The REI Flash 55 Backpack is an ultralight, roll-top backpack with an non-obligatory prime lid pocket. Weighing 2 lbs 13 oz, it has a mesh again panel to assist hold your shirt dry in heat climate and quite a few pockets and straps, known as “packmods”, that may be eliminated or reconfigured to lighten it additional, as much as 6.4 oz on our scale. The pack has two mesh water bottle sleeves along with two aspect pockets which can be massive sufficient to hold 1L bottles, a entrance stretch pocket, dual-side compression straps, and twin daisy chains operating up the size of the pack’s seams.
Specs at a Glance
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- Volume: 55L
- Weight (whole): 2lbs 13 oz (measurement medium)
- Weight (stripped): 2 lbs 5.6 oz (measurement medium)
- Gender: Unisex and Women’s out there
- Frame: Internal, Perimeter Wire
- Adjustable Torso Length: Yes
- Pockets: 10, together with the primary compartment
- Bear Canister Compatibility: BV 500 and the Garcia Backpacker’s Cache match vertically in the primary compartment, horizontally within the extension collar, and horizontally below the floating prime lid pocket; BV475, BV450, and BV425 match horizontally on the backside of the primary compartment.
- Torso Sizing: (S: 17-19 inches), (M: 18-20 inches), (L: 19-21 inches)
- Hip belt Sizing: (S: 32-40 inches), (M: 34-42 inches), (L: 34-46 inches)
- Maximum beneficial load: 30 lbs
- Materials: 100D and 210D recycled Robic Nylon
- Optional Add-on Pockets and Straps (out there individually) – Waterproof shoulder pocket, solid-faced hipbelt pocket, mesh-faced hipbelt pocket, and further accent straps.
Backpack Storage and Organization
The REI Flash 55 is an ultralight-style roll-top backpack with an non-obligatory prime lid. The benefit of utilizing a roll-top is that it enables you to compress masses from the highest along with the edges utilizing compression straps. This is beneficial in case your load expands and shrinks throughout a visit, like once you resupply your meals on the town on a thru-hike or part hike.
The good factor about having the non-obligatory prime lid is that you may add it when it’s wanted, in cooler climate, for instance, to hold further gloves, navigation gear, or smaller objects which can be helpful to have simply accessible on longer hikes.
The Flash 55 prime lid can be a floating lid, which is vital as a result of the pack has an extended extension collar that extends above the highest of the body. Having a floating lid enables you to elevate its top, so it sits correctly on prime of your load. It additionally enables you to wedge gear between the highest of the primary compartment and the underside of the highest lid, like a bear canister, tent, sleeping pad, and many others, with out having to place it into the primary compartment. That significantly expands the pack’s utility on extra distant or technical journeys when carrying awkwardly sized gear is critical.
The primary compartment of the Flash 55 is large and it’ll maintain lots of gear and meals (it feels far bigger than 55L and the amount in all probability doesn’t account for the extension collar). It has a hydration pocket inside with a central cling loop, however the remainder of the house is unstructured with prime entry solely. A rain cowl just isn’t included with the pack, so that you’ll need to line the inside with a pack liner or trash compactor bag.
The Flash 55 has a entrance (strong) stretch pocket bordered on the edges with sturdy mesh that makes it straightforward to retailer damp or incessantly accessed objects, so that you don’t must cease and open up your pack to entry them or put them away. The prime of that pocket additionally hooks onto a plastic dongle for added safety. Daisy chains run alongside either side of the entrance stretch pocket and lengthen up the aspect seams all the best way to the highest of the body. These can be utilized to lash accent gear to the surface of the pack, like snowshoes (MSR Lightning Ascents match), and likewise function anchors for the aspect compression straps so you’ll be able to transfer their anchor factors up and down the edges of the pack.
Comfort
Weight
Suspension
Features
Adjustability
Sizing
Durability
Ultralight and Customizable
The REI Flash 55 is a extremely configurable, ultralight backpacking pack that weighs 2 lbs 13 oz however may be stripped right down to 2 lbs 5.6 oz by eradicating a number of non-obligatory elements. We like this pack as a result of its so versatile and cozy to put on, at a worth that is simply inexpensive by anybody eager to get into ultralight backpacking.
The Flash 55 has two mesh sleeves (positioned straight behind the hip belt pockets however connected to the pack sides) to make it straightforward to succeed in the bottles or snacks whilst you’re sporting the pack. The bottle sleeves are sized for tall skinny SmartWater bottles (proven above) or Nalgene Bottles (proven beneath) and it’s straightforward to tug them out. The sleeves have snap closures in entrance to carry the bottles in place, however they are often tough to re-snap closed when sporting the pack. One hack to make tall bottles safer is to decrease one of many aspect pack mod straps so it covers the bottle’s cap.
The Flash 55 additionally has strong paneled aspect pockets behind the water bottle sleeves for holding gear and longer objects, like tent poles, chair kits, fishing poles, and many others, and lashing them to the aspect of the pack with a compression strap. It’s an vital function, particularly on a pack that will likely be used for long-distance journeys. These pockets usually are not reachable when sporting the pack. Note: you’ll be able to run the aspect packmod straps over these aspect pockets or by way of them.
There are 4 detachable pockets on the Flash 55, all of that are non-obligatory. The prime lid is connected by buckles and may be simply eliminated, in addition to the straps holding it to the pack. These straps may be repurposed for different features and at different places on the pack.
The hip belt pockets are additionally simply detachable. One is mesh-faced and the opposite has a strong material entrance. They’re fairly massive sufficient and sufficiently big to carry my iPhone 14 Pro plus snacks. They’re held on with a intelligent webbing strap/toggle system that holds them in place and prevents them from flopping as you bounce down the path. It is one more instance of the “packmod” philosophy behind this pack’s customization ethic.
It’s a surprise that extra ultralight backpack producers don’t undertake an analogous pocket attachment technique, since individuals have very totally different wants at totally different instances. I desire having a selection over which pockets to connect to my backpack as a substitute of being compelled to make use of one that’s completely affixed.
The Flash 55 additionally comes with a mesh shoulder strap pocket that’s connected to the shoulder pads utilizing the identical webbing/toggle system utilized by the pockets. It’s sized slender for a Smartphone, an inReach Mini 2. or a small digicam. It is secured on prime with velcro. Earlier fashions of the Flash 55 has a water-resistant shoulder strap pocket which was a lot better, however can nonetheless be bought as an add-on. You may also add a third-party pocket, just like the Gossamer Gear Shoulder Strap Pocket to the Flash 55 shoulder straps fairly simply.
Backpack Compression and External Attachment System
The inventory REI Flash 55 comes with an elaborate however easy-to-use compression and exterior attachment system. You can use it out the field, as-is, take away the quite a few straps (with out having to chop them off), or transfer them round any method you want.
The 4 vertical corners of the pack have daisy chains loops operating down them, carried out utilizing twine, as a substitute of conventional webbing. This is an more and more frequent function discovered on path operating backpacks, nevertheless it hasn’t actually caught on but with mainstream ultralight backpacks.
All of the straps and attachment factors on the pack are loops (girth hitched) to the daisy chain as a substitute of being sewn into the pack seams. This enables you to detach them, transfer them to a special location, or change their angles, as wanted.
REI even features a mesh sack with the Flash 55 so you’ll be able to retailer the straps you’ve eliminated between makes use of, and never lose them. Directions for attaching the straps are printed on the surface. Thoughtful.
All of the detachable straps and pockets weigh 6.4 oz on our scale. If you’re attempting to cut back your pack weight, the most important bang for the buck is available in eradicating the pockets, not the straps.
- the floating prime lid w/2 straps (3.3 oz)
- 4 aspect compression straps (0.8 oz)
- strong hip belt pockets (0.8 oz)
- mesh hip belt pocket (1.0 oz)
- shoulder strap pocket (0. 3 oz)
- 2 extra brief straps (0.2 oz)
The drawback with eradicating the aspect compression straps is that you simply typically can’t anticipate once you’ll want them to lash gear to the aspect of the pack. If you take away the highest lid, you’ll be able to eliminate as much as 4 straps, although I’d nonetheless advocate protecting two of them to carry down the edges of the roll prime. There are lots of variations potential, although.
Backpack Frame and Suspension
The REI Flash 55 is an adjustable-length backpack with a mesh again panel to assist hold you cooler and your shirt drier in heat climate. The torso size is useless easy to regulate, by shifting the shoulder strap yoke up or down horizontal webbing straps organized down the center of the again panel and labeled in inches for ease of match in the event you already know your torso size. See the right way to measure torso size.
The again panel mesh is stretched throughout delicate dorsal and lumbar padding and built-in with the pre-curved wings of the hip belt. This offers a snug back-hugging match, however received’t pull you backward and off-balance. While it’s not as breathable as a curved ventilated backpack just like the Zpacks Arc Ultra Haul 60 or the Osprey Exos Pro 55, it does a reasonably respectable job at serving to you keep cooler drier in scorching and muggy climate.
The Flash 55’s body is a light-weight, 360 diploma metal perimeter wire (not detachable). It offers nice torsional flex, so it strikes with you, in addition to the horizontal rigidity that’s vital for correct load lifter operate and hip belt load switch. The hip belt is sewn on to the pack in order that the load is carried very near your core muscle tissues and hip girdle for max effectivity, whereas the delicate lumbar pad and pre-curved hip belt wings grip the iliac crest. I’m actually fairly impressed with the hip keep on the Flash 55, which is snug and doesn’t slip down.
The hip belt closes with pull-forward straps for mechanical benefit, with a single central buckle, which I desire on packs as a result of it may be used whereas sporting gloves and since it’s higher for winter use when snow will clog smaller buckles.
The shoulder straps have a unisex J-shape, with a rail-based sternum strap. They’re thickly padded and coated with a breathable mesh to wick away sweat. Both shoulder straps have elastic hose keepers in addition to a pair of brief horizontal webbing straps to connect the shoulder accent pocket, which may be simply moved to the opposite shoulder strap.
The sizing ranges for the lads’s Flash 55 pack are fairly slender by way of torso lengths though the hip belt sizing is extra versatile. Still, I’d encourage you to strive on totally different sizes to zero in on a snug match. If you’re between torso lengths, I’d undoubtedly advocate sizing up.
Comparable Ultralight Backpacks
Recommendation
The REI Flash 55 is a extremely configurable, backpacking pack that weighs 2 lbs 13 oz however may be stripped right down to 2 lbs 5.6 oz by eradicating a number of non-obligatory elements. If you’ve by no means owned a backpack that’s this light-weight, the Flash 55 is an effective ultralight pack to chop your tooth on as a result of it’s so inexpensive and simply personalized for various journeys, seasons, or locales. Fully configured, out-of-the-box, with its prime lid and full compression system, you should use it so long as you don’t exceed its most beneficial load of 30 lbs or gear, water, and meals weight. If you need to experiment with eradicating the lid and simply utilizing the roll-top, or eradicating elements, you are able to do that once you’re prepared. Regardless, I feel you’ll nonetheless be impressed at how nicely the Flash 55 carries in comparison with a heavier-weight backpack with a extra substantial body. This pack is a winner.
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Last up to date: 2023-02-16 12:14:28
Disclosure: REI donated a backpack for assessment.
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