Matrick

My MEI Executive Overnighter arrived today and I am VERY impressed with it, so I thought I'd give a first impression review after checking it out and testing it with a full load.

I decided to no longer check baggage last year and ditched wheels, this definitely suits my way of travelling. However I have tried several solutions but they were not perfect for me, close but not quite.......

1) The Red Oxx Air Boss, it appeared perfect at first but it had no back pack straps. I need to carry a laptop and a full size iPad for business so my typical load weighs about 12 - 13 kg, this means that the Air Boss gets heavy / off balance on one shoulder after a while. I need to be particularly careful carrying loads due to having disc surgery on my back two years ago. So unfortunately the Air Boss had to go, so I next tried the Sky Train due to it having back pack straps.

2) The Red Oxx Sky Train, another very good bag with fairly comfortable, yet basic, back pack straps sporting a detachable sternum strap. No hip belt but one can easily thread a cinch / compression strap through the "tunnel" section (where the back pack strap D-ring fixing points hide away when not in use) which makes a very usable hip belt.

The bag only has two compartments which I worked around but it was not perfect, especially when carrying a suit which I personally like to put in a plastic Ziploc back in its own compartment. The Sky Train is a great bag though and using its back pack straps it seemed ideal for me and meant that the load was carried centrally on the spine. I never wear a suit / sports jacket when I actually travel (it’s in the bag) so using back pack straps are not a problem with regards to creasing.

Moving to a bag with backpack straps was deemed a good move for sure but having only two main bag compartments soon started to bug me, I really missed the Air Boss in that regard and having done a lot of Hiking I also knew that there could be a better back pack load bearing rig for business luggage, making the load feel even lighter.

After some research and this forum helped with that, thanks, I found option 3.


3) The MEI Exective Overnighter, finally I think I have found a bag that truly suits all my requirements. The MEI Executive Overnighter is basically the Red Oxx Air Boss with proper hiking quality back pack straps etc. Not only does it have proper hiking quality straps with a sternum strap and a hip belt but it also has riser straps at the top of the back pack straps, I haven't seen this on any other business luggage. I am adamant that I could walk comfortably for hours with my full load having tested it earlier today.

I have seen various reviews that state that the Red Oxx luggage is more robust than MEI but I feel that this is, perhaps unintentionally, misleading. The MEI build quality appears very similar, its fabric is very rugged, I would say that the Red Oxx bag fabric feels a little stiffer not necessarily better, just different, both are 1000 denier Cordura. Red Oxx has huge YKK chain zippers which are awesome but the MEI also has very robust YKK (coil) zippers which do not leave me feeling under gunned having previously been using the heftier chain zippers. So that's not a problem either. The MEI has a small amount of organisational pockets which I like, but certainly not too many and no space is wasted should one not want to use them. The two external cinch / compression straps are a very good addition and the Air Boss would benefit from these also. As with most bags the shoulder straps aren't the best. I didn't like the Redd Oxx claw strap and I don’t like the MEI strap either, so I immediately attached my curved OpTech strap which works perfectly (accidently attached backwards in the photos below!).

In summary, I personally think that if one wants a convertible back pack business travel bag and is considering the Red Oxx Sky Train and the MEI Executive Overnighter then the MEI is definitely the better solution. Both are of exceptional build quality and one wouldn't be disappointed with either but the MEI back pack load bearing rig is vastly superior. I have used the Red Oxx Sky Train on long trips but its back pack load bearing rig is not in the same league as the MEI’s, it is fit for purpose though.

Below are some photos showing the MEI Executive Overnighter bag with a typical load, although I have emptied each compartment when photographing the inside of the section in question. I am pleased that the fabric grab handles (for pulling it out from overhead bins) no longer have a multi-coloured pattern, they are plain black which works with a black bag. One of the photos shows the Red Oxx Sky Train on top of the MEI for a size comparison. The bag looks perfectly business-like in black, particularly the last photo where I have removed the MEI logo which was too bright coloured for my personal taste.

Photos:

FRONT



REAR



TOP WITH REPLACEMENT OPTECH STRAP ATTACHED



RIGHT GRAB HANDLE



LEFT GRAB HANDLE



WITH SKY TRAIN ON TOP



BACK PACK STRAPS DEPLOYED



FRONT SECTION



MIDDLE SECTION



REAR SECTION



FRONT WITH LOGO REMOVED




Please note that I have another review of my new custom version of this bag, click here

quan98

Thanks for the thorough review, especially with the pictures, and comparisons!

How did you remove the logo and keep the integrity of the bag? Was it stitched or glued on?

How do you like the curved OpTech strap? I use the straight version with an Air Boss and find it eases the heavier load and does not slip much. I wonder if the curved version would be more comfortable?

I still prefer the red and orange interior linings of Red Oxx, eBags, and B&R, respectively, which makes things stand out a bit more. That said, my black Air Boss is looking tired and if I do look for a backpack to make it easier on my back, this would be at the top of the list.

Matrick

I'm pleased that you found the post useful.

The logo was simply stitched on to the front section and was very easy to unpick, it did not form any part of the structural stitching.

I highly rate the OpTech curved strap but I have not used the straight version so cannot compare. I could imagine the curved version being marginally more comfortable due to the angle it introduces but I can't see it making any major difference, I could be wrong though!

I did wonder myself how moving from bright red lining to khaki coloured would work. It actually works really well, items are just as visible as before but the bag looks a little more subtle if one is bothered by bright fabrics.

If you do go for a backpack option I would imagine an AirBoss owner being very pleased with the MEI EO. Like me you may miss the big chain zippers but not for any functional reasons, simply they look slightly cooler! The zippers on the MEI OE are more than up to the job.

gobluetwo

I assume that you both have the Op/Tech SOS straps. How long have you had them and how have they held up? I hate the strap on my duffle bag and this looks like a great alternative. Any issues with the neoprene falling apart?

Matrick

Yes that's the strap in question. I have been using mine for around four months and there is no sign of wear but I appreciate that's not a long term test. However this strap has very good reviews, some long term, all over the Internet so I believe you shouldn't have a problem.

The main thing for me is that it spreads the load better than any other strap that I have used, it feels like a few pounds has dropped from the weight just by changing straps ^

LiveOak

Three years of service (15 flight segments per year and a whole lot of car travel) with my Op Tech straps. Still going strong with no signs of wear. I've grown to prefer the curved version, but I own/use both species.

mikel51

Did you consider the Patagonia MLC? The fabric looks lighter than the cordura picture in the MEI, but it has most of the features you like. It weighs in at barely over 3 lbs. I have almost completely stopped using wheelies after getting one of these.

M

quan98

The zipper as well as the pulls on the Red Oxx (along with Tumi and the Pathfinder TX2) are indeed 'cool' in that they are very substantial as well as shaped in a way that says I'm serious!

Perhaps the monkey's fists or equivalents can be installed and get the same effect on the MEI zipper pulls. Thanks again for the review and pictures. I may need to start the policy of maintaining the same number of luggage pieces by getting rid of something before adding to the pile!

Insofar as the durability of the straight OpTech SOS strap, I've had mine since 2010 and at ~60 segments annually, it is still in one piece, no fraying or tears unlike the similar but less durable versions that came with the Targus and Noteworthy bags of old on which mine are torn or frayed. And I invariably load it to 20+ lbs. most times. Very pleased with its appearance, performance, and value. I'm hard pressed to functionally justify buying a curved one except as a want rather than need.

Matrick

I did consider the MLC but dismissed it for several reasons which for me at least meant that the MEI EO was the better choice.

- The back pack straps are vastly inferior, flimsy looking, no sternum strap, no hip belt, and no load riser straps

- While the material does look lighter it also is likely to be less robust. I have found 1000 denier cordura to be very robust from using military back packs.

- The shape of the MLC curves at the front which is not the best use of its potential external dimension space

- It does not have three large fully opening sections. It is basically a less robust version of the SkyTrain which I already owned.


It's looks an ok bag but it just wasn't for me ^

Matrick

I thought the same and did try the monkey fists from my Skytrain but the MEI EO didn't need them. Coil zippers are much easier to get moving, they do not need that initial tug of momentum, so I dismissed the idea. The MEI EO main section zips are lockable which means they have longer and sturdier zipper pulls than usual.

The monkey fists are now back on the Skytrain! I agree that one needs to maintain a sensible luggage pile, I need to do the same. On that note if anyone in Europe wants a mint condition four month old Skytrain without paying the U.S. shipping and import taxes then send me a personal message.

LiveOak

Do you know if the MEI Executive Overnighter is available for immediate shipment? Voice mails and emails to MEI have been left with no response.

Matrick

It was for me, they had the black bag in stock (probably other colours too) and shipped the same day once I paid via PayPal.

There doesn't appear to be a permanently manned office but Salim will come back to you. Try calling at different times too, its definitely worth it.

LiveOak

Thanks, Matrick !

Matrick

Still using this bag 80% of the time (when I don't have excessive amounts of tech to carry and switch to a two bag solution) and I still rate it highly.

One very cheap but essential improvement in my opinion has been to add a (38mm / 1.5 inch) three bar slider to the end of each cynch strap, so I use four in total. This does two things; first it stops the tails flapping around and more importantly stops the cynch straps loosening which can happen quite easily.

Compare the photos that I first posted with the photo below and one can see the difference. To fit simply detach the cynch strap's clasp from each end, thread on the slider and refit the clasp. Then thread the tail of the cynch strap back through the slider once the strap has been adjusted to the required length.

Matrick

I emailed Salim at MEI regarding the addition of 3 bar sliders to the synch straps as described in my previous post. He liked the idea and will be implementing it on any future orders of the Executive Overnighter ^

It's refreshing to see a manufacturer who is willing to consider genuine feedback.