Rumor has it that PHLster came up with the idea for its Probable Cause Utility Bag based on the propensity of, well, some people to use small, purple bags formerly used to carry a specific brand of alcohol as a carryall for small items. It started as more or less of a gag - until the company started rolling them out, and realized that a tidy market was clamoring for...just that kind of a bag. As for the name? I’ll let Jon Hauptman, head honcho at PHLster explain:
“Everyone knows that a purple velour bag in plain view, given what it inevitably contains, is 90 percent of the way to probable cause for a search. An unopened bottle of alcohol is the least-likely contents of that notorious drawstring pouch.”
It’s hard to argue with that tongue-in-cheek description, and there’s more than a grain of truth there. If there’s a bag that formerly contained alcohol in it sitting in the console of your car, it doesn’t portend well if you’ve attracted unwanted attention. In any case, there’s all kinds of legal, and indeed intelligent, things you can do with a handy bag slightly larger than a Cr- err, purple velour bag.
Whatever the reason, this is one of those things that you never realize you need until you have one - or have need of one. Buddy calls you up and invites you to an impromptu range session? Grab the Utility bag with eye/ear protection, gloves and a multi-tool and you’re ready. Keep a bunch of tools in the trunk of your car “just in case?” The Probable Cause Utility Bag keeps them all together, and most cars even have hooks you can hang it from. Heading to the range for a training class, competition or just plain fun? 1,000 rounds of 9 mm ammo (loose) fits in the bag. You keep medical gear like tourniquets, compression bandages and gauze handy for worst-case scenarios, right? Put those supplies in the bag, grab a Red Cross hook-and-loop patch, put it on the bag and boom! You've got a med pouch.
No, you don’t need one. You’ve probably got one of those “small purple bags” lying around, or something else that would function just fine. But, for less than $20 (MSRP is $19.95) you can get a snazzy looking bag with a great backstory - and help a small business out in these crazy times. Looking good while doing it is just a side benefit...
