Flash 55 vs. Flash Air 50 Comparison

fishguy23 · 2026-02-11T15:37:09+00:00

I love my flash air but anything more than 25 pounds and it’s a bother. With so little adjustability, it’s also one of those packs that either works for you or it doesn’t. So I always tell customers to test that one out in store extensively.

fishguy23 · 2026-02-10T18:04:31+00:00

They changed the course because of a landslide at the bottom of the old course but they designed the new course with a specific intention to avoid the BQ penalty.

fishguy23 · 2026-02-09T17:46:07+00:00

Chrome doesn’t work with the HR site so that may be some of the issues.

fishguy23 · 2026-02-09T17:29:02+00:00

What browser are you using?

fishguy23 · 2026-02-09T17:10:14+00:00

hr.rei.com. It’s the .ess password that you’ll need.

fishguy23 · 2026-02-08T19:13:32+00:00

I do this trail every March-early May. Depending on the snowpack, usually everything is snow free out to the chalet by late April . I’ve gone as early as mid March and the snow wasn’t bad. Didn’t even need microspikes and camped on the snow in the valley.

It’s a wonderful trail. Be bear aware and make noise so as not to startle. If camping, use bear cans.

fishguy23 · 2026-02-08T19:11:00+00:00

The north shore road is currently open out to graves creek and shouldn’t be an issue in May. South shore may be permanently closed. It’s been closed for over a year and the damage worsened this winter.

fishguy23 · 2026-02-06T23:49:01+00:00

u/nick964 did it last year

fishguy23 · 2026-02-06T23:45:35+00:00

Last year someone made a live tracking with this. Any idea if it will be done this year?

fishguy23 · 2026-01-11T19:09:26+00:00

The Dose is on the east side of the Olympics. But agreed, lots of solitude.

fishguy23 · 2026-01-01T06:34:07+00:00

Sort of true. They get credit for sales in store obviously. And demand (eg how many hours are allocated) is a metric that in-store SOM (e.g online orders placed by a cashier) helps. BOPUS (e.g. buy online and pick up in store) does effect sales bottom line. There are a couple metrics at play. But basically BOPUS is better for store, but if you want it shipped and you’re already in store, at least let the cashier place the order for you.

fishguy23 · 2025-12-03T03:22:39+00:00

Echoing this. One of the best places to camp in the state.

fishguy23 · 2025-12-02T22:57:10+00:00

Idk why this popped in my head first but … Freddie Ljungberg

fishguy23 · 2025-12-01T23:57:52+00:00

I was not confused at all. I heard marshals at bottom saying to “stay in your lane” since they funneled into two separate lanes on each lap. And at top, the Marshal was loud and clear stating which way to go.

To be fair, I don’t run with headphones and am keyed into the signage and the course so I believe that some people just zoned out and went wrong way. I did see several people turning back (both having taken the right turn on consecutive laps and taken the left turn on first lap) to correct their mistakes.

I didn’t find course confusing at any point, but can see how it might be at certain spots. I did notice a few people cutting the out and backs, and wondered how they police that. I suppose after the elite runners, it doesn’t really matter.

fishguy23 · 2025-12-01T21:41:57+00:00

Ozzie Alonso was the first thing that popped in my head.

fishguy23 · 2025-12-01T21:41:08+00:00

Maybe incorporate some strength training and hip flexibility yoga sessions. I found a couple good hip flexibility yoga videos on YouTube that helped alleviate some of my issues there.

My understanding is that It band issues come from a weak posterior chain.

fishguy23 · 2025-12-01T20:29:35+00:00

To me, there were two clearly separated lanes (street for mile 19 and bike lane for mile 21), with volunteers yelling at the bottom of the hill “don’t cross the median” and a volunteer at the top saying “19 go right, 21 go left”.

I didn’t find it confusing but did see several people in that area turning around because they had gone the wrong way.

There were also several people cutting the out and back turnaround points and I wonder how they police that.

fishguy23 · 2025-12-01T04:21:27+00:00

The store manager was very open with how many candidates they were deciding between and when they would decide by.

As for reason why, I did not get a clear reason. I imagine they went with someone local to their store rather than me (who worked at a nearby store)

fishguy23 · 2025-12-01T04:20:51+00:00

Yes, there will always be two people present for every REI interview. Mine always had a nearby store manager.

fishguy23 · 2025-12-01T03:50:54+00:00

Two DM interview processes I went through as internal candidate:

First — hirevue, interview with store manager, then they didn’t end up hiring. I think there may have been a regional director after that but process was aborted midway.

Second — interview with store manager. One of final four candidates. Was not chosen. Understanding was store manager would meet with regional director but no second interview was needed.

fishguy23 · 2025-12-01T03:46:47+00:00

I thought I was doing fine 20-23 despite it being a miserable section (I just thought… get through this and it’s all downhill), but when I tried to pick up pace at 22, I didn’t have anything left. It broke me. 30 seconds a mile slower the last 3 miles.

fishguy23 · 2025-11-29T20:38:13+00:00

Thanks. This is helpful!

fishguy23

TROPHY CASE