REI Co-op Flash 22 Pack vs Mystery Ranch Urban Assault 24

I hadn't planned to get the Flash, but after trying on a bunch, that one was the one that felt the best for me. If you're a beginner backpacker, you're probably hiking with some heavy and/or bulky gear, so it's even more important to get a comfortable pack that fits you properly (they'll measure you at the store).

If you want to use this for a quick trip, and so the urban assault line is offered in three sizes, the version that I have here, as I mentioned, is th...

But if you do have the trekking poles attached to the package so you can't expect the pack is, sit up very nicely. Alright, so now that this is fully ...

It is super high quality top to bottom. I wanted something multipurpose for EDC, weekend travel, and some light day hiking. The low profile non-tactical styling, numerous pockets, and single main storage compartment was all a great departure from the school book bag style packs I’d previously owned. Its smartly laid out interior, sturdy exterior, and strap adjustability was everything I needed

However, it is surprisingly comfy, giving you good support when you're carrying your items with you. Even though it offers minimalistic features, this...

The most comfortable pack is typically the one with nothing in it. 😊 Under load though, from my collection it'd be the Mystery Ranch Urban Assault 24.

really. as you can see, it doesn't have any outside pockets, so getting anything in and out of here is very difficult. There's no hip belt and that wa...

I would like to be able to put the bag down and not be forced to lay it flat on the back or lean it against something to prevent it from falling over. I would love it if it had a flat bottom or one that would allow it to stand up on its own when you set it on the ground.

For flights, as “personal item” stowed under seat in front in economy, this has a better volume and extra useful features like the flap lid and exterior mesh pockets compared with the Flash 18...but the Flash 18 is a lot narrower and I can stick a foot on either side with the Flash 18 but not the Flash 22, which tends to hog all the under seat space

Less roomy in the main compartment and laptop compartment than expected. I find pulling the top to open more difficult than convenient. I would recommend reversing the direction of the inside mesh pocket zippers on the side flaps of the main compartment as they are difficult to access quickly. Would also recommend a small area of MOLLE and a small area of Velcro on a portion of the exterior of the bag

THis is a great little backpack. Only giving it 4 stars because the zipper didn't work very smoothly. Otherwise, no complaints!

I also appreciate the aesthetics of it not screaming that it’s military or a similar type design. My only criticisms is it’s a little smaller than I expected but that’s on me. Also, the zipper pulls are fairly basic 550 cord type pulls so I wish they’d chosen a longer lasting part since these tend to always come loose over time but it hasn’t happened to me yet since it’s still fairly new. Overall, I highly recommend this product and I’d buy it again and am also looking to buy another MR pack in the future