Arden Cove bags are designed to be water-resistant, not waterproof. The exterior fabric is a nylon backed with rubber to seal water out. By pairing the rubber backed nylon exterior with waterproof zippers, water is almost impenetrable, but I still wouldn't recommend dunking your bag in a pool!  The water-resistant features are there to protect from the rain, snow, and spills. If you drop your bag into the water accidentally, it should escape without leaks but it's not designed to go diving with. The metal hardware is durable but like all metals, will tarnish quicker in certain conditions. Thus, when the metal gets wet we recommend rinsing off any potential salt, and wiping dry the bag once you get inside.