The North Face "Flash Flood" Waterproof Daypack

 

Review Date: 04/24/2006

 

Tester Info:

 

Name:  Jeremy Spencer

Age:  23

Gender: Male

Height:  5 ft 11 in (180 cm)

Weight: 195 lbs (88 kg)

Email:  BackPacker     at   jbspencer   dot    com

Location: Baton Rouge, Louisiana

 

Backpacking Background:

 

I've been an avid backpacker for almost a decade, jumpstarting my `career' by living for a full year at a primitive campsite in Tennessee. When I moved back to my hometown of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, I continued to stay outdoors by being an active Boy Scout – cumulating in my achievement of Eagle Scout rank. I've been on numerous weeklong treks and more weekend excursions than I can count – over 500 nights. I travel throughout the South on a fairly regular basis – mainly over flat terrain and a subtropical climate. I am a mid-weight backpacker; my average weight is around 25-30 lbs.

I currently work as a professional outdoors outfitter in addition to going to college.

 

Product Information:

 

Manufacturer:  The North Face (TNF)

Year manufactured: 2004

MSRP:              $99

Manufacturer URL: http://www.thenorthface.com

Pack size tested: One size fits all

Listed Weight:  3 lbs (1.36 kg)

Measured Weight: 2 lbs 14 oz (1.3 kg)

Pack capacity:  2000 cu in. (33 L)

Pack size:  22x13x6 in. (56x30x15 cm)

Pack fabric:  600D polyester with polyurethane coating

 

 

Description: Waterproof daypack with roll-top closure. Seam welded construction. Detachable molded foam backpanel allows drainage. X-Bungee on pack face. Shoulder straps. Removable hipbelt. Carry handle. Mesh water bottle pockets. Daisy chain. Front flap with zip pocket.

 

 

Locations:

 

• Subtropical climate of Louisiana, with the average temperature during summer being 82 F (28 C), and 52 F (11 C) in the winter. Summers are extremely humid. Annual rainfall is 77 in. (196 cm). Average elevation is around 19 ft. (6 m).

• Bodies of flat water explored by kayak, located in the same Louisiana environment. These water bodies varied between lakes and tributaries to the Mississippi River.

• New Orleans water during the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.

 

Performance:

 

North Face's Flash Flood day pack is a dry bag/day pack hybrid. It features only one access point – the top – which is closed by rolling and clipping a 1 in (2.54 cm) nylon strap with plastic buckles that runs along each side of the bag. No matter how hard I've tightened the straps; the roll-top portion of the bag always feels loose. In any event, the looseness has not affected the waterproofness of the bag. Even when the straps are not as tight as they should be, this bag has yet to leak, even through repeated dunkings and splashes. The seams are all welded, and the only exposed stitching is from a thin plastic rod along each side of the opening of the bag which keeps the mouth from flopping around.

 

The main selling point of this pack isn't that it's a waterproof daypack, but that it is a waterproof daypack that can be converted into just a waterproof bag through the removal of four plastic clips along the side of the bag and two nylon straps on the bottom. This has effectively doubled the pack's usefulness to me by allowing the drybag portion of the pack to be lashed to the deck of the kayak while storing the molded foam back panel and front pocket below deck. Converting the pack from daypack into drybag and vice versa takes less than 3 minutes, and is a simple matter of clicking tabs and pulling straps. When being used solely as a drybag, the measured weight was 1 lb, 5 oz (0.60 kg).

 

This pack is nothing more than a glorified waterproof sack. I may be spoiled, but I have gotten used to having numerous amenities in my bags – such as divided compartments, sleeves, and hydration bladders. Flash Flood has none of these, except for two water bottle holders located behind the front pocket. These bottle holders fit a Nalgene very snugly. When the bag is opened, it is essentially one big open compartment. I found it was important to pack smart, as having to unroll and dig from the top down every time an item was needed got old after about the first time. The exterior (removable) pocket consists of mesh paneling on either side of the North Face logo, and also has a bungee/shock cord attached in an `X' configuration along the face. The pocket has a zippered top, and can hold a minimal amount of gear due to it not being expandable. Had I designed the outside pocket, I'd have used a stretch material on the sides so as to allow it to carry a broader range of gear without having to secure it to the bungee instead. The daisy chain is located towards the bottom of the pack.

 

The fact that this pack can hold 2000 cu in (33 L) is impressive in and of itself. That much space allowed me to practically live out of the pack during my coverage of the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans, LA. I was able to fit a change of clothes, a day's worth of food, batteries, GPS, and my camera with accessories into the pack without too much difficulty. When carrying a light load, the drybag has a tendency to shift from side to side from about 1 to 2 in (2.5 to 5 cm) against the area connecting it to the back panel. I have found this to be due to the nature in which the back panel connects to the pack. Though I've tried several fixes, there doesn't appear to be a solution to this problem. The daypack is easy to wear, and the shoulder straps both conform themselves to my body comfortably. There is a sternum strap with an added portion of elastic attached to the webbing, allowing it to stretch 1 inch (2.5 cm) if needed. The (removable) hip belt is next to worthless; I am a size 32 waist and find that I have to expand the belt to the absolute max limit to make it fit around my waist. I don't see how someone larger than me would be able to fit the strap around them – or why they would try, as it is a simple 1 in (2.5 cm) nylon strap with no padding at all. Over time, the bag developed an odor – one that I am convinced came from the dirty water in New Orleans. After cleaning it both inside and out with vinegar water, then leaving it in the sunlight to dry, the smell went away.

 

 

Summary:

 

This pack serves dual purposes as both a daypack and a dry bag, making it doubly useful in my outdoor pursuits. Its seals have remained waterproof through repeated testing, and it has not developed an odor that can't be washed away with vinegar, water, and sunshine. The hip belt is uncomfortable, but removable. The exterior pocket is not big enough to hold anything other than a bottle of bug spray or a small snack. The bag has a large main compartment which makes up for the tiny pocket on the outside. Since it has a roll-style opening, the only access port is through the top. With lighter loads, the bag tends to sway horizontally between the back panel and front pocket anywhere from 1 to 2 in (2.5 to 5 cm).

 

 

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