REI Flash Insulated Air Sleeping Pad

The Flash series by REI is optimized for efficiency, the brand says, and like so many others in its class, tries to strike a balance between weight, comfort, and performance. Available in Regular and Long (only an ounce heavier), the Flash Insulated features PrimaLoft to bring the R-value up while still keeping weight down to a true backpacking weight.

It doesn’t come with a patch kit, which many pads include, but maybe that speaks to its inherent durability as well. REI also does a very good job of labeling its products clearly, making it simple to shop and simple to remember what you’ve got.

Universal Attributes

Performance: 3.5
If you’re going to play in the high-performance space, you have to be able to compete. And the REI Flash sleeping pad does compete pretty well, but it’s not leading the class. At 1 pound it’s competitive against other air and PrimaLoft insulated pads, with the very acceptable and fairly standard 3.2 R value and 2.5 inches of inflated height, also pretty standard.

Design: 3.5
It’s a functional but not unique design with its modified tapered mummy shape and a normal footprint for its weight. A larger person will definitely want the Long. The outer tubes are larger to prevent rolling off the pad during the night, which is a nice but not uncommon feature.

Durability: 3
Slightly less durable than the AirRail but certainly sufficient, and passed our testing without problem. The insulation adds a bit of durability to the baffles as well.

Innovation: 2
Again, nothing wrong here just no real innovation to speak of. It’s a mid- to high-range backpacking pad with a solid feature set and value-oriented price point.

Features: 2.5
Not many bells and whistles here, just a solid backpacking purchase to add to your kit without breaking the bank. The flat valves take a little getting used to inflating, but having two of them (top and bottom) definitely adds to the speed of deflation and packability.

Universal Tests

Comfort test: This is no luxury mat. In the comfort-to-performance spectrum, it definitely leans more toward performance.

Weighted overnight test: No air loss with this REI sleeping pad.

Durability test: Passed all tests but we would not put it in an extreme durability column, due to its primary use purpose and feature sets.

Re-pack test: Although it was tight coming out of its stuff sack and features an included cinch strap, the bottom valve feature helps the re-pack process, and in controlled situations was pretty easy to get rolled up to its out-of-box size.

Inflation speed test: Filled up quite easily with about 16 full breaths.

Packed size test: This is more of a true backpacking size, not much bigger than a Nalgene water bottle.