Mei Voyageur

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Our Thoughts

Having been on sale for over 40 years, the Voyageur is the grandfather of the modern travel backpack. You can tell why this bag has been on sale for so long because the price is reasonable, the features are robust, and the bag is well made.

Cubes Required

Packing cubes are a must with this carry on because there is nothing built in to help with organization. Almost everything has to go in the main compartment, so it's up to you to organize to keep items separated. Some people find the freedom to pack how they want liberating, and others will miss built-in barriers between sections.

Even without packing cubes the MEI is a solid choice for one-bagging because of the longevity of the company. A lot of one-bag carry-on companies have only been around in business for a few years. The Mei Voyageur, on the other hand, has been around since 1973 so you know they won't go out of business just when you have a problem and need to use your warranty.

The bag also comes with compression straps to squish your packed items down and also has a small duffle strap for when you need duffle mode. The material your typical Cordura which should be able to withstand a lot of punishment.

👍 Reasons to Buy

• Good price considering the good craftsmanship and material used in this bag.
• Can pack a lot of things at 48L. You can use it for week-long out-of-town trips.
• Comfortable to carry even when fully packed in backpack mode.
• Can be customized to fit your needs and preferences.

🤔 Things to Consider

• The shoulder bag strap can be uncomfortable due to padding.
• It doesn't have a definite shape so it might look awkward when carrying it by the handle
• There is no dedicated tech compartment so you might consider bringing another bag for your laptop.

💬 Reviewers Have Said

• "I love my Voyageur, and have taken it on several international trips, always carrying on - on several Asian airlines."
• "These bags are bombproof, by far the best quality/value bags I've encountered and it's good to see them getting some love."

🔎 Reviews

"Curiously, this bag was the first of what are now called "travel packs", and is arguably still the best; it has enjoyed a variety of modest updates and improvements since its introduction in 1978, but the (clean, rectilinear) design remains fundamentally unchanged."

"The Voyageur is a pack. Any pack carries stuff. A really good one puts the load on your back in such a way that the load seems much lighter than it really is. The Voyageur is a really good one."