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I've been backpacking for over 25 years, and wanted to reduce my "big 3" weight (backpack, sleeping bag, tent) to reflect ultralight principles, and to encourage my over-40 year old joints to keep hiking for many more years. I chose the Flash 50 as my pack upgrade, and have never regretted that decision. In my first summer of backpacking with the Flash 50, I logged 120 miles, all in rugged Sierra Nevada high country. The longest trip was 6 days in the Hoover Wilderness north of Yosemite, and the shortest trip was 3 days. I used the pack for hauling a maximum of 35# on trail days, and stripped it down for peak-bagging with minimum load as well. It was great to have a versatile pack that could do both things well. The pack was generally comfortable, and I believe the adjustability of the straps is key to making the load ride well. (But make sure you get the right size pack for your body, of course!) However, I found that my low back/sacrum area became sore in my first few days carrying a full load, so I used my pack towel for some additional back padding which worked great. Within 2 days, I no longer needed the extra padding. With lighter loads, say under 30#, comfort is no problem at all and the load feels secure and like an extension of my body, better than any pack I have ever owned. As with all lighter-weight gear, I think one has to be more careful to avoid abrading the fabric. I secure my sitting pad (closed-cell foam square) beneath the pack to bear the brunt of the abrasion underneath. I have had no rips, tears, or any other failures of the Flash 50, despite giving it a hard test-drive over the summer. As for capacity, I deliberately chose the Flash 50 over the Flash 65 to ensure I would not try to take more weight than I can comfortably carry any more. The Flash 50 was able to contain on my 6-day trip: 1 Bear Vault Weekender canister, 1 Big Agnes Seedhouse-2 tent, 1 Prolite 3/4 length Thermarest, 1-Sierra Designs down sleeping bag, 100oz Platypus water bladder, clothing in a compression sack, camp shoes, minimalist cook gear, toiletries, etc. It was a snug fit, but it was all contained inside. Overall, I highly recommend this pack for up to 1 week long trips for people seeking to lighten their load, but needing excellent adjustability, capacity and durability in a pack.

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After reading many excellent reviews of this pack, I couldn't wait to try it out. I ordered this pack to replace my summer cragging pack, and to use for day and weekend hiking trips. This pack holds a ton of gear. There are a lot of pockets and straps to hold all kids of gear. There are a dozen ways to rig any load, so finding what works for you may take some time. Unfortunately, I never quite got this pack to work well for me. The load always felt like it was riding lopsided, I couldn't get used to the shovel pocket, and ultimately, I ended up returning the pack. My chief complaints about this pack are: 1. The side compression straps aren't attached via fastex buckles. That would make lashing down a rope much easier. That said: the top strap does a decent job of securing a rope. Just not the loop ends that hang down the sides of your pack. 2. The mesh side pockets are a touch small for Nalgene bottles. And, they are attached to (not divided from) the shovel pocket. My water bottles often ended up shifting from the side pockets into the main shovel compartment. Frustrating. 3. I could not get the suspension adjusted for my body. I have other REI packs that fit great and distribute load evenly. I could not, for the life of me, make this pack behave. 4. I didn't find the nylon straps on the left side of the belt useful. I'd have been much more delighted to have a second waistbelt mesh pocket instead. All that said, this is a great pack. If you can try it on first with a typical load before buying it, and it fits you, then you should give this pack a try.

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I received this product as a gift for Christmas, but the one i received had a small slash on the front, but it was exchanged for an undamaged one at REI, of course with friendly, helpful service from the experts at REI. That aside, this pack is very durable. It was thrown in and slung out of a canoe countless times over a four-day period, and held up very well. One small plastic piece on one of the bottom stays of the pack broke off (I don't know where it went) before I used it, but it did not cause any problems. It is easy to load, with a wide top, and a lot of room inside. I was surprised at how much gear I was able to jam into the main compartment. The zip-pocket on the top of the pack fit a lot of essentials as well. The pocket on the hip-belt is very nice to keep a knife or other small item in. The zipper-pocket on the very front of the pack is much roomier than you might think, it fit a pair of sliders and a fold-up daypack easily. But my absolute favorite feature of this pack is the large pocket on the front. It is a great place to keep your rain jacket or anything else you might need on a moment's notice handy. However, when the pack is fully loaded, the mesh pockets on the sides (that are actually part of the front pocket) will not easily accommodate a larger water-bottle. This pack is great for anyone looking for a pack for a trip of 4-7 days tops. It is reasonably comfortable, and not surprisingly, well-made.

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I got this as my first pack and what you lose in capacity you definitely gain in its weight.

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After many outings with a non-ultralight backpack, I finally decided to buy this one, and it has been well worth it. Towards the end of a multiday backpacking trip, I usually have bad lower back pain, but that was completely eliminated with this backpack, when I took it for a week long trip to West Virginia. First, a few words of warning- - This bag requires plenty of TLC. The bag material and the zippers look delicate. I was very gentle with the pack even while loading it, and I was glad to have had my pack cover on all the time (even though it wasn't raining) during my WV trip, otherwise I am sure I would've had a rip or two from the branches in the forest. - The chest strap, is not at the perfect position, and almost chokes the person wearing it. I thought this might be exclusive to my frame, but I got a fellow hiker to try on my pack, and she was not too comfortable wearing it either. - It does not have a zipper at the bottom for the sleeping bag to be put into the bag. I kind of miss this feature. That said, this backpack is easy to load, has plenty of big and little pockets for all the right equipment (my platypus, variety of water bottle sizes, fuel cans, etc.). I am about 5'4'', and this pack fits my back perfectly, and so does the hip belt curvature. While I think taller folks will have no problems, I am not too sure if it would be as comfortable on shorter people. I especially like the larger side pockets, as in my previous backpack, the side pockets were small, and sometimes my fuel can would fall out if I bent over while hiking. I have not tried this pack in rainy weather, so cannot comment on that. One of the other reviews said that the pocket on the hip belt is not great. I would disagree with that. Although a bar might break in the pocket because of the belt curvature when one wears it, I was able to stuff a 6-7 hiking worth of Trailmix in there. All in all, a nice backpack, and I cannot wait to take it on an adventure again!

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I've used this bag a couple of times now, and for the most part it is an excellent bag and an excellent value. The storage space is convenient, secure, and well-thought-out, with only one exception: the side pockets are tall enough that they are difficult to access when wearing the bag. It would also be nice if all four of the straps holding the top compartment in place had latches (only 2 do). But otherwise, the bag is light, comfortable, and intuitive. I haven't used it enough to vouch for its durability.

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I have bpacked with the pack 10 times without a problem. There are plenty of adjustments straps for a good fit. The pack washes very easily. The only 2 things I wish were designed differently are 1- I wish there was a side zipper for the times when I packed something low and I needed to get to and 2- The top part of the pack is removable which is great, but I wish REI made a strap that would allow me remove the top pack and carry it wish me on side hikes.

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This pack is awesome! I recently used it on a 4-day trip on the High Sierra Trail and it held up well. Let me tell you what it held: 8x10' Silnylon tarp, ground sheet, stakes, big agnes insulated air core mattress, golite ultralight 3+ season quilt, fleece, change of clothes, rain jacket, headlamp, two 32oz nalgene bottles, Ti Cook Kit w/ esbit stove and tabs, ditty bag (hand sanitizer, toothbrush, etc.), and here's the kicker - a Bearvault Solo with food for 4 days! I'm not sure anybody really needs more.

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If you are the type of person who likes lightweight gear, this may be the only pack you need. I have used this pack for day hikes, mountaineering, and extended summer backpacking trips. Most recently, I climbed Mt. Shasta with this pack. It carried all my overnight gear up to camp. The next day I removed the top and support structure and cinched it down, making a great light summit pack. I felt sorry for the other people I saw carrying bulky 5lb+ packs. Earlier that month, I spent a week backpacking in Yosemite. I carried about 30lb and was comfortable. Even with one of those big bear canisters, I only had to put my pad on the outside. Again I used the stripped down configuration for climbing peaks. My buddy carried a sleeping bag sack. The bottom line: If you are a fan of light weight, this pack is an excellent choice. 50L is plenty for most except maybe winter backpacking.

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Haven't had this pack very long.I needed a pack for summer hiking.Holds all I need and then some. Comfortable and easy to adjust. I like this pack alot.

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I owned this pack for the past year, but just returned it as the sides of the pack started to rip. Got my full money back and got a new pack! REI is good for that alone! All in all its a good pack, but there are a few very important problems. 1. The top middle of the pack uses a plastic sheet to reduce weight. While the sides are metal bars. This causes a problem when you try and put anything over say a pound in the top (removable) compartment as it will slip over the sides and fall down making your load very unstable. No matter how tight you pull the top tight it will still slide down. 2. If you are a skinny person like me (32 inch waist) and own the large pack since you need it for the height, you will find the waist strap does not go tight enough and will cause the sides of the pack to rip. This might however be fixed by purchasing the med pack. 3. Water bottles are hard to reach with your own hands and even if you are really flexible you will have to ask someone to help you put it back in. This is all I can say is bad with this pack. It really is a good pack, but it does have some annoying problems that you will come across. That is why it gets a 3/5 for me. I would recommend this pack only if you understand the problems it has.

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I have nothing bad to say about this pack... it was perfect for my use. Great for several day/night trips, I have used it for a 2 night trip and was more than plenty, I was even able to fit 2 100 ounce bladders totaling 6 liters of water for the desert... great pack. Only 2 things I would like different. 1. One more little pocket or split the middle pocket into two pockets. 2. Seperate access to bottom of pack. other than that, the best pack i have ever used...

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I traveled around Europe ( France, Spain, Italy, Germany, and the UK) for a month in Febuary of this year. This was the BEST pack! It fit everything I needed plus the poster tube for the art I bought in Paris and Florence, the 2 Bottles of wine I dragged around Italy that I bought in Tuscany. It fit in all overhead compartments on trains and plains. It was Great! And amazingly comfy! At one point I had a good 60 pounds in the pack and my back NEVER hurt! If your going to Europe and looking for a great pack to carry your stuff, this one is well, perfect!

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This is a great weekend pack. Lots of places to put and organize your stuff. Very easy to adjust fit. Comfortable, even with 30+ lb load. The hydration pocket is a plus, just be sure to fill the bladder in it before packing everything else! The lid compartment is convenient for keeping those things you want to get to quickly. Well made and worth the price!

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I love this pack. If I could go back and do it again, I would probably spring for the flash 65 because I was originally looking at a 4-6 day pack, but I am perfectly content with this pack. Very adjustable, very compact and quite comfortable. I can get about 45 pounds into this pack and still be comfortable. This pack is definitely intended for long weekends and has proved quite durable. My camelbak slips right into the provided water pocket and also the strap pocket is a great easy access place for my knife. Also, this pack is great for travel, if you pack light enough, you can get it as a carry-on.