Put the tourniquet where a hand finds it by feel — the red pull tab is the cue — and then drill the draw until the cue is all you need.
At a glance
12 things to know about the TQ-1
What the holder holds, how it opens, what rides beside the tourniquet, and the doctrine and evidence behind carrying one.
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01
A holder — not a tourniquet
The TQ-1 is the carrier. The tourniquet and the shears are purchased separately, and the tourniquet is the only part that stops bleeding.3
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02
Built for an additional tourniquet
Vanquest positions the TQ-1 as the solution for an additional tourniquet, mounted to any MOLLE surface where you want extra bleeding-control gear.3
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03
The tourniquets it fits
Vanquest lists the C-A-T Gen 7, SOF-T, SAM XT and TMT TQ as compatible, among the most common tourniquets on the market.3
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04
Adjusts to the tourniquet
A hook-and-loop closure allows vertical adjustment for different tourniquet sizes. The compartment measures 6.5–7 in. high, 2.25 in. wide and 1.5 in. deep inside.3
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05
A tab you find by feel
A vibrant red Hypalon pull tab gives quick access, and a high-visibility red embroidered TQ marking identifies the holder.3
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06
Shears ride behind the tourniquet
A slip pocket behind the tourniquet holds full-size trauma shears and closes with a snap button.3
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07
Side elastic and an ID panel
Elastic webbing on the sides holds gloves, a permanent marker or a needle decompression set, and a 3 in. by 2 in. loop panel takes an ID patch.3
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08
MOLLE or belt
Built-in MOLLE straps mount it to MOLLE surfaces or carry it on a belt.3 A supplemental tourniquet is only as reachable as the platform it rides on.
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09
Materials
Hypalon rubber composite, which Vanquest describes as grippy and resistant to heat, chemicals and UV, with bartack and box-and-X stitching in high-tensile bonded nylon thread.3
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10
What the evidence-based list says about the tourniquets
The list names the C-A-T Gen 7 (NSN 6515-01-521-7976), the SAM-XT (6515-01-670-2240), the SOFTT-W (6515-01-587-9943) and the TMT (6515-01-656-6191). The standard-width SOF-T is not named in the December 2021 list, and the list does not rate holders.2
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11
Reach decides how early it goes on
In a survey of 232 casualties with 428 tourniquets at a Baghdad combat hospital, survival was 90% when the tourniquet was used before shock and 10% after.8 In a pilot of 12 trained officers, C-A-T self-application succeeded 8 of 12 times under simulated hemorrhagic shock against 10 of 12 normally, with failures from insufficient tightening.9
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12
Carrying is not training
Right after a course, people trained on the C-A-T applied it correctly 92.2% of the time on a manikin against 68.6% for the SOF-T and 11.8% for two other designs.10 Skill fades without practice.11 Drill with the exact holder and the exact tourniquet.
How to set up and use the TQ-1
Load it, place it, drill it, then apply by the doctrine it exists to serve.
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1Load the tourniquet. Set the tourniquet in the compartment and adjust the hook-and-loop closure vertically for its size.3
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2Stage the extras. Shears go in the sleeve behind the tourniquet; gloves, a marker or a needle decompression set go in the side elastic.3
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3Mount it where it can be reached. Attach the MOLLE straps on a surface you wear and can reach with either hand, under stress, without looking.
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4Drill the draw. Find the red tab by feel, open the closure and pull the tourniquet — one-handed, with each hand, with gloves.
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5Choose the placement at the wound. Under threat, or when you cannot see where the blood is coming from: hasty — high and tight on the limb, over clothing. When the source is found and time allows: deliberate — on bare skin 2–3 in. above the wound. Never across or directly over a joint.1
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6Tighten, lock, record. Tighten until the bleeding stops and the distal pulse is gone; if bleeding persists, tighten further or add a second tourniquet beside the first. Write down the time.1
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7Restock. After any use, the holder gets a fresh tourniquet before it goes back on the platform.
Where it fits
- An additional tourniquet position on a vest, belt or other MOLLE surface3
- The C-A-T® Gen 7, SOF-T, SAM® XT and TMT™ TQ3
- Staging full-size shears with the tourniquet3
- Keeping gloves, a marker or a needle decompression set beside the tourniquet3
- Replacing the primary tourniquet position — Vanquest built it for an additional tourniquet3
- A platform you do not wear, if the casualty may be away from it
- Groin, armpit or neck bleeding — pack the wound with hemostatic gauze and hold pressure
- Standing in for training: carrying is not practice
The evidence
The studies behind the doctrine above, what each one tested, and how strong it is.
| Study | Evidence type | What was studied | What it found |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kragh et al., Ann Surg 2009 | Human · combat clinical | Prospective survey of 232 casualties with 428 tourniquets on 309 limbs, combat support hospital, Baghdad, 2006 | Survival 90% when a tourniquet was used before shock vs 10% after; mortality 11% with prehospital vs 24% with emergency-department application; no limb lost because of tourniquet use |
| Tanaka et al., Prehosp Emerg Care 2026 | Human volunteer · pilot | 12 trained law enforcement officers in body armor self-applying a C-A-T to the non-dominant arm, with and without lower-body negative pressure simulating hemorrhagic shock | Application succeeded in 10 of 12 without and 8 of 12 with simulated shock; times did not differ; failures came from insufficient tightening despite correct placement |
| McCarty et al., JAMA Surg 2019 | Manikin · randomized crossover | 102 laypeople trained on the C-A-T applying five tourniquet types immediately after the course | Correct application: C-A-T 92.2%, SOF-T 68.6%, improvised 32.4%, SWAT-T 11.8%, RATS 11.8% |
| Goralnick et al., JAMA Surg 2018 | Human · randomized trial | 465 laypeople; correct tourniquet application in a simulated scenario after in-person training, retested at 3 to 9 months | 88% correct after a Bleeding Control Basic course vs 16% with no intervention; 54.5% of the 303 retested could still apply one |
| Evidence-Based Standard Devices & Adjuncts, Dec 2021 | Expert review | The committee's list of limb tourniquets, non-pneumatic | Names the C-A-T Gen 7 (6515-01-521-7976), SAM-XT (6515-01-670-2240), SOFTT-W (6515-01-587-9943) and TMT (6515-01-656-6191); no holder appears |
Strongest to weakest: combat clinical data, then human-volunteer and training trials, then manikin studies. The studies concern the tourniquet and the skill of applying it, not the carrier; carrier specifications come from the manufacturer.
How it compares
Four ways to carry a windlass tourniquet.
| Vanquest TQ-1 | RIGID TQ Case® | TQ911 holster | TACO® Polymer Pouch | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Maker | Vanquest | Eleven 10® | S4 Solutions | High Speed Gear |
| Carry | Built-in MOLLE straps; belt carry | TEK-LOK belt (to 2.25 in.) or Malice Clip MOLLE | Duty, patrol or pistol belt up to 2.25 in. | Belts up to 2 in. or MOLLE, with two HSGI Universal Clips |
| Retention | Hook-and-loop closure with vertical adjustment; red pull tab | Friction | Formed one-piece polymer shell, no cover7 | Adjustable shock cord |
| Extras | Shear sleeve, side elastic, loop ID panel | Medical cross patch; drainage hole | One piece: no rivets, clips or screws | TACO hole pattern for stacking pouches |
| Tourniquets | C-A-T® Gen 7, SOF-T, SAM® XT, TMT™ TQ | C-A-T® Gen 7 and older; SOF®TT / SOF®TT-W; TMT™ (a case for each) | C-A-T® Gen 7 | C-A-T, SOF®TT, SOF®TT Wide, SAM® XT |
| evidence-based standard | No — a holder; the tourniquet inside is judged separately | No — a case; the tourniquet inside is judged separately | No — a holder; the C-A-T Gen 7 inside is | No — a pouch; the tourniquet inside is judged separately |
Figures from each manufacturer's product information.3,4,5,6,7
Build the system
The tourniquets the TQ-1 fits, other carriers, and what goes in the kit beside it.
Questions buyers ask
Package & specifications
Available Options:
- Black
- Red
- Coyote Tan
- Wolf Gray
Specifications coming soon. Contact us for detailed product information.
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