I’m looking for recommendations for a tourniquet. Preferably big enough to go around the thigh of a large (overweight) man and can also be used for an arm.

What product should I look at and looking for suggestions on where to purchase them.

Would also appreciate suggestions for online training/videos regarding the proper use of a tourniquet. Last training I had was as a boy scout (about 50 years ago).

Back story
I’m a member of a couple hunt clubs and it seems it would be good to have one – since we are often in the woods with chain saws and sharp implements. I hope I'll never use it but thought it would be good to have.

We were issued CAT tourniquets when I was a policeman. Based on the recommendation of our local EMS.

https://www.narescue.com/comba...ourniquet-c-a-t.html

I am not a medical professional. At my agency we took an in-service class from an Army combat medic and the trauma kit I carry has the items he recommended. He recommended carrying at least two Combat Application Tourniquets(CAT). This is my small bag I keep with me. You can get CAT tourniquets just about anywhere online. Another important item to carry is the Israeli Battle Dressing Compression Bandage.

Can you give us a rundown of your bag and items inside Storming?
I’m looking to start one for each vehicle we own.

CAT and SOF tourniquets are the industry standard for military, law enforcement, and EMS.

https://www.narescue.com/comba...ourniquet-c-a-t.html

https://tacmedsolutions.com/products/sof-tourniquet

Of the two, we're issued CATs, and it's what I buy for my personal gear too.

quote:

Originally posted by StorminNormin:
You can get CAT tourniquets just about anywhere online.

I'd caution you to only purchase CAT TQs either directly from the manufacturer above, or from a well-known authorized distributor like Rescue Essentials or Chinook Medical.

There are fake CATs (and other TQs) out there on the market.

You don't want to bleed to death - or watch a loved one bleed to death - because you ordered them off eBay/Amazon/JoeBlowsMedSupplies.com in an attempt to save $2 on a $30 piece of lifesaving gear, and inadvertently ended up with a fake that fails when you try to use it to save a life.


Also, buy at least one spare CAT to train with. Get it in a different color like blue or orange, to differentiate it from your other "serious use" TQs. Practice with that one, so you're not wearing out the CATs that you're planning to use in real life.

I'm concerned about knock off products so it would be helpful to get the specific name of products folks use and/or names of quality vendors.

Thanks

quote:

Originally posted by MikeinNC:
Can you give us a rundown of your bag and items inside Storming?
I’m looking to start one for each vehicle we own.

Condor Deployment Bag Link
2 - CAT Tourniquets
1 - Israeli Battle Dressing Link
1 - QuickClot Combat Gauze - I think now they recommend Celox Link
1 - Emergency Clothing Shears
1 - Small Knife - mine is in neck lanyard sheath.
1 - DynaMed CPR Mask Kit. Similar to Link
1 - Bloodstopper Trauma Gauze Link It can also be used to make a sling.
1 - Emergency Thermal Blanket Link
1 - Cheap Folded Rain Poncho. This can be cut and applied to a sucking chest wound by taping three of four sides of a square cut out of it. Link
1 - Box of Ammonia Inhalants
1 - Roll of 1” 3M Surgical Tape Link
1 - Roll of 3” 3M Surgical Tape Link
2 - Packs of Sterile Compressed Gauze Link
3 or more - Textured Medical Gloves Link

Note: I used Amazon links to show the item. As Rogue said, buy from a reputable dealer. Also CATs and Israeli Battle Dressing have an effective use date.

quote:

Originally posted by MikeinNC:
We were issued CAT tourniquets when I was a policeman. Based on the recommendation of our local EMS.

https://www.narescue.com/comba...ourniquet-c-a-t.html

CAT seems to be the most popular tourniquet.

Order from a proven source like North American Rescue (link above)

There are many knock off, training and air soft replica items out there. I remember a police dept made the news when the admin Lt. thought he was saving the department thousands of dollar and ended up ordering air soft replicas.

quote:

Originally posted by SR:
Last training I had was as a boy scout (about 50 years ago).

My first training was from the same era or earlier, and the one thing I’ll emphasize is to get some current guidance because much of it has changed. Having a proper tourniquet as you’re doing is the first step.

If you want the absolute highest quality, USA made, and no questions as to whether it's counterfeit, then get this one...

https://www.sammedical.com/products/sam-xt-tourniquet

Costs a bit more, but honestly, it's no more cost than 2 large pizzas.

Thanks everyone.

Called North American Rescue and the CATs are backordered. They gave me the name of a local store front (police supply store) that happened to have two in stock. They are on hold.

North American Rescue also said their Emergency (Israeli) dressings are on back order. The police supply was also out of stock. StorminNormin, thanks for the link. I used that to order the bandages.

quote:

Originally posted by SR:
Thanks everyone.

Called North American Rescue and the CATs are backordered. They gave me the name of a local store front (police supply store) that happened to have two in stock. They are on hold.

North American Rescue also said their Emergency (Israeli) dressings are on back order. The police supply was also out of stock. StorminNormin, thanks for the link. I used that to order the bandages.

Galls has the Israeli bandage in-stock along with CAT. https://www.galls.com/per-sys-6-emergency-bandage

They are out of stock on the NAR version of the bandage.

we use CAT as has been said above.
And I would investigate if your local EMS or hospital trauma center will give your organization a 'stop the bleed' course.
That's how we get our team refreshed every 2 years.

Personally, I'd go with the CAT over SOF-T. Two reasons:
1) The CAT is easier to apply one-handed (i.e. on yourself)
2) The CAT is a lot more common, and therefore more familiar to police, EMS, fire, vets, etc.

In the past, there have been claims of the plastic windlass breaking in cold environments on the CAT, but I've never personally seen it happen. The TQ has been "updated" several times, and I have not heard of any windlass issues on the more recent iterations.

subscribed due to this thread's excellence of knowledge.

Send me an email and I will give you at Cat. Gotta go find it. It is legit got it from one of my deployments. Be patient on me shipping it.

I have both CATs and SOF-Ts, primarily because my employer purchased both. Principle is the same, mechanics are very close to the same, and I think both would be fine if properly used. I lean towards the CAT for the reasons above (self-application, familiarity.)

Along with CATs, I also carry a SWAT-T, which is basically a long elastic band. There's a lot of common use/benefit overlap between the SWAT-T and the CAT. At the "poles" each do something better than the other, if the "other" does it at all. For SWAT-T, it's the ability to use on smaller patients (kids, animals) where the limb is too small to really crank the TQ down enough to occlude, or too fragile to do it without causing additional trauma. And, you can use the SWAT-T-- wrapped much more loosely-- as an expedient pressure dressing (place 4x4 gauze first) or wrap. But the SWAT-T can be really, really difficult to self-apply, especially if you're trying to do it one-handed... that's a scenario where CAT wins.

If you have the room for an extra item about the size of a playing card deck, maybe consider adding a SWAT-T. I've applied a tourniquet precisely once on an actual patient. Direct pressure failed (I am NOT a small guy) and the first CAT slowed but did not stop the bleeding. My learning takeaway from this was "have another one." "Stacking" a second CAT above / proximal to the first fixed the problem. Carrying a CAT (or SOF-T) along with a backup like the SWAT-T gives you a) choices and b) a "Plan B."

SR, PM me if you'd like a "practice" CAT to play with instead of using a new/usable one. Second what RogueJSK said: These are single-use items.

American Red Cross does have a bleeding control class (that *may* be either blended or entirely online) and if you have a chance to do actually practice this, I'd recommend it.

quote:

Originally posted by DennisM:
The first CAT slowed but did not stop the bleeding. My learning takeaway from this was "have another one.”

That is exactly why our instructor said to carry two at a minimum and more if you can. One may not fully stop the bleeding and you may also be injured yourself or have more than one victim.

quote:

Originally posted by StorminNormin:

I would replace the CAT on the right as it is an older generation on which the windlass used to break upon application.

Pm me, I can send you a training CAT. It's the real deal, but has been opened for training. You would just have to pay flat rate shipping from USPS.