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Travel Handbag: Pacsafe Citysafe 200 GII Review

pacsafe citysafe 200 gii review

The following Pacsafe Citysafe 200 Gii review has been submitted by Viktoria Urbanek.

Sometimes you will find yourself in remote places, and other times just the side streets of a major city. When you travel, you want to feel safe, enjoy yourself and not have to think about whether your passport and cash are secure.

Pacsafe developed the Pacsafe Citysafe 200 GII, aka a handbag that (should) prevent opportune theft. I got mine about a year ago and it has a lot of great features that you will love!

1) Slash-proof material! I haven’t tried to cut or stab it, but it looks very resistant. The main bag is invisibly covered in an eXomesh to better protect the belongings if a slashing were attempted.

2) Zippers! The bag opens and closes with safety zippers. Usual zippers are opened pretty easily using a pen, but not this one. They would have to set the bag on fire to get inside. Additionally the zipper can be fixed to a small carabiner and no one will get in your bag without you noticing!

Pacsafe safety feature:  locking zippers

3) Carabiners! The strap is detachable on one side so you can unlock it and put it around something such as a table, bed or chair. Before I had this bag, I hung my handbag on my chair, not thinking about how easy it is to grab the bag and just leave (sometimes even without noticing), but this great feature allows me to prevent that!

4) Straps! Firstly, they are long enough to be carried cross-body, and secondly, they have steel rope inside so no cutting or slashing here either.

Pacsafe safety feature: locking strap
The detachable strap for securing to a chair, bed, table, etc.

5) Compartments! The main compartment is divided into a big one, a smaller extra padded one for your tablet or small laptop, a zipped small compartment with a small carabiner for holding keys, and three small compartments for your passport, iPod, pens, etc. (one of those compartments is RFID safe so no one can get your passport or credit card information if placed inside). On the outside there is a small compartment to fit your guide book, Kindle and smaller stuff. Additionally there are two compartments to fit an umbrella and a water bottle.

Inside the bag
Inside the bag
Inside the bag
Inside the bag: compartmentalized belongings.

Pros

  • safe belongings
  • super organized
  • it’s small so you don’t overpack it

Cons

  • it’s too small to fit my personal travel needs. I will probably sell it and buy the bigger bag some time soon.
  • the strap doesn’t hold its length – I have to readjust the length frequently.
Viktoria with her Pacsafe Citysafe 200 in Pont du Gard, France.
Viktoria with her Pacsafe Citysafe 200 in Pont du Gard, France.

What fits in there?

guidebook, 10″ tablet, phone, travel journal, water bottle, sun screen, sunglasses, purse, passport, camera, kindle, small snacks, …

Conclusion

The Pacsafe Citysafe GII 200 is a nice gadget that can help out a lot! But you will still have to look after your belongings and don’t leave it anywhere unattended. Read more about the Pacsafe Citysafe 200 GII on Amazon.

Have fun travelling!

>> If you like Pacsafe products, you might enjoy our Pacsafe Slingsafe 300 GII review.

About the Author: Viktoria self-diagnosed herself with chronic wanderlust in 2009 when she went on Exchange to Venezuela. Thereafter she couldn’t resist traveling to Mexico, China, Morocco and all across Europe. Viktoria launched her website Chronic Wanderlust in 2013, where she gives advice about travel gear, moments abroad and traveling itself. After some time of construction the site is now fully updated and you will love the new logo. Check her posts on facebook and other social media, too.

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Jaye says

    When traveling I don’t carry anything in a purse that I’m not afraid of losing – small amount of cash for the day, point & shoot camera, umbrella, water bottle, etc, I keep important things like my passport, tickets and credit cards on my person. When I do carry a bag I prefer a leather purse sized for my essentials and waterproofed with WOLY (search amazon for it). It’s true that leather is heavier than most of the “travel” bags but it is structured, sturdy and usually keeps your belongings dry. I use a purse organizer that I can move from bag to bag as needed so I don’t mind if my bag doesn’t have internal pockets. I also think leather bags look nicer and will outlast nylon bags thereby being cheaper in the long run.

  2. Erica says

    I just got back from a 2 month solo trip in Europe and I can safely say that this is my favorite purse. I have many different bags but the PacSafe is easy to use at home and abroad. I extended the strap to its longest length as I am over 6′ tall and it didn’t look like it was too short for me (!) (so I can’t speak on the strap not holding it’s length). Even with (at home) with a 13” MacBook, charger, and my wallet the bag is still very low key and doesn’t scream “I have valuables!”. On an average outing I would have (at least) my passport, wallet, a Nikon D90 with a 35mm lens (and the PacSafe camera strap), an alternate & small lens, a water bottle, and umbrella and I would still feel like I wasn’t standing out as an tourist with my backpack, etc. The added knowledge that one could lock the zipper helped with walking with more confidence (helpful when you are alone) and allows one not to constantly check to make sure the zipper was closed, even though I would usually wrap my scarf around the lock for added security. If this bag ever wears out (I have put it through the ringer since Feb.) I will definitely buy a new one.

    P.S. It also maintains is low key/profile look when it is packed with a 12oz can 6 pack of beverages with phones, keys, and wallet in the rain on the back of a bike. It’s pretty much amazing.

  3. Sofie says

    I’ve got a PacSafe CitySafe as well, but I think I’ve got the 100 which is nice as a purse but a bit too small for day trip.
    Love that bag though.

  4. Pacsafe says

    Found your review about the Citysafe 200 GII handbag. We would like to make a correction on one of your points about the zippers. The Citysafe has the smart zipper security, which is the hidden hooks that locks your zip pullers to the bag so to prevent someone from easily sliding opening your bag to steal your belonging. The zippers are not made with the Puncture resistant ToughZip technology. It’s found on our luggage and larger bags that you would normally check in or leave behind. However, we do use durable quality zippers for our bags.

    Thank you again for the review!

  5. Victoria says

    I’m curious… what of “your personal travel needs” doesn’t it fit? I’m looking into purchasing this bag and I just want to get a feel of how much it holds, so if you wouldn’t mind sharing! 🙂

    • Gale says

      I’ve had this bag for a little over a year, and it carries the perfect amount of items for me.

      When using it as a personal item on a flight, I’m able to pack a wallet/cardholder, 7″ tablet, small e-reader, paperback, iPhone with hardcase, android phone with hardcase, glasses case, airplane comfort items, 3-1-1 bag, 16 oz water bottle, snacks, travel umbrella, hat, and a knitting project.

      When I use it as a daily purse back home or for day trips, I’m able to pack everything I may need for the day including a cardigan, umbrella, Chico reusable tote, and a 16 oz water bottle. If I feel like carrying the extra weight, I have room to toss in a notepad or small camera. I also always carry an inhaler, chapstick, tissues, and hand lotion with me. With all of this, I still have room in the bag for small purchases and souvenirs. Hope this helps!

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