A tourniquet loose in a pocket costs you the seconds you spend finding it. One in its own marked pouch, in the same place every time, is one you can draw.
At a glance
12 things to know about the C-A-T® Holder
What it holds, how it draws, where it mounts, and why the tourniquet inside it matters as much as the pouch.
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01
What it is
North American Rescue sells this carrier as the C-A-T® Holder, item 30-0057 in black.3 It was designed to let personnel place the C-A-T on their vest or gear for rapid, easy access.
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02
A carrier is not a tourniquet
The holder ships empty. It accommodates both the Gen 6 and the Gen 7 C-A-T, sold separately.3 Clinical evaluation belongs to the tourniquet: the Evidence-Based Standard Devices & Adjuncts list names the C-A-T Gen 7 under NSN 6515-01-521-7976 and carries the Gen 6 only until it is replaced by the Gen 7.2
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03
1000 denier Cordura®
The holder is made of 1000D Cordura® and protects the tourniquet from exposure to the elements.3
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04
Pull-tab draw with a “TQ” patch
An easy-open elastic pull tab carries a tourniquet ID patch marked “TQ”.3 The marking identifies the pouch to you and to anyone who has to find the tourniquet on you; the tab is what your hand pulls.
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05
PALS/MOLLE-style attachment
PALS/MOLLE-style connectors attach the holder to a duty vest, gear or belt, mounted horizontally or vertically.3 Maximum belt width for a horizontal mount is 1.5 in.
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06
Where to wear it
Carry the tourniquet where you can reach it with either hand, under stress, without looking. On a vest or plate carrier, that means a placement your hand reaches when your arm is pinned, loaded or injured, not only when you are standing at ease.
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07
Fits both generations
NAR states the holder accommodates both Gen 6 and Gen 7 C-A-T tourniquets.3 Seat the one you carry and check that it draws cleanly before you rely on it.
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08
Six colors
NAR item numbers: Black 30-0057, Olive Drab 30-0053, Ranger Green 30-0208, Coyote Tan 30-0044, Multicam 30-0059, Rescue Red 30-0128.3
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09
Size and weight
L 6.25 × W 1.75 × D 1.5 in. and 2.17 oz.3
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10
How it compares to NAR's other soft holders
The Elastic holder is 500D nylon with a tuck-finish strap and no button snap, at 2 oz; the Laser Cut holder is laminated Cordura® at 1.29 oz for laser-cut armor.6,7 This is the 1000D holder.
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11
The tourniquet inside is the proven part
The C-A-T stopped the distal pulse in every volunteer, arm and leg, in 2005 testing,9 and was effective in 79% of applications in a Baghdad combat hospital series.10 In a 2021 volunteer trial, the Gen 7 failed on 5.6% of arms and 27.8% of legs — results that depend on slack removal and technique, not on the pouch.12
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12
Carrying is not training
In a randomized trial of 465 laypeople, 88% applied a tourniquet correctly right after a Bleeding Control Basic course, but only 54.5% could still do it 3 to 9 months later.13 Wear this pouch, draw from it one-handed with gloves, and apply the tourniquet on a limb until it is automatic.
How to carry, draw and use it
Carrier first, then the tourniquet: fit, mount, draw, place, tighten, record.
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1Pair the pouch with its tourniquet. Seat one C-A-T® Gen 6 or Gen 7 in the pouch. Other tourniquet models need their own carrier.3
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2Mount it where either hand reaches it. Attach it to the vest, plate carrier, gear or belt, vertical or horizontal, and test the reach with each hand with your gear on — standing, seated and in a vehicle.
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3Stage the tourniquet. Take the C-A-T out of its factory packaging and set it in the quick-launch configuration from the instructions before it goes in the pouch.4
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4Draw it. Pull the elastic tab and draw the tourniquet out in one motion.3
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5Choose the placement. Under threat, or when you cannot see where the blood is coming from: hasty — high and tight, as close to the body as the limb allows, 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.1,4
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6Remove the slack, twist, lock, record. Route the band around the limb, pull it tight and fasten it back on itself so the tips of three fingers cannot slide under it, then twist the rod until the bleeding stops and the distal pulse is gone. It hurts — that is expected and is not a reason to loosen it. Secure the rod in a clip, close the TIME strap over rod and band, and write the time on the strap and the casualty card.1,4
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7Reassess and hand off. If bleeding or the distal pulse persists, tighten further or apply a second tourniquet side by side with the first. When the scene allows, expose the wound and replace a hasty tourniquet with one on bare skin 2–3 in. above the wound; if the source still cannot be found, the first stays high and tight. For civilians and most law enforcement, leaving it in place for the receiving clinicians is good practice.1,4
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8Reload the carrier. A C-A-T that has been applied — in training or on a casualty — is single-use and retired.4 Seat a new tourniquet in the carrier before the next shift or the next range day; an empty carrier on your belt is a gap you can't see.
Where it fits
- Carrying one C-A-T® Gen 6 or Gen 7 on a vest, plate carrier, gear or belt3
- A tourniquet that stays in the same place every time, so the draw becomes a habit
- Vest, plate-carrier and belt carry that needs weather protection and a quick draw3
- Any tourniquet other than the C-A-T® — NAR lists the Gen 6 and Gen 7 only3
- Stand-in for a tourniquet: the pouch ships empty and the C-A-T is sold separately
- A tourniquet you have never drawn from this exact pouch — practice first
- Life-threatening bleeding the tourniquet cannot reach: the groin, armpit and neck need packing and pressure
The evidence
The studies behind the C-A-T that rides in this pouch, what each one tested, and how strong it is.
| Study | Evidence type | What was studied | What it found |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kragh et al., J Trauma 200810 | Human · combat clinical | 232 casualties, 428 tourniquets on 309 limbs, combat support hospital, Baghdad, 2006 | Effective: EMT 92%, C-A-T 79%; transient nerve palsy 1.7%; no limb lost because of tourniquet use |
| Kragh et al., Ann Surg 200911 | Human · combat clinical | Survival in the same 232 tourniquet casualties | Survival 90% when tourniquets were applied before shock vs 10% after; mortality 11% with prehospital vs 24% with emergency-department application |
| Walters et al., Prehosp Emerg Care 20059 | Human volunteer | Seven self-applied tourniquets; thigh (n = 18) and upper arm (n = 12), Doppler pulse | C-A-T, EMT and SOFTT stopped the distal pulse in every subject, arm and leg |
| Treager et al., J Trauma Acute Care Surg 202112 | 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 |
| Goralnick et al., JAMA Surg 201813 | Human · randomized trial, laypeople | 465 laypeople; tourniquet application after a Bleeding Control Basic course, retested at 3 to 9 months | 88% correct right after the course vs 16% in controls; 54.5% of those retested could still apply one at 3 to 9 months |
| Lagazzi et al., Prehosp Disaster Med 202314 | Bench · manikin leg | 25 genuine C-A-Ts vs 50 look-alike tourniquets, 1- and 6-hour applications | Initial force 65 N vs 14 N; rupture 0% vs 4% |
Strongest to weakest: combat clinical data, human-volunteer tests, then bench studies. These studies test the tourniquet, not the carrier; the carrier's job is to put that tourniquet in your hand, in the same place, every time. Volunteer studies measure loss of the distal pulse on uninjured limbs, so their numbers do not transfer to a wound.
How it compares
The three NAR soft holders for the C-A-T, with the rigid belt case buyers weigh them against.
| C-A-T® Holder (pouch) 30-0057 |
C-A-T® Elastic TQ Holder 30-0184 |
Laser Cut C-A-T® Holder 30-0297 |
Rigid Gen 7 Case 80-0479 |
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|---|---|---|---|---|
| Material | 1000D Cordura® | 500D IR-signature-reduced nylon | Laser-cut laminated Cordura® nylon | Injection-molded nylon |
| Opening | Easy-open elastic pull tab with “TQ” patch | Easy-open quick-release hood; tourniquet clears up, down or outward | Integrated cover with snug elastic pull tab; one-hand deployment | Open top; grab and pull |
| Attachment | PALS/MOLLE-style connectors; vest, gear or belt; horizontal or vertical | PALS/MOLLE-style strap with tuck finish, no button snap; vest, gear or belt | Snap-free PALS/MOLLE-style connectors; 4 front MAPs for stacking | Blade-Tech TekLok belt mount; Safariland drop-leg shroud |
| Fits | C-A-T Gen 6 and Gen 7 | C-A-T Gen 6 and Gen 7 | C-A-T Gen 6 and Gen 7 | C-A-T Gen 7 |
| Size | L 6.25 × W 1.75 × D 1.5 in. | L 7 × W 1.75 × D 1.5 in. | L 7.25 × W 2.75 × D 1.5 in. | H 4.75 × W 2.25 × D 2 in. |
| Weight | 2.17 oz | 2 oz | 1.29 oz | 3.8 oz |
Figures from North American Rescue's product pages for each item.3,6,7,8
Build the system
The tourniquet this pouch is made for, the other carriers, and what goes in the kit beside it.
Questions buyers ask
Package & specifications
Available Options:
- Black
- Olive Drab
- Ranger Green
- Coyote Tan
- Multicam
- Rescue Red
| Specification | Value |
|---|---|
| Width | 1.75 Inches |
| Length | 6.25 Inches |
| Height | 1.5 Inches |
| Weight | 2.17 Ounces |
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.
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