Car•go Handbag Hook Review

I am definitely one of those people who just throws my bag onto the seat next to me in my car and then acts shocked when it goes flying off at any sharp turn or stop.  It’s also a well-known fact that if I’m transporting take out and if there’s a liquid, it’ll end up spilled out in the bag or my back seat.  When I was given an opportunity to review an item that could potentially help with both these shortcomings of mine, I eagerly jumped on board.

Car•go Handbag Hooks were designed to combat a purse, briefcase, or any bag from taking a header onto the floor.

Wait. . .purse. . .hook?

The Car•go hook is a decorative hook with a carabiner clip that attaches to the headrest of your car.  It’s roughly ten inches long from the top of the clip to the bottom of the hook and three and a half inches at its widest point.  The hook has a depth of about an inch and a half–wide enough for a purse strap and then some.

Installation is as simple as snapping the clip around the metal pole of the passenger side headrest.  Which brings us to the only requirement of the Car•go hook–you need to have a car with adjustable headrests.  A car with bucket-style seats isn’t compatible with the present line of available hooks.

As far as placement, the hook can sit on the front of the seat or the back.  It’s a polished smooth metal surface (a mixture of steel and alloy) and shouldn’t damage the leather, vinyl, or fabric of the car’s interior.

The current design is a crown with decorative jewels running along the length of the metal.  It’s definitely on the feminine side, though a more masculine version is in the works, according to the manufacturer’s website.

What’s cool about the company is that they also offer the option to craft custom hooks with a company logo, branding, custom colors, etc.  I could see this getting a lot of use as bridal/wedding shower gifts or company-issued supplies for visiting nurses or drug reps–anyone who has a laptop bag and needs to travel on behalf of their company.

And while a “purse hook” might sound a little silly and excessive, it actually works wonderfully and gives a cleaner look to the car.  After several hours of driving, even Morgan-style with high speeds and sudden stops, my bag was still in place.

The only slight con I found is that, in my car at least, even shorter purses would rest on the actual seat instead of hang.  The hook just ends up acting as a stabilizer in this position.  There isn’t a way to adjust the length, it’s set at ten inches.  For my purposes, it worked much better on the rear of the seat (as well as protected my “tough girl” cred).

Though I did find an interesting use for a hook in the front.

For quick car trips like to the dog park, it kept my dog’s leash up, out of her way, and tangle-free.

The other helpful use to me, like the aforementioned takeout food, was holding shopping bags.  The hook is able to hold up to fifteen pounds–perfect for a trip to Bath and Body for soap and candles.  The bag above has four large candles, six hand soaps, sanitizers, wall plug-ins – very heavy and fragile.

Now I’m not really much of a purse person, but I do carry a Timbuk2 messenger bag.  I do have to admit–it looked quite nice hanging up and not sprawled out all over my back seat.

I was a little skeptical over the usefulness not to mention practicality of a purse hook, but honestly after a few weeks of using it, it’s come in handy.  I’ve hung a grocery bag containing eggs on it to keep them from getting crushed, wet umbrellas, suit jackets, and yes even a purse or two.  Though I will say, I wish there were a few more available design options, as a bejeweled crown isn’t quite my style.  Even so, the Car•go hook has been a welcome addition to my car and would be a must for anyone wanting to keep their vehicle tidy.