The primary time I went backpacking, my pack and kit weighed almost 35 kilos. I clearly keep in mind considering there needed to be a greater option to expertise the outside with out having sore shoulders the following day. Years later, after I thru-hiked the PCT, my base weight clocked in at 10 kilos and stayed there for the following 2,650 miles.
Ultralight backpacking has slowly grabbed market share throughout the outside area previously decade. What was as soon as a distinct segment cottage business marketed via phrase of mouth on on-line boards has now damaged out into the daylight.
REI has entered the ultralight market in an enormous method with the introduction of the Flash Air 50 Pack, a stripped-down model of its Flash sequence. As a longtime ultralight hiker, I used to be to see how it will arise in opposition to the time-tested ultralight packs provided by Hyperlight Mountain Gear or Zpacks.
With a savvy design, UMHWPE material, and a stripped-down function set, it’s bought all of the hallmarks of an awesome UL pack, however can it dangle with the tried and true designs?
Briefly: The REI Co-op Flash Air 50 backpack is the everyman’s ultralight backpack. The pack isn’t the lightest available on the market by a protracted shot, nevertheless it manages to shed weight in comparison with its predecessors. For these in search of consolation, reliability, and the benefit of an enormous field retailer purchasing expertise, this may increasingly simply be their ticket.
To see how the Flash Air 50 compares to the remainder of our favourite ultralight packs, take a look at GearJunkie’s Greatest Ultralight Backpacks Purchaser’s Information.
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Weight
1 lb., 15 oz. -
Quantity
50 L -
Materials
UHMWPE ripstop nylon (87% nylon/13% polyethylene) -
Exterior storage
Two zippered hipbelt pockets, two facet water bottle pockets, two exterior facet pockets, one entrance stash pocket, ice axe/trekking pole tether
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Pre-curved body supplies wonderful consolation -
UHMWPE material is uber robust -
Water bottle pockets are front-angled and simple to snag -
Prime Y-strap wrangles cumbersome gadgets like bear canisters -
Appropriate with REI Packmod equipment
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Again panel would not have the most effective air flow -
Not totally waterproof design — will want different waterproofing answer -
Not the lightest choice on the market at almost 2 kilos
REI Co-op Flash Air 50 Pack: Evaluation
The pursuit of ultralight goes far past merely how a lot weight you carry. The true precept behind the pursuit is to maximise your enjoyment outdoor whereas taking a minimal quantity of the lightest gear required to be protected for a given journey. Stripping away the surplus, you might be left with one thing utilitarian however purposeful that lets you turn into extra current within the outdoor.
The REI Co-op Flash Air 50 comes near this perfect whereas not totally committing to stripping away the entire extra. These conversant in REI’s Flash 55 pack will see a lot of their favourite options represented on the brand new Flash Air 50, together with a couple of new notable ones. However actually, it’s the restraint to pile on the extras that hold this pack within the UL class.
A brand new roll-top lid provides compression and adjustment to the inner quantity, whereas the highest Y-strap helps retailer extra or cumbersome gadgets akin to bear canisters on prime of the pack. The outside pockets are massive however oddly laborious to entry when the pack is tightly packed. There are daisy chains and attachment loops to lash ice axes and different gear to the outside of the pack.
In any other case, you’re left with a fairly spartan exterior that appears so much like … many different ultralight packs as of late.
I’ve largely used Hyperlite Mountain Gear packs for the previous 10 years and have grown to like the utilitarian nature of the model’s gear. Hyperlite and different early makers within the ultralight area design product strains with the fundamental premise that much less is extra. You gained’t discover the entire bells and whistles on a Hyperlite bag that you’d on, say an Osprey Aether.
So, this may be the benchmark that I might take a look at the brand new Flash Air in opposition to, and with a view to take a look at this pack, I got down to hike via what I contemplate North Carolina’s hardest terrain — the Linville Gorge Wilderness. With 23 miles and 4,500 ft of vert, two river crossings, and a wholesome dose of overgrown path, this route is hard on gear. I packed the bag up with my commonplace in a single day equipment and hit the path early.
Subject Notes: Consolation Is King
The true take a look at of any backpack is consolation over a protracted day on the path. On this division, the Flash Air 50 delivers in type. The hourglass-shaped body hugs your again, whereas the shoulder straps are padded, although not cumbersome.
Resulting from its pre-curved design, the hip belt effortlessly hugs your hips and stays snug over steep terrain. Whereas testing, I carried roughly 18 kilos on this pack, and I keep in mind considering I may simply add 10 extra with out compromising the consolation. Rated for hundreds as much as 25 kilos, this backpack has loads of capability for common journeys.
It’s a standard false impression that you will need to commerce consolation for weight when utilizing ultralight gear. Even whereas climbing 1,000 ft in 2 miles, the Flash Air 50 felt safe and weighted on my hips. The adjustable load lifters had been helpful to tug the load nearer to my again midway up the climb.
Sadly, the froth padding throughout the again didn’t ventilate as a lot as I might have appreciated, and my again positively felt sizzling. Nevertheless, it was a lot better than its competitors within the Hyperlite Mountain Gear lineup, which provides zero breathability.
Close to the midway level of the hike, I descended to the Linville River, the place I needed to make a sequence of brief rock hops to cross the water. As somebody who enjoys scrambling throughout rocks on my adventures, this pack happy me with its really feel and saved weight near my physique.
Practical on the Transfer
Once I hike, I wish to eat and drink on the transfer, so having easy accessibility to my water bottles and pockets that maintain snacks is essential. The Flash Air 50 has devoted water bottle pockets, separate from its facet pockets, a function initially launched on REI packs a couple of decade in the past.
These sleeves are positioned immediately behind the hip belt and in entrance of the facet pockets, making it a lot simpler to succeed in again and seize your bottle whereas transferring. I discovered these pockets to be fairly purposeful and was completely satisfied to see the hip belt pockets match my cellphone, in addition to loads of snacks.
The Flash Air 50 additionally incorporates the REI Pack Mod System, which lets you customise your pack by including accent pockets to the backpack. The shoulder strap mesh pocket is sized for the standard smartphone — nonetheless, its sturdiness is questionable, and I discovered it to hold awkwardly whereas mountain climbing.
The opposite small mesh pouches dangle from the again of the pack and bounce round fairly a bit. Each pack mods are detachable.
I usually hike with two trekking poles for each on-trail assist and utilizing them to erect my shelter on the finish of the day. For testing functions, I carried one pole connected to the Flash Air 50’s device keeper. A small loop connected to the underside of the pack holds your instruments in place, whereas a cinch loop on the prime secures them to the daisy chain.
Sometimes, if I’ve to hold my trekking poles, I merely toss them into the facet pocket of the pack and safe them utilizing the lateral cinch cords. Whereas designed cleanly, I’m uncertain how sensible this technique performs out for regular use. The slight twist and motion of the poles hanging off the again of the pack had been noticeable when transferring rapidly.
Not Impervious to Showers
With just some miles left to the automotive, the clouds that had been threatening a storm all day opened up in torrential rain, and all efforts to remain dry had been ineffective. Whereas I hoped the UHMWPE material would provide some water resistance, I later found an excellent quantity of water had made it contained in the pack.
I don’t know whether or not the water entered via the hydration port or soaked via the material. Whereas the UHMWPE material is mild and hard, it doesn’t provide the identical degree of safety as, say, woven Dyneema used within the Hyperlite Mountain Gear packs I’ve used.
Customers ought to count on to make use of a waterproof pack cowl or line the within of the pack with a trash bag or different waterproof materials. On a constructive be aware, the shoulder straps and again padding breathed properly sufficient to dry rapidly and didn’t really feel heavy or soaked with water.
REI Co-op Flash Air Pack: Conclusion
In conclusion, the REI Co-op Flash Air 50 backpack strikes a commendable steadiness between ultralight ideas and mass-market utility. By making sensible design decisions and choosing supplies fastidiously, REI has created a pack that meets the load requirement to be thought-about “UL” whereas nonetheless providing the acquainted bells and whistles that prospects have come to count on.
True ultralight purists will doubtless balk on the weight (almost 10 ounces heavier than the Zpacks Arc Haul 50L), whereas those that are coming from conventional packs such because the Osprey Atmos 50L shall be properly rewarded with the almost 2.4 kilos of weight financial savings.
With a value of $299, the Flash Air 50 finds itself immediately competing with the most effective and most established packs within the ultralight class. With thru-hikers hitting the lengthy trails this summer season, time will inform if the bag has what it takes to earn its spot as a revered choice to think about. However my finest guess is that we’ll see loads of Flash Air 50s hitting terminuses throughout the nation.
