Healthy Back Bag

I was in serious need of a new bag for our holiday, I often use my cross body bag from M&S, but its that bit too small. Fine for essentials: purse, keys, phone, plasters, tissues, wipes, pen, paper. But for a day trip with camera, snacks, bottle of water I wanted something bigger that wasn't a rucksack but neither a handbag. Taking a look round Boswells, Oxford I spotted the healthy back bag. It looked really different to other bags, came in lots of different size and colour combinations. Every time I passed the shop for a few weeks I would go in and take a look, but the cost was really putting me off. In the end @readitdaddy got a bit fed up of my going on about it he made me buy it (he made me you see so I can blame him if I didn't like it!).

my chosen healthy back bag (taken from healthy back bag website)

 Here is a run down of what makes it that little bit different. Its a teardrop shape so it fits to your back, with a zip the full length of the inside making it quite secure. This was a big selling point to me as I hate putting phone and purse etc into a rucksack pocket and worrying that someone might be trying to get into my bag when in busy areas.
It will go across the body (left or right) or over one shoulder. So you have a handbag or rucksack in one. I love this and its quite good going on a longer walk I'll put it across the body,  when I need to be in and out the bag I put it on shoulder like a handbag.
The inside is silver... oh how I now wish all bags were like this. I can see what is in the bag and its great. No black umbrella/hairbrush/purse hidden at the bottom of a big dark bag.
It has lots of pockets, and I mean lots of. Love all the pockets. Its got 2 bottle/umbrella/sunglasses shaped pockets and on holiday we had water bottle for us adults in one pocket and a smaller bottle in the other pocket for Charlotte.

bag turned inside out (from healthy back bag website)

The bags are unisex and I brought a aqua blue so @readitdaddy doesn't look too embarrassed when I make him hold the bag for me!
We've proved that its splash proof. I've not used it in the rain but we sat at the front of the killer whale show at Loro Parque, Tenerife (think sea world show at Florida) we came off dripping wet but the contents of the bag were still dry.
It washes well, came home with some odd stains on the bag from being in boats, in various cars and coaches quick handwash, drip dry on the line and came up as good as new.
When the bag is on your back you can twist it round to the front and with a full length zip you can get to all the things you need without having to take if off your back.

bag worn on one shoulder

 I think the only minus to the bag is when across the body it will do the between the boob thing, which is what I was worried about... I keep moving it out the way but it slides back. But its not uncomfortable as its a wide strap so I don't mind too much. The cost as mentioned before is also a minus, I'm not a shoes and handbag girl so usually opt for the cheap options.

bag worn across the body

Its called a healthy back bag, I have no back problems so can't comment on this but with the bag fully laden down it would pull on the shoulder a bit. They do say to put in as little as possible, and it is more comfortable to wear with less in but at the start of a trip we had it quite full. You can get bigger (and smaller) bags, we brought the small and this seems just the right size for carrying everything we needed.

UPDATE 09/05/14: I have since reviewed the big bag healthy back bag