REI Flash 45

I don’t have any experience with it, but just to let you know, a new REI Flash 45 is coming out soon, I believe this spring. It’ll be a smaller version of last years Flash 65, so likely a fair amount heavier than the outgoing Flash 45. That said, you should see the outgoing model on clearance soon.

Cheers Jim,

I have the older one but have only used it once, I found the fit a bit odd.

I got mine in size medium and think it may be too small. My local store is 2 hours away and only go past maybe twice a year. Maybe should bring it back in and get get one of the pack fitters to have a look at it on me loaded (I got it online).

I have one and it does fit kind of odd.  I needed an extra pack for a trip with my sons and it was on sale so I used it for that trip and a couple day trips before abandoning it for my Ohm 2.0.     It hangs on the wall now.

The hip belt pockets are too small and it has a strange 3-buckle attachment on top which is attached to the rear mesh.    I prefer the Ohm.

It’s a great deal for the price I got mine, $60. A similar weight pack costs quite a bit more.

If you can afford a nicer pack I would save up. I’ve found it barely enough volume for me so I know if I want to invest in a new pack it should be 55-60l.

I tried it at home with about 10lbs in it and its not bad, the fit on my Osprey Kestrel 55 and McHale is better.

I will try it out again on an overnighter and see how it goes.

Probably old news, but the new 2017 Flash 45 is out. I was checking it out at my local REI last night. It looks a lot better (a neutral gray with some orange accents rather than black with the flashy lime spritz green) but I’m sad to see the weight has increased so much. It’s 10oz heavier than the previous model. My old stripped down Flash 45 weighs less than 2 pounds and is perfect for a 5-day trip. I want to like the new one, but at 2lbs 12oz, it would probably need a lot in the way of stripping down. I didn’t have time to try one on with weight in it, but I’d be curious to see how it handles with a load.

Anyone who gets it and uses it, feel free to share your experience! :)

Thanks for posting Brett.

At that weight I am definitely going to stick with the old one.

Double post