Actually this was for my 18 year old daughter who spent 3 weeks traveling in Europe with her school group. Paris, Rome, London, Florence, Munich, Vatican City, Frankfort, Lucerne, etc. Point is...she was in some cities noted for their pickpockets. And the whold time she felt CONFIDENT that her things were secure in this bag.
I personally think the pickpockets over there are beginning to recognize this bag because while some of her friends in the group were pickpocketed, she never was...not even an attempt. (OK, so she might have just gotten lucky, but I don't think so).
I thought at first, as an 18 year old 'fashionista' she would balk at the black color and plainness of the bag. But after reading things online, she was happy to have it. And she wore it every day, with the strap going across her body. It is simple and plain. And she ended up liking that look. It "went with all her outfits".
She liked the convenience of the outside back "slot/section" opening easily, to throw unimportant things in like maps, but felt VERY secure with the parts that were tamper proof. And boy were they tamper proof. I could hardly get the lock clip that the zipper pull attaches to open. And that was standing still holding it on a table! She especially liked how she could put her Ipod in it and run the headphones through the slot up to her ears.
She had no trouble putting a water bottle on the side, and she bought a small umbrella in London and put it on the other side. And it is sort of waterproof. She said that while she didn't hold it in the pouring rain, the drops that did hit it rolled off.
While the bag initially looked a bit small to me...she was able to put her usual things in it. Passport, money, maps, makeup, Ipod, her inhaler, AND a couple of souvenirs, AND shove a thin cotton skirt and thin sweater into it for 'church' visits. So there is more room than you think. It stretches/opens out a good bit.

All in all there is not much to say other than IT DID IT'S JOB PERFECTLY. Would highly recommend it!