REI Flash 50 and Flash 65 Backpack Review

Once again thanks for a great review.

Another nice review. Perfect timing for me especially as regards to the Women's fit chart. My wife is looking for an internal frame, and I was just in REI yesterday. They print a "Product Info" pamphlet comparing packs.
Others close to the Flash 50:

Osprey Exos 58 3500 cu in 2 lb 3 oz

Others slightly less volume:
REI Venturi 40 2441 cu in but heavier 2lb 11 oz.
Osprey Exos 46 2800 cu in 30 ounces

Dave, The Nimbus Ozone is one sack with an extended color and only two outside pockets which are mesh and along the sides. It also has compression straps. No zippers.
pictures of Nimbus Ozone
http://outdoors.webshots.com/album/249133634FeJSmb

I really liked the compressions system on my UL Cruise 60, I wonder why they got rid of it?

Thanks for the review. Our REI UL 45 (Womens Small 40L) has held up well under kid abuse, and the Flash UL is my favorite day/summit pack.

Editing note: the photo captions beginning with "Notable features" and "Contoured spacer" need to be swapped to match the correct photo set. When you fix that, you might as well also correct "Mountatins" in another photo caption.

I bought both recently and ended up keeping the Lite-Speed. Both have similar features and specs (removable framesheet, volume, weight, etc.) and both fit well (with a slight edge to the REI Flash's hipbelt synch-system). I might have kept the Flash had it not been for the great price and the more durable feel of the materials of construction of the Lite-Speed. Also the Lite-Speed seemed less bulky for the volume (due to its intended adventure racing market).

Moosejaw has the Lite-Speed on sale for about $70 right now, which is well under the Flash 50's asking price.

All and all, as in the review, the Flash is a great pack, though not the best for everyone.

I'd just like to say thanks for the comparison pic with the Osprey Exos.

It would be helpful if BPL chose a "standard" comparison pack, such as the Exos 46 or Aether 60, and shot a picture of each newly reviewed pack sitting next to this "standard". It makes a tremendous difference to being able to properly get a perspective on the real-life size of the pack.

I'm a short woman with a torso size of 15". I would have to buy the women's small. The problem is that the waist size on the small is 26-31 inches. That's ridiculous! Especially if I want to wear several layers for winter packing, that waist belt is far too small. I'm tired of manufacturers thinking that ALL outdoor women are a tiny size 4. Get real.

If they offered swap-out waist belts, I might consider it. For now, I'll stick with my Granite Gear Nimbus Ozone with FULLY ADJUSTABLE EVERYTHING. It's a few ounces heavier, but it fits!

Will, slight nuance, at the lowest end of the Nimbus packs by Granite Gear is the Nimbus Ozone which is the same weight, 3 lbs, as the Flash. It is an extremely comfortable pack, one that I have not yet been able to give up (I have tried 2 lb packs but just have not found one that makes the hike as comfortable as the Nimbus Ozone).

I've looked at the men's Large Flash 65 and my take is that I got the better pack in the 2007 Cruise UL 60 predecessor.

My UL 60 has the original X'd drawstring compressor tunnels that easily and rapidly compress the load with two top drawstrings, one for front compression , one for back. Nice.

Also, and most important, my UL 60 has NO framesheet but, instead, two tubular aluminum stays, and a Velcro attatching shoulder harness/backpad that I can adjust exactly where I want, depending on the amount of clothing I'm wearing, etc..

I've expanded the cargo space of my pack by adding two REI side pockets for items I'll need on the trail like my toilet and water treatment mesh bags. These side pockets have two vertical compartments each and I've never entirely filled them but it's nice to have the space if needed.

So, yes, I'm happier with my "old" REI lightweight pack than I'd be with the Flash 65. Some things are better left alone.

I DO like the floating, detatachable top lid and bigger belt pockets on the Flash 65 but I'm seam-ripping off my UL 60 top pocket and adding plastic ladder buckles to it and webbing straps to my pack. Then I can detatch the lid and use it as a fanny pack for day hikes by sewing two strips of webbing on the underside of the lid for my belt.

Eric

I have had my Flash 65 for well over a year now and it performs well in many categories. I recently went on an off-trail bush excursion in Henry Coe through some of the thickest buckbrush and poison oak i've ever been in. We were crawling on our bellies, rolling ON TOP of trees and there isn't a single tear in the fabric. Since I only have one pack, it is large enough to use on my minter trips with the use of a pulk and for lightweight 3-season trips. It comfortably holds 30 lbs of gear and water. I do wish the pack didn't flop around so much and had a better load stabilization. Overall, I would recommend it to friends.

You need to look on the description page(at the bottom). They just put the med size on the spec page. They do that with a lot of things.

I contacted them last year requesting that the make their packs to fit larger torso's. I find it a little unreasonable they top out at 20.

Specifications based on size Medium. Specifications for Small and Large torso / waist and hips / base volume / weight are as follows:
Small: 16 – 18 in. / 28 – 34 in. / 3,783 cu. in. (62 liters) / 2 lbs. 14 oz. (1.3 kg.)
Large: 18- 20 in. / 34 – 40 in. / 4,150 cu. in. (68 liters) / 3 lbs. 3 oz. (1.45 kg.)