REASONS TO BUY
Low weight
Only includes essential features
Comfortable minimalist suspension
REASONS TO AVOID
Uncomfortable with heavy loads
Lacks durability
REI Co-op Flash 22 Review
This pack is an excellent value, providing all-around performance for light and fast activities at a bargain price
Credit: Zach Lovell
RELATED: Best Daypacks of 2024
Our Verdict
The REI Co-op Flash 22 boasts excellent mobility in an inexpensive and lightweight package. Streamlined features and a thinner nylon construction make this daypack a top-notch companion for a wide variety of uses, from biking to climbing to commuting. The Flash 22 has been a well-loved offering from REI, and this latest update further confirms its reputation as a best-in-class budget pack. The pocket design makes it easy to use, and as long as you pack it carefully, the lightly padded suspension is very comfortable. While it can't handle heavy loads, no other backpack in our lineup balances cost, weight, and function quite as well as the Flash 22. See how it ranks next to other top competitors in our full article on best daypacks.
Compare to Similar Products
 This Product
REI Co-op Flash 22 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Awards |  Best Bang for Your Buck | Best Buy on a Tight Budget | |||
| Price | $60 List $59.95 at REI | $65.00 at Amazon | $26 List $21.99 at Amazon | $40 List | $65 List Check Price at Backcountry |
Overall Score  |
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| Star Rating | |||||
| Bottom Line | The updated Flash 22 is lighter than ever while still providing excellent performance for many types of activity | This smaller daypack emphasizes movement over durability | A high-volume backpack that boasts a lightweight design at a staggeringly low price | A comfortable daypack for hikes or commutes to work | This lightweight, durable daypack can handle rugged terrain with ease |
| Rating Categories | REI Co-op Flash 22 | Cotopaxi Batac 16L | Venture Pal 35L | Decathlon Quechua M... | Gregory Nano 18 |
| Comfort (25%) | |||||
| Versatility (25%) | |||||
| Ease of Use (25%) | |||||
| Weight-to-Volume Ratio (15%) | |||||
| Construction Quality (10%) | |||||
| Specs | REI Co-op Flash 22 | Cotopaxi Batac 16L | Venture Pal 35L | Decathlon Quechua M... | Gregory Nano 18 |
| Advertised Volume | 22 L | 16 L | 35 L | 20 L | 18 L |
| Measured Weight | 14.0 oz | 11.6 oz | 10.5 oz | 26.9 oz | 17.5 oz |
| Weight per Liter | 0.64 oz/L | 0.73 oz/L | 0.30 oz/L | 1.35 oz/L | 0.97 oz/L |
| Back Construction | Removable foam pad | Nylon and polyester, no support | Nylon, no foam or structure | Contoured plastic sheet with a removeable rod, foam outer with ventilation | Perforated CLPE foam |
| Hydration Compatibility | Internal hydration sleeve | Internal sleeve that can be used for hydration, but no pathway for the hose | Internal sleeve that can be used for hydration, but no pathway for the hose | Interal hydration sleeve, holds up to 3L | Independent hydration sleeve with its own zippered compartment |
| Hip Belt | Broad, ventilated but not padded. | None | None | Broad, padded, with pockets | 3/4" webbing |
| Number of Pockets | 5 | 5 | 5 | 6 | 5 |
| Description of Pockets | 1 main zippered, 2 mesh side pockets, 1 side zippered pocket, 1 top pouch | 1 main zippered, 1 internal mesh zippered, 1 exterior side zippered, 2 mesh side pockets | 1 main zippered, 2 external zippered, 2 mesh side pocketed | 1 zippered outside pocket, 1 main zippered, 1 small inside pocket, 2 mesh side pockets, 1 hip belt pocket | 2 main zippered, 1 external zippered, 2 mesh side pockets |
| Materials | 70D nylon, polyurethane coating | Ripstop nylon and polyester | Nylon | Polyester, polyamide, elastane, polyurethan coating | Nylon exterior, 210D CryptoRip nylon body, 420D high density bottom |
| Outside Carry Options | Ice axe loop and bungee holder, 10 loops for additional straps or attachments | 6 daisy chain loops | 2 exterior straps | 1 trekking pole/ice axe holder, 5 additional daisy chain loops that can accept more straps or attachments | 4 loops that can accept more straps or attachments, 2 exterior straps |
| Whistle | Yes | No | Yes | No | Yes |
| Key Clip | Yes | No | No | Yes | Yes |
| Other Notable Features | Removeable foam back panel doubles as sit pad, removeable sternum, removeable Packmod bungee | Unique color schemes | Incredibly lightweight for its capacity, folds up into its own pocket, reflective tape on exterior | Very wide opening for easy packing, removeable hip pocket, breathable padded back | Durable top grab loop, thickly padded back and shoulders |
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Our Analysis and Test Results
Through months of testing, we found that no feature on the Flash 22 was extraneous. The pocket arrangement, suspension, minimalist frame, and lightweight materials all function well together. While we wouldn't recommend it for loads much greater than about 15 pounds for regular use (although we've carried more in our Flash packs), it works great for trail running, hiking, mountain biking, climbing, and even commuting, as it fits a 14-inch laptop snugly in the hydration sleeve. For travel, the abundance of pockets and loops makes it perfect to use as a personal bag that can be tucked away in a larger bag when needed. The updated version of this pack includes a lid pocket, a wider fabric hip belt, and moved from webbing-based daisy chains to thin cords.
Performance Comparison
We spent weeks with the Flash 22, testing its limits across multiple continents and environments.
Credit: Zach Lovell
Comfort
The Flash 22 is a one-size-fits-most daypack, fitting testers of all shapes and sizes. We liked that we could cinch it way down and clip the hip belt around our midsection to stabilize the pack for running, or let out the shoulder straps a bit and place the hip belt around our iliac crest to take some weight off our shoulders for hiking.
The Flash 22 improves over its smaller sibling, the Flash 18, primarily featuring a more robust suspension and padding. The Flash 22 shoulder straps and back panel feature a set of mesh pads that provide good padding at a lower weight, but it isn't as breathable.
The full-length padding offers excellent comfort, but the back isn't as ventilated.
Credit: Zach Lovell
The shoulder pads are fairly thin but have wrap-around edge support to disperse the load and keep the fabric from folding or bunching up. This wrap-around padding on the shoulders also acts as the sleeve for the hydration hose. The sternum strap is removable like the previous version, however, the hip belt is not. The hip belt comfortably forms atop your iliac crest and takes some weight off, more comfortably than the thin webbing hip belt typical of a pack in this weight class.
The hip belt offers a lightweight yet effective design that's more substantial than many featherweight models.
Credit: Jacob Clark
The Flash 22 has minimal straps for load adjustment and doesn't have much support, making it less ideal for heavier loads. We found this to be a common theme among lighter packs and found the approximate weight limit to be around 20 pounds. Fortunately, the modest support of the Flash 22 made it an excellent option for mobility, whether hiking or climbing.
We were able to move freely while wearing the Flash 22, making for an excellent companion on mobility-intensive outings.
Credit: Zach Lovell
Versatility
We used this pack for running, hiking, cycling, and as a carry on flying cross country. We appreciated its pocket design for all these activities, and its lightweight and slender profile kept it in a nice, concise package.
For outdoor pursuits, we could usually stuff this pack with all the layers, water bottles, and gear we needed. However, we hesitated to bring this pack snowshoeing, or when we had to carry gear for other people, as it quickly became uncomfortable with heavy loads. This limits it to activities like mountain biking, hiking, scrambling, trail running, climbing, and other generally fair-weather or light-and-fast adventures. We liked the versatility of the Flash 22 over more running-specific ultralight packs, which didn't work as well for things like commuting or longer hikes.
Add Carry and Compression Cordage to the Flash 22
The outside attachment loops on the Flash 22 can be outfitted with some useful cordage to add functionality for compressing the pack or strapping on bulky items like camera tripods. Using some thin cord and a few knots, the daisy chain points on the pack can create a makeshift compression system. Using a bowline on one end, weaving back and forth through the daisy chains, and finishing with a double half hitch or truckers hitch is about all you'll need. This same cord can be rounded through gear, over it to secure to pack, or clipped to add to the simple versatility of this ultralight daypack.
We love the REI Co-op Flash series of packs for travel. The Flash 22 stuffs easily underneath an airplane seat, can be rolled up and stuffed in a carry on for more baggage-restricting airlines, and has two zippered pockets in addition to the main compartment for organization. We strapped it to a car headrest for a couple of weeks camping in New Zealand and used it as our day-to-day gear organizer and closet. When considering the same pack can also hold an ice axe for more adventurous pursuits, it further confirms the versatility of the Flash 22.
This pack worked very well for technical outings, yet also was at home on a work commute or day hike.
Credit: Zach Lovell
Ease of Use
The REI Co-op Flash 22 benefits from years of design refinements to REI's pack lineup. The mesh stretch pockets are easy to get into and hold things well. The more secure zippered pockets are small but work well for organizing small gear like headlamps or water filters. While it lacks hip belt pockets, it's easy to slip this pack on and off to get to the zippered or mesh pockets while the pack is still on.
The outer attachments on this pack were among our favorite designs of the packs we tested. The daisy chains and ice axe holder securely hold an ice axe, trekking poles, or any other items you might need to strap to the outside- just remember you'll need to add your own attachment systems if using the daisy chains.
The exterior daisy chain loops offer a world of attachment possibility.
Credit: Zach Lovell
The main compartment is equipped with a hydration sleeve capable of holding up to a 3-liter hydration bladder (although 3 liters of water takes up a lot of space in a pack this small). There are also two small pockets and a keychain clip on the hydration reservoir pocket. We liked these small pockets, but our larger testers had a hard time fitting their hands into them.
Featured on the recent update is an added pocket integrated into the hood for keeping the small items accessible and organized.
Credit: Jacob Clark
For commuting, we were able to slide our 14-inch laptop into the hydration sleeve easily, and we appreciated the two small zippered pockets for holding a notebook and pens. At crowded meetings, we could slip this bag under our chair, while other, bulkier bags just got in the way. The Flash 22 now features a new side zippered pouch. This hidden spot may be helpful to store more sensitive items like a phone or a wallet, though not big enough for small tablets or books.
This stealthy exterior pocket was useful for a variety of items, from snacks to car keys to a wind breaker layer.
Credit: Zach Lovell
Weight-to-Volume Ratio
The Flash 22 is an ultralight daypack with thin materials, small buckles and straps, and only the necessary features. It weighs in at a scant 14 ounces for its 22-liter volume, for an excellent weight-to-volume ratio of 0.64 ounces per liter.
This pack saves weight by allowing you to add on what you need with all the modular loops and daisy chains, but it doesn't force you to carry unnecessary bells and whistles. For this price, we would normally expect a very simple pack with few features, but the Flash 22 delivers lots of nice touches that keep its overall weight reasonable.
This light and simple pack easily swings around to the front of your body for easy access on the go without stopping.
Credit: Jacob Clark
Construction Quality
REI uses the ripstop nylon on the Flash 22, with some thicker nylon pack cloth on the bottom. The outer pocket creates two layers of material on the outside of the pack, and the lid adds another two layers to the top.
Most other packs in this review use much burlier nylon that will probably last longer. Unless you plan on canyoneering or hauling this bag over rock, it should hold up just fine through normal use. And if you do tear it up, its simple design makes it easy to patch with some Tear-Aid or Tenacious Tape.
After extensive field testing, we performed a standardized drag test. The Flash 22 didn't handle the testing as well as others.
Credit: Zach Lovell
In our hose testing, we found that the top lid of the Flash 22 somewhat improved its water resistance. Without an included rain cover and the structured frame to support one, this pack can handle brief precipitation but will get your gear drenched in a long rainstorm. Think of it as a pack that dries out very fast and, as a top-loader, works great with a dry bag pack liner or garbage bag to keep your gear dry on a rainy day.
The bottom of the Flash 22 has a reinforced nylon construction, pleasantly surprising us with improved durability in areas that are likely to receive more abrasion.
Credit: Zach Lovell
Should You Buy the REI Co-op Flash 22?
After years of refinement, the Flash 22 offers functional and streamlined features, a remarkably comfortable suspension considering its minimalism, and a useful design, all at a crazy lightweight. We were blown away by the performance of this pack, given its low price. REI has really dialed in the design and feature set, and we can honestly say that we hope it doesn't change much. As an ultralightweight pack, it delivers top-tier performance, features that we find ourselves using frequently, and the versatility to accompany day after day in the mountains. All these positive characteristics come at an absolute steal, making this a solid choice for our Best Buy award.
What Other Daypacks Should You Consider?
The REI Flash 22 performs well in all metrics other than durability and costs significantly less than the vast majority of packs in our review. If you're looking for a bit more durability from a pack at a similar price point, check out the REI Trail 25. Another worthy consideration is the Osprey Talon 22, which is heavier and more expensive, but carries weight very well and offers excellent durability.
—Zach Lovell and Jacob Clark
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