During summer OR, I noticed many people carrying the REI Flash 18 pack, an ultra-light, small backpack that costs merely $30. It’s top loading, hydration compatible, has twin daisy chains and is made of 140-denier ripstop nylon with a water-resistant polyurethane coating. Turn it inside out and it’s a stuff sack.
The Flash 18 weighs 10 ounces with a volume of 1,100 cubic inches.
To me, this looked like the ultimate climbing pack and I had to get one. I took the Flash 18 on several climbing trips recently. I packed it full of food, water and clothes and hauled it up a 600 foot wall in western Colorado. The pack withstood being dragged over sandstone and limestone, showing only minimum signs of wear. Next, I took it climbing on the coarse granite of Vedauwoo, Wyoming.
The internal pockets found in the Flash worked great for keeping my summer sausage and lip balm separate from clothes and water bottles. The external daisy chains were perfect for clipping cams to the pack while at the belay. It cinched shut when need be and cleanly opened when I had access its contents.
As far as packs go, it’s hard to beat the $30 price tag found on the Flash 18. This is likely the best priced climbing pack on the market today.
