A close look at two backpacks buyers cross-shop. The Gorilla 50 leans on load carry while the Flash Air 50 answers with low weight, so the pick comes down to which you value.
| Gossamer Gear Gorilla 50 | REI Co-op Flash Air 50 | |
|---|---|---|
| GearScore | 66✓ | 63 |
| Capacity | 50 L | 50 L |
| Weight | 2 lb | 1 lb 14 oz✓ |
| Rated load | 30 lb✓ | 25 lb |
| Fabric denier | 70 D | n/s |
| Price | $275✓ | $299 |
| Type | Ultralight | Ultralight |
| Frame | Internal | Internal |
Highlighted cells mark the better spec: Gorilla 50 in blue, Flash Air 50 in amber. A blank spec is never counted as a win. Capacity is shown for context and is not scored, since more volume is a sizing choice rather than better. GearScore is the overall rating (0 to 100); re-weight it on the full backpack comparison. Prices are current MSRP.
Put the Gossamer Gear Gorilla 50 next to the REI Co-op Flash Air 50 and the trade-offs are clear. The Gorilla 50 wins on load carry and price, and the Flash Air 50 pushes back on low weight.
The Gorilla 50 is a higher rated load (30 vs 25 lb) and $24 cheaper. The Flash Air 50 is 2 oz lighter. On the default GearScore the Gorilla 50 leads 66 to 63.
Pick the Gorilla 50 if you care most about load carry and price, which makes it the better call for rough ground and hard use. Pick the Flash Air 50 if low weight matter more to you, or you are focused on counting grams on long miles.
The Gossamer Gear Gorilla 50. It is a higher rated load (30 vs 25 lb) than the Flash Air 50.
The REI Co-op Flash Air 50. It is 2 oz lighter than the Gorilla 50.
The Gossamer Gear Gorilla 50, 66 to 63 on the default algorithm. You can re-weight the factors to match your trip.
It depends on your priorities. Go with the Gorilla 50 for load carry, or the Flash Air 50 for low weight. The spec table above shows exactly where each wins.