve never worn dead birdies

when you do youll find random women in the street considering you as the father of their next child … you also find business men walking up to you and start talking about bond yield curves … but the best of all every real backpacker will run away from you in fear of being contaminated with yupiness …

lol

"real backpacker will run away from you in fear of being contaminated with yupiness …"

I had never considered what may make a "real" backpacker. Thanks for clearing that up.

>>when you do youll find random women in the street >>considering you as the father of their next child …

If you don't like dealing with the hassle of beautiful women you can always use the gear so it looks and smells like hiker trash.

Actually *use* my gear??

But that means I'd have to go out into the scary woods…

first of all no one actually "uses" dead bird gear except for sponsored athletes … the main purposes is to look cool at the local sbucks while sipping your latte next to your beeeemah

second of all … if by chance your dead bird gear did get dirty … all those crazed cougars would still come running after you as youre either a sponsored athlete with tight muscles … or a rich yuppie with a trust fund who went for a walk in the park

so no help there

thread drift anyone? … lol

Jason, you dont have to go into those scary woods- Call of Duty Black Ops came out today!

I love Arcteryx clothing because it fits me well.

My old Needle pack only shows me love.

– "I love Arcteryx clothing because it fits me well."

It fits me well, too, but the sticker shock has kept me away. Has it been as bomb-proof for you as I've seen others describe it?

Yes it has Jason, but admittedly, I have never paid retail for Dead Bird.

only their old school rain jackets for me

the newer lighter stuff has been no better than any other gear maker

never pay retail for dead bird … even on clearence its the same price as other brands are retail

that said there are somethings that they still rock at … their harnesses and softshell pants notably

Ayres,

Are we related?

I have a Flash 18 and would not remove either the sternum strap or waist belt. Both of of them serve to secure the pack against your pack if running or moving fast, jumping, parcour, whatever. With some shock cord through the back loops you can cinch it down tight with a small load.

As noted the waist belt is easily threaded through the back loops and out of the way. The sternum strap can be secured by rubber bands when not in use, if you're not too fussy. Works for me, and for my nephew who is now using one daily in Afghanistan. The pack cloth is quite durable.

I'm currently using mine as a daypack and can, just, squeeze in my Mac 12". I wish they made the same pack in a 25L to 27L size, with maybe a pocket.

Cheers,

Jim

So this sounds like an awesome pack. When I go backpacking now, I bring my camelpak backpack and use it for day hikes, summits and alot of fishing excursions from "base camp". But the camelbak pack has alot of straps and pockets, but only weighs 30oz. I love the pack cause it can fit everything I could need for the day; water bladder, food, fishing gear, extra layers, water treatment, and other small odds and ends.
If I could have a pack that doubled as a stuff sack, it could possibly save alot of room for me and shave 20oz off my weight.

My questions are:
How large of a stuff sack is it? What would use it for in your large pack?
Used as a pack, how much "stuff" can it fit?
Is the pack comfortable enough to hike with all day?

THanks
Dan

Dan,

It sounds like our “needs” are similar. These days I mostly backpack to get to remote fishing locations. This is exactly why I bought this pack… I used to use a “heavy” NF daypack that I have had for years which was very functional, but really overkill for my needs. The EMS pack is exactly what I was looking for…(simple, light, and functional) the only thing that might make it better would be if it was completely waterproof for those times I am wading deep but I just use a trash bag or drybag to solve that with this bag. I had been looking at the stuff from Simms, Fishpond, etc, but they were all “heavy” and again overkill for my needs. The EMS pack does have a hydration sleeve, and a “brain” that the whole pack stuffs into, but I cut both out since I use Gatorade bottles, and do not need the extra room and function of the “brain”. This along with cutting down the straps is how I got to 6.4oz, but it was light to start with…

How large of a stuff sack is it? What would use it for in your large pack?
Quite large-I can fit either my sleeping bag in it with a few other things, or pretty much all my clothes if I want. I usually fill it with everything I need for fishing except my waders (rain jacket, flies, leaders, tippet, extra insulation layers, water, purifier, etc) then put it in the top of my larger backpack. That way I am ready to fish while hiking, or as soon as I set up camp!!

Used as a pack, how much "stuff" can it fit?
Again I would imagine our “needs” are similar, and I have yet to not be able to fit what I needed for fishing… Easily holds 2 Nalgene’s(in my case Gatorade bottles) water purifier, extra food, extra layers, extra gear, reels, etc.

Is the pack comfortable enough to hike with all day?
I guess this it somewhat subjective, but yes. As long as you don’t overload it you should be good to go. It does not have a waist strap, and lacks any structure (which is what I was looking for). It would not be a good daypack for trail running, but for casual day hikes, and for fishing all day it works great for me. If you overload it, it would not be comfortable, but for what you are looking for I think it would work great. It does for me…… Should work great for those alpine lakes in the Sierra’s….

Tight lines.

Fred,
What company makes the EMS pack? How is it different than the rei flash 18?
THanks
Dan