I was lucky enough to test a 3rd run Flak for 2 rounds this weekend during the Rockwall Open. I was a owner of both a 1st and 2nd run Flak so that gave me a good base to test the 3rd run.
The front putter pocket now has a hard shell backing, as well as the bottom of the main storage compartment. This means the bag no longer sags on top of the discs, which was one of my main complaints about the previous runs.
Although this proto did not have the new hard shell internal frame installed, it did have a improved design of the PVC frame. This frame allowed the discs to sit higher in the bag. One of my dislikes about the previous Flak was that you could feel the bottom PVC support through the bag on your back when wearing it. This new Frame was smaller and I could not feel anything on my back but soft, breathable mesh. This was a huge plus.
Halfway through our second round some rain clouds blew in. The new rain fly snaps made it very easy to put the rain fly on and take it off, and the bag (and everything inside) didn't see a drop of rain.
There are 2 new pockets inside of the main storage compartment. These are the perfect size for smartphones, keys, PDGA rulebook, or whatever. Nice addition.
Other improvements I noticed were:
-Double stitching throughout
-padded mesh on the entire back of bag
-rubber feet on the bottom of the bag. There was 4, one in each corner. Wes said a 5th right in the middle will be included on production models.
I did notice a couple things that could be improved that I pointed out to Wes. On the main putter pocket up front, the zipper was installed too high, and i couldn't fit a putter in there. He knew of this issue and said the zippers will be installed lower and won't be an issue.
Another thing I noticed was that the pencil pockets are too deep for the small scorecard pencils. Several times I pushed my pencil too deep in the pocket and wasn't able to get it out without pushing it up from the bottom. Not a huge deal, but can be easily fixed.
My second run Flak broke when one of the straps came loose from where they are stitched to the bottom of the bag. I believe this happened because the straps are stitched straight into the bag. This causes all of the weight to be put on the bottom of the stitching when the bag is on your back. If the straps are stitched in at an angle, this would allow all of the weight to be evenly distributed along the stitch. I pointed this out as well, and hopefully it will be implemented on the production 3rd runs.
Overall, this is a very solid bag. I had it loaded with 22 discs, 2 towels, snacks, golden retriever, birdie bag, phone, wallet, keys, minis, 2 32oz water bottles, and it felt like I had nothing on my back. It was able to carry everything I needed for 2 tournament rounds with room to spare. I was actually kinda sad when i had to unload everything back into my Innova comp and hand the Flak back to Wes. I really think you 3rd Run Flak owners will be very pleased with your purchase!