REI Flash 62 Review

Comfort
Built with a fairly minimalist design, is is comfortable for most people for loads of 30-35lbs. The back panel is an improvement on the previous model. The foam used in the shoulder straps was just okay and it did start to pack out a little after several trips. The waist belt at first glance doesn't look like much but it worked surprisingly well. As a whole we thought it was more comfortable than the Kelty Coyote 80, around the same as the Gregory Z-65 and not as nearly as comfortable as the Gregory Baltoro 65 or the [[Arcteryx Altra 65].

Weight
Weighing in at 3 lbs. even, it was 12 oz.'s lighter than the next pack we tested (Mountain Hardwear South Col) and two pounds lighter than many of the packs in our review. Great for most people for 2-3 days.

Suspension
The suspension was likely the flimsiest in our review and won't serve most people well above 35 lbs. If you are going to carry 40-50 lbs. and are looking to cut a few dollars by buying this pack…don't do it. This pack won't feel good.

Ease of use
This pack has a few nice pockets. Its large "beaver tail" area is nice for flip flops or layers but smaller items get lost. For people who like water bottle pockets, this pocket worked okay but not great. The zippered pocket on the back of the pack is nice but can be a little hard to get into when the pack is full.

The pack is small enough that most users won't use the lower access point that is similar to a sleeping bag compartment (without being a separate compartment). Getting into the lid when the pack was full was a challenge because it is so long. That said, you can fit a bunch of stuff in there. We liked the reverse pull waist belt.

Adjustability
This pack is not very adjustable but comes in three sizes and most testers felt they could fit into one of those sizes.