I had this pack:
http://www.rei.com/product/778467

For about 6 months. It weighs just 1.5 lbs, and was surprisingly comfortable. I kept the loaded weight under 20 lbs... but did a fair amount of jogging while wearing the pack, which is made of rather thin material.

Finally the inevitable happened, and a 1.5" tear opened between the shoulder blades, about 1" from one of the straps.

QUESTION: is there a pack like the flash 30 (similar very light weight, two side mesh pockets, axe strap) that is a bit more reinforced at the pack strap attachments?

Else I will just buy another one. I'd like to add my own reinforcement by the straps, but the material is backed by a stiff sewn-in support.

Thanks.

take it back to rei ... tell em the fabric ripped from u flexing yr muscles

fair chance theyll just give you a new one

bearbreeder wrote:take it back to rei ... tell em the fabric ripped from u flexing yr muscles

fair chance theyll just give you a new one

I already brought it back 4 days ago.

Actually, today I went back and got another just like it, after checking out alternatives for about an hour. I have reinforced the previous rip spot with urethane, will get it fairly thick within a day.

That's a nice pack. I've been wanting one for a little while now, to use esp. as a possible summit pack. Take the back support out, etc. and it's even lighter.
Mountain Hardwear also makes a nice lightweight one called the Scrambler, but, looks like you made your decision already. Good luck.

http://www.rei.com/product/796242

I've had that pack for four years now and use it often both for dayhiking and as a summit pack, and my girlfriend has used one for a couple of years now also. It's a great pack, one of the best products I've seen from REI. I've had to patch the bottom but otherwise it's held up well, but I haven't used it running. My guess would be that yours has failed due to stress from running, for which it probably wasn't designed. As a runner myself I've seen the stress it places on packs.

1000Pks wrote:Unless you are the local enviro club cheapskate, in this only for the short term, get a name brand pack. Mine have all had life time warranties, and honored. Some I have shipped back a few times, and they fixed it for free each time. Similar with clothes and other items. You pay a little more, you get a little more. Even with some enviro club, REI is known as poor quality. Then most of them give out as the gear does, and happily!

yeah because a yuppie pack will make you looks soooo much cooler to those envirochicks .... lol

Classic posts, there, Pete. Keep 'em coming. . .

dskoon wrote:Mountain Hardwear also makes a nice lightweight one called the Scrambler, but, looks like you made your decision already. Good luck.

http://www.rei.com/product/796242

I picked one of these up this past summer, and for what it is -- an ultralight summit pack -- it's not bad. The silnylon fabric is fragile though. I've applied silnet to the bottom several times to keep from tearing through.

I've used it on several alpine rock climbs and managed to strap a light ice axe and aluminum crampons to the thing and it seems to carry the rack, hydration reservoir and a shell without too much difficulty. You can remove the framesheet and padding and wad the thing up inside your big pack (or I guess put a sleeping bag inside it). I carry the framesheet/padding rolled up with my ridge rest.

I have to imagine this thing would not last long for desert scrambling

rhyang wrote:http://www.rei.com/product/796242

(...)

I have to imagine this thing would not last long for desert scrambling

I thought the same thing about the REI flash 30, and I wouldn't take it on the worst Red Rock hikes. But the slim profile kept it out of harm's way more than my normal packs, which are forever ripping through. I saturated the bottom mesh pockets with urethane, and they held up pretty well. On average, I go through about 1 day pack per year, mainly due to abrasion.