I've run through 3 REI flash 30 packs. I liked the minimalist style. Though I had to reinforce the area between the shoulder straps and often resewed the mesh pockets and patched the bottom with urethane, I found they wore out no faster than other packs, and I really liked the low weight, capacity and versatility. I liked the lash points, and the mesh pockets (which I constantly resewed, but hey, that was acceptable).
REI has stopped making the flash 30. There is a 22L version with some undesirable features, and the next choice is a lightweight backpack (still relatively heavy).
Any suggestions for a similar light pack?