REI Co-op Backpacks

These packs come from a retailer, not a pack maker. REI began in Seattle in 1938, when Lloyd and Mary Anderson set up a climbing-gear cooperative, and it is still owned by members who pay a one-time $30 fee. What that buys a pack shopper is less about construction and more about the store: you can be fitted in person, carry the pack on a trail, and members can return it within one year of purchase, against 90 days for non-members.

REI's house packs cover every step from day hike to week-long trip. The Flash 22 is the minimal one, a frameless daypack whose back pad doubles as a sit pad; the Trail 25 is the plain everyday daypack, and the Traverse 35 is a big, heavy daypack that stretches to a summer overnight. For backpacking, the Trailmade 60 is the starter, with an 18-21 in adjustable torso and two widths. The Traverse 60 is the comfort pick, rated by REI to 45 lbs at 4.5 lbs of pack weight, with four hipbelt ranges reaching 42-55 in. The Flash 55 and Flash Air 50 are the lightweight pair; the Flash 55's Packmod pockets, straps and lid come off to save about seven ounces.

Load ceilings are sharp across the line. The Flash 22 tops out at 12-15 lbs, and its one-size harness runs short for tall backs. The Trailmade 60 is comfortable on weekend trips but sags onto the shoulders as loads near 35 lbs. Reviewers call the Flash 55's 30 lb limit real and abrupt, with the hipbelt wings flexing under heavier loads, and the Flash Air 50 is rated to 20 lbs and needs a liner, since the woven fabric wets through. The Traverse 35's foam back has no ventilation and carries warm on humid climbs. None of the three daypacks or the Trailmade 60 comes with a raincover, so budget for one or a liner.