CoTCCC-recommended · Official tourniquet of the U.S. Army since 2005
Genuine C-A-T® Gen 7 Tourniquet — North American Rescue®
Made in the USA by C-A-T Resources. Distributed in the U.S. exclusively by North American Rescue. Every C-A-T we ship is sourced through that channel, never a marketplace look-alike.
Color: Black
Duty belt, plate carrier, IFAK and everyday carry.
Same C-A-T Gen 7, same build. Blue marks it as your training unit: practice on it, carry a Black or Rescue Orange.
- Made in the USA
- Sourced through North American Rescue
- Clinician-curated, SDVOSB seller
- 30-day returns on unopened units
Why genuine matters
Look-alikes clamp with a fifth of the force.
A tourniquet that can't reach arterial occlusion can't control arterial bleeding. In a controlled test, look-alikes reached about a fifth of the genuine C-A-T's force, and some broke during application.
65 N vs 14 N
Force at application, genuine C-A-T vs. look-alike.
0% vs 4%
Windlass, clip or strap rupture during application, genuine vs. look-alike.
25 vs 50
Genuine units vs. commercially available look-alikes tested on an instrumented manikin limb.
Source: Prehospital and Disaster Medicine, 2023. How the study was run
Verify before you trust it
Four checks for a genuine C-A-T.
01
Ask where your dealer sources it
Authorized dealers buy C-A-Ts through North American Rescue. If a seller can't say where theirs came from, walk away.
02
Check that it ships from the USA
Genuine C-A-Ts are made in the United States. One that ships to you from overseas is a red flag on its face.
03
Be wary of the price
Expect $25 to $39 for a genuine unit. Under $20 is suspect, and a $20 twin pack is not genuine.
04
Don't judge by the tip color
Red tip (a North American Rescue mark) and black tip (C-A-T Resources dealers abroad) can both be genuine. Tip color alone proves nothing.
Gen 7, part by part
One routing buckle. One windlass. One-handed.
| Open length | 37.5 in |
|---|---|
| Strap width | 1.5 in |
| Weight | 2.7 oz |
| Packaged | 6.5 × 2.4 × 1.5 in |
| Colors | Black, Rescue Orange, Trainer Blue (same build; blue marks the training unit) |
| NSN (Black) | 6515-01-521-7976 |
| U.S. patents | 7,842,067 · 7,892,253 |
| FDA status | FDA-registered Class I device (21 CFR 878.5900), 510(k)-exempt |
| Doctrine | CoTCCC-recommended limb tourniquet |
Manufacturer: C-A-T Resources, USA. U.S. distribution: North American Rescue.
Pick your color
Two to carry. One to train with.
Black
Duty belt, plate carrier, IFAK and everyday carry.
$28.99$34.99
Rescue Orange
High visibility in a crowded aid bag, a vehicle kit or a public-access bleeding control station.
$28.99$34.99
Trainer Blue
Same build, materials and durability as Black and Orange; only the color differs. Blue marks it as your dedicated trainer, so the one you carry never takes the wear from practice reps.
$28.99$34.99
Train with intent
Carrying one isn't the same as using one.
Under fire, or when you can't see where the bleeding is coming from: go high and tight on the limb, over clothing. Once the threat is controlled and you can see the wound: place it on bare skin 2–3 inches above the wound, never over a joint.
Tighten until the bleeding stops and the distal pulse is gone, lock the windlass, and write the time on the tourniquet. Under-tightening is one of the most common application errors.
The Trauma Brief walks through it, along with the rest of the MARCH sequence, written by a physician and medical educator.
Agencies, schools and teams
Equipping a department?
- Line-item quotes in 2–24 hours, depending on line count
- Purchase orders and Net 30 for government agencies and public school districts; GPC accepted
- Mix Black, Rescue Orange and Trainer Blue on one order
SDVOSB · CAGE 9VFL3 · UEI YU3ZMJ44REA5 · SAM registered
C-A-T questions, answered
Who makes the C-A-T: North American Rescue?
C-A-T Resources manufactures the C-A-T in the USA. North American Rescue is its exclusive U.S. distributor, which is why most buyers know it as a North American Rescue product. A wide network of authorized dealers buys through North American Rescue, MED-TAC International among them.
Is the C-A-T "CoTCCC-approved"?
The Committee on Tactical Combat Casualty Care recommends devices; it doesn't approve or certify them. The C-A-T is a CoTCCC-recommended limb tourniquet.
Is it FDA-approved?
Limb tourniquets aren't FDA-approved; they're FDA-registered Class I devices under 21 CFR 878.5900 and exempt from 510(k) clearance.
Red tip or black tip: which one is real?
Both can be genuine. The red tip is a registered mark of North American Rescue, so you'll find it on C-A-Ts sold through North American Rescue. Black-tip C-A-Ts generally come from legitimate C-A-T Resources dealers in other countries. Many foreign dealers also buy through North American Rescue, so it's not uncommon to see both red-tip and black-tip units internationally. Tip color alone proves nothing; where your dealer sources it does.
Is the Trainer Blue a real tourniquet?
Yes. The Trainer Blue is a fully functioning C-A-T Gen 7 with the same build, materials and durability as the Black and Rescue Orange. The only difference is the color. Blue is the designated training color, so keep one as your dedicated trainer and carry a Black or Rescue Orange; that way the tourniquet you carry never takes the wear from practice reps. In a life-threatening bleed, a functioning C-A-T in any color beats no tourniquet. But North American Rescue labels the blue for training, so don't stage it in a kit.
Where does the tourniquet go on the limb?
It depends on the situation. Under fire, or when you can't identify where the bleeding is coming from, apply it high and tight on the limb, over clothing. Once the threat is controlled and you can see the wound, place it on bare skin 2–3 inches above the wound. Never put it over a joint; if that spot lands on a joint, go above the joint.
Gear with Purpose. Training with Intent.™
Clinician-founded, veteran-led. SDVOSB · CAGE 9VFL3 · UEI YU3ZMJ44REA5 · SAM registered. South Florida, USA.
Medical equipment does not replace training, professional judgment, emergency services or agency medical direction. C-A-T® is a registered trademark of C-A-T Resources. © 2026 MED-TAC International Corp.