The tourniquet stops the limb bleed; the carrier decides whether your hand finds it in time. Mount it where either hand reaches it without looking, and drill the draw.
At a glance
12 things to know about the Tourniquet RAP Carrier Kit
What is in the kit, what each part does, and what the data on the tourniquet inside it show.
-
01
Three parts, three jobs
The kit is a Rapid Access tourniquet carrier, a TMT and a TQ-RAM.8 The carrier gets the tourniquet to your hand, the tourniquet stops a limb bleed, and the TQ-RAM holds point pressure where a limb tourniquet cannot go.
-
02
The status belongs to the tourniquet
The Evidence-Based Standard Devices & Adjuncts list names the Tactical Mechanical Tourniquet, NSN 6515-01-656-6191, added in the evidence-based's 2019 update.2,9 The list names tourniquets, not carriers, and not kits: the TMT is evidence-based standard, the pouch and the kit are not on the list.
-
03
The TMT is Safeguard's catalog 31-115
That is the Berry-compliant TMT, NSN 6515-01-656-6191, with a 10-year shelf life from manufacture.3 It is an FDA-registered, Class I (510(k)-exempt) nonpneumatic tourniquet.7
-
04
A 2 in. strap and no internal band
Safeguard states the 2 in. strap achieves occlusion at lower pressures, and that the absence of an internal band eases slack removal and allows rapid resetting.3 It accommodates limbs from 5.75 to 38 in. (14.6–96.5 cm) in circumference.3
-
05
Two locks and a click
A double-routed speed buckle and a hook-and-loop-backed strap resist slippage, and the torsion bar gives an audible click when it seats in its retainer.3 The quick-disconnect buckle prevents misrouting and lets you apply it around a trapped limb.3,4
-
06
What the TQ-RAM is
A TMT accessory built to give targeted, hands-free point pressure, directly or indirectly, to control bleeding.5 It is registered as a device for compressible hemorrhage in areas not amenable to limb tourniquets, and for hands-free compression on top of a packed wound when attached to the TMT.6 It weighs 0.62 oz (17.5 g), packages at 4 × 2.5 × 1.75 in. and is made in the USA.5
-
07
The TQ-RAM works on top of good packing, not instead of it
Hemostatic gauze goes in first, and the TCCC Guidelines call for at least 3 minutes of direct pressure on it before anything else takes over.1 The dome then holds that pressure while your hands do the next job. Never pack the chest or the abdomen, and pack the neck with care so the airway stays open.
-
08
A pull built for bad hands
The carrier has a quick-pull design intended to work with extreme-cold mittens or other gloves, and a MOLLE weave backing that attaches to PALS webbing.8 Where you mount it is your decision: pick the spot either hand can reach without looking, on the body if you are armed, and keep it clear of anything that blocks the draw.
-
09
Staged ready — the way the manufacturer stores it
The TMT is stored in its one-handed configuration, and its polymers carry a UV-protective additive so it can be kept outside its packaging.3,4 Whether to carry it unpackaged is something to decide after you have drilled the draw with this exact carrier.
-
10
Two placements, one decision
Under threat, or when you cannot see where the blood is coming from, the TCCC Guidelines place the tourniquet high and tight over clothing. When the source is found and time allows, it goes on bare skin 2–3 in. above the wound, and never across a joint.1
-
11
What the data show on the tourniquet
In 24 British military volunteers self-applying at mid-thigh, the TMT succeeded in 71% and the C-A-T in 92% — not a significant difference.10 In a three-way crossover, arm failure was 19.4% for the TMT, 5.6% for the C-A-T Gen 7 and 58.3% for the SOFTT-W.11 On a manikin thigh the TMT and C-A-T controlled bleeding equally often, the C-A-T at higher pressure.12 The combat data are for tourniquets as a class.13
-
12
What the kit leaves out
Four jobs decide a severe bleed: a tourniquet, packing gauze, a pressure dressing and a chest seal. This kit covers the tourniquet and adds the TQ-RAM. It carries no hemostatic gauze, no pressure dressing and no chest seal, so add those from the system below.
How to mount, draw and apply it
Mount and stage first, then the manufacturer's TMT sequence with the placement decision made up front.
-
1Mount it within reach of either hand. Attach the carrier's MOLLE weave backing to PALS webbing — plate carrier, chest rig, belt panel or bag — where either hand can reach it and nothing blocks the pull.8
-
2Stage the TMT. Folded in the one-handed configuration, as Safeguard directs for storage.3,4
-
3Choose the placement. Under threat, or when you cannot see where the blood is coming from: hasty — high and tight, over clothing. When the source is found and time and safety allow: deliberate — on bare skin, 2–3 in. above the wound. If that point lands on a joint, move above the joint. Never place it across or directly over a joint.1
-
4Draw and open. Pull the carrier's quick-pull, take the TMT, hold the strap end by the white time-label tab and let it fall open with "PULL" facing away from you. For a trapped limb, separate the buckle, route the strap around the limb without twisting it, and reconnect.4
-
5Free the strap and ratchet. Pull the time tab until the hook-and-loop separates, grip the tail close to the buckle, pull up and away, then down in a quick ratcheting motion until snug.4
-
6Twist, lock, record. Twist until the bleeding stops and the distal pulse is gone — it hurts, and that is expected. Lock the torsion bar into the retainer, secure the excess strap, and write the time on the tourniquet and the casualty card. If bleeding continues, add a second tourniquet side by side with the first.1,4
-
7Use the TQ-RAM where a limb tourniquet cannot go. For a packed wound, attach the TQ-RAM to the TMT so the dome sits over the packing and holds pressure hands-free; for a site a limb tourniquet cannot reach, it supplies proximal pressure.5,6
-
8Reassess a hasty tourniquet. When the scene allows, expose the wound. If a tourniquet is needed, place a second one on bare skin 2–3 in. above the bleeding site, tighten it, then slowly release the first. If the source still cannot be found, the first stays high and tight.1
Where it fits
- Staging a evidence-based standard limb tourniquet on PALS webbing2,8
- Life-threatening bleeding from an arm or a leg, and any traumatic amputation1
- Putting a point-pressure device beside the tourniquet, for packed wounds and compressible bleeding a limb tourniquet cannot control5,6
- Limbs from 5.75 to 38 in. (14.6–96.5 cm) around3
- Carrying a different tourniquet — the carrier is documented for the TMT and the TQ-RAM8
- Standing in for hemostatic gauze, a pressure dressing or a chest seal
- Across or directly over a joint — move above it
- Bleeding that direct pressure or a pressure dressing controls — most children's limb injuries are in this group
The evidence
The evidence is for the tourniquet in the carrier — what each study tested and how strong it is.
| Study | Evidence type | What was studied | What it found |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kragh et al., Ann Surg 2009 | Human · combat clinical | Tourniquets as a class: 232 casualties with 428 tourniquets, Baghdad, 2006 | Survival 90% when tourniquets were applied before shock vs 10% after; no limb lost because of a tourniquet |
| Beaven et al., J Spec Oper Med 2018 | Human volunteer · randomized | 24 British military volunteers self-applying the C-A-T and the TMT at mid-thigh, ultrasound of popliteal flow | Success C-A-T 92% vs TMT 71% (not significant); median time to occlusion 37.5 s vs 35 s |
| Treager et al., J Trauma Acute Care Surg 2021 | Human volunteer · randomized crossover | C-A-T Gen 7 vs TMT vs SOFTT-W on arm and leg, Doppler pulse, then retested after crawling and dragging | Arm failure 5.6% vs 19.4% vs 58.3%; leg failure 27.8% vs 44.4% vs 61.1%; no difference after movement |
| Gibson et al., J Spec Oper Med 2016 | Manikin | TMT and RATS vs C-A-T on a manikin thigh, two users, 30 tests each | Effectiveness and pulse cessation did not differ by model; the C-A-T applied more pressure than the TMT |
| Montgomery et al., J Spec Oper Med 2019 | Expert review · evidence-based update | Review of limb tourniquets for the evidence-based's 2019 update, which added the TMT | evidence-based voted to update its list in April 2019; the authors note the lack of unbiased data and official test criteria |
Strongest to weakest: human clinical data, then human-volunteer tests, then manikin studies, then expert review. Every study here tested the tourniquet; none tested the carrier or the TQ-RAM, and the TMT scored numerically below the C-A-T Gen 7 in both volunteer trials.
How it compares
The ways a TMT is staged for carry.
| This kit | TMT + Rigid Holster Set | MOJO® TMT Holster Kit | TMT alone | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| In the box | RAP carrier, TMT, TQ-RAM | Black TMT, rigid holster with Malice Clip® attachments | TMT in a 500D nylon pouch | One TMT |
| Mounts to | MOLLE weave backing | MOLLE/PALS webbing | MOLLE, or a standard 2 in. belt | Your own pouch or holster |
| Draw | Quick-pull front, built for gloves and mittens | Single pull from a hard shell | Red pull strap | — |
| Point-pressure device | TQ-RAM included | TQ-RAM sold separately | TQ-RAM sold separately | TQ-RAM sold separately |
| evidence-based standard | The TMT inside — yes | The TMT inside — yes | The TMT inside — yes | Yes — TMT |
The evidence-based list names the TMT, never the holster, pouch or kit.2 TMT holster and MOJO® kit details from Safeguard Medical's catalog and device records.
Build the system
The parts on their own, the other tourniquets, the dressings that cover the other three jobs, and a trainer.
Questions buyers ask
Package & specifications
Available Options:
- Black
- Olive Drab
- Coyote Tan
- Multicam
Specifications coming soon. Contact us for detailed product information.
Domestic & Military Shipping
Free Standard Shipping: Automatically applied at checkout on all orders $200 and above within the 48 contiguous United States (CONUS).
APO/FPO Military Addresses: Unconditionally free standard shipping on every order, with no minimum purchase required.
Order Processing & Tracking
Fulfillment Timeline: In stock merchandise ships within 48-72 hours from Florida HQ.
Automated carrier tracking details are emailed immediately upon shipment dispatch.
30-Day Returns & Medical Safety
Returns: Unused, unopened equipment in original manufacturer packaging is eligible for return within 30 days of delivery.
Bio-Safety Notice: To ensure sterility and patient safety, medical consumables with opened or broken tamper-evident seals cannot be returned.
Return Facility: MED-TAC International Corp., 15757 Pines Blvd, Suite 154, Pembroke Pines, FL 33027.
Export Compliance
North American Rescue (NAR) products and rifle hard armor plates are strictly restricted to US and APO/FPO addresses and cannot be exported internationally.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Customer Reviews
