Black Diamond pack ultralight, minimalist
photo courtesy Black Diamond
Black Diamond Equipment’s Flash backpack
- Cons: Small pockets too small; Waist strap useless; Zippers hard to pull while wearing gloves
- Bottom Line: The Black Diamond Flash pack is lighter than many comparable packs on the market, but its compartments aren’t as functional.
- MSRP: $60
Black Diamond Equipment’s Web site
The Black Diamond Flash backpack is one of the lightest packs of its size on the market.
Weighing in at just 7.4 ounces, the 9-liter (549-cubic-inch) pack is the perfect size for half-day adventures.
It’ll easily fit a 100-ounce hydration bladder in its minimalist interior sleeve, and the interior bladder hook keeps it hanging when the water is low.
The right shoulder strap has a clip that secures a bladder hose to keep it out of the way, and the clip can easily be switched to the left side. I found the hose was easy to secure and just as easy to grab when I needed a drink making it a great alternative to tucking it under the shoulder strap.
From biking to running, when packed full the Flash stayed put on my back.
That’s in part because of the sternum strap, and, in no part, because of the minimalist waist belt. The Flash’s waist belt is great in that it’s a simple, roughly half-inch-wide, strap. But the belt, like most other small packs on the market, won’t fit most adults correctly.
If the pack was positioned correctly on my shoulders, the belt was positioned around my stomach. If the pack was positioned correctly on my waist, the shoulders pads were too short.
The perforated shoulder pads seemed to breathe fairly well in the hot Sedona, Ariz. sun, despite the minimal perforations and nylon covering the foam straps.
The back of the pack, however, despite also being perforated, didn’t breathe as well as other comparable packs causing my back to quickly sweat.
The Flash has two small, camera-sized pockets in addition to the main compartment. While they have potential to be awesome, I found the pockets to be awkward.
For instance, I could barely fit my slim point-and-shoot camera (with its small case) inside the pocket. And the other pocket quickly filled up with my wallet, cell phone, keys and an energy bar – items I like to keep separate from the rest of my gear and easily accessible.
As with many other daypacks, the Flash has shock cord compression on the back to help stash a midlayer, raincoat or other gear you may need on the go.
While the pack’s negatives may outweigh the positives for many people, if you’re looking for a minimalist, ultralight pack to take with you on a quick adventure, Black Diamond’s Flash may be the right choice.
