A tourniquet you have to dig for arrives late. Mount the case where either hand finds it blind, then practice the draw until it needs no thought.
At a glance
12 things to know about the Rigid Gen 7 C-A-T® Case
What it holds, how it draws, where it mounts, and why the tourniquet inside it matters as much as the case.
-
01
What it is
The Rigid Gen 7 C-A-T® TQ Case is made by Eleven 10® and sold by North American Rescue under item 80-0479.3 It is a carrier: one case, one tourniquet, on your person at all times, which is the use NAR describes for it.
-
02
A carrier is not a tourniquet
The case ships empty. North American Rescue lists the C-A-T® Gen 7 as the compatible tourniquet, sold separately.3 Clinical evaluation belongs to the tourniquet, not the case: the Evidence-Based Standard Devices & Adjuncts list names the C-A-T Gen 7 under NSN 6515-01-521-7976.2
-
03
Held tightly, nothing to defeat
The injection-molded nylon body holds the Gen 7 tightly in place with no straps or covers; the tourniquet comes out when you grab and pull its exposed top.3 That is the design choice that matters under stress: no snap, flap or buckle sits between your hand and the tourniquet.
-
04
Built for patrol use
North American Rescue describes the case as capable of withstanding foot pursuits, combative subjects and daily patrol functions without allowing the tourniquet to fall out of the carrier.3 That is the manufacturer's claim; retention on your own belt is something to test in your own drills.
-
05
Belt mount
A Blade-Tech TekLok belt attachment fits belts up to 2.25 in. and lets you mount the case vertically or horizontally.3 Vertical and horizontal put the C-A-T's exposed top in different positions for your hand; pick the one that suits your gear and keep it.
-
06
Drop-leg option
The case mounts with two screws in the middle of the body, and the existing holes also attach it to a Safariland drop-leg shroud.3 A thigh position is a different reach than a belt; practice it seated and moving before you rely on it.
-
07
Where to wear it
Carry the tourniquet where you can reach it with either hand, under stress, without looking. A hand that has to search for a tourniquet loses seconds, and a hasty tourniquet is meant to go on fast.
-
08
It says what it is
A hook-and-loop medical cross is included to identify the case as medical equipment.3 That helps a partner or responder find the tourniquet on you when you can't tell them where it is.
-
09
Eleven finishes in our store
NAR item numbers: Black 80-0479, Ranger Green 80-0482, Coyote Tan 80-0481, Polished Black 80-0562, Basketweave Black 80-0560, Navy Blue 80-1159, Orange 80-0483, Multicam 80-0561, Royal Blue 80-0480, Gray 80-0484, and Black MOLLE 85-0636.3
-
10
Compact and light
Packaged, the case measures H 4.75 × W 2.25 × D 2 in. and weighs 3.8 oz.3 The belt is not included.
-
11
The tourniquet inside is the proven part
The C-A-T carried in this case stopped the distal pulse in every volunteer, arm and leg, in 2005 testing,9 and in a Baghdad combat hospital series it was effective in 79% of applications.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 case.12
-
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 case, 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.
-
1Pair the case with its tourniquet. Seat one C-A-T® Gen 7 in the case. Other tourniquet models need their own carrier.3
-
2Mount it where either hand reaches it. Fit the TekLok to your belt, choose vertical or horizontal, and test the reach with each hand with your gear on — standing, seated and in a vehicle.
-
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 case.4
-
4Draw it. Grab the exposed top of the tourniquet and pull it free in one motion.3
-
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
-
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
-
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
-
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 7 on a duty, patrol or pistol belt, or on a Safariland drop-leg shroud3
- A tourniquet that stays in the same place every time, so the draw becomes a habit
- Vertical or horizontal mounting, to match how your belt and gear are arranged3
- Law-enforcement and military belts, where the hasty placement may be the first decision3
- Carrying a tourniquet model other than the C-A-T® Gen 7 — NAR lists only the Gen 7 as compatible3
- Stand-in for a tourniquet: the case ships empty and the C-A-T is sold separately
- A tourniquet you have never drawn from this exact case — 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 case, 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 Rigid Gen 7 cases side by side, with the soft pouch buyers weigh them against.
| Rigid Case 80-0479 |
Rigid Case w/Cover 80-0485 |
Rigid Case w/Shirt Shield 80-0944 |
C-A-T Holder (pouch) 30-0057 |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Body | Injection-molded nylon | Injection-molded nylon, one-piece Hypalon cover | Injection-molded nylon, replaceable Shirt Shield | 1000D Cordura® |
| How it holds the tourniquet | Holds it tightly in place with no straps or covers | Holds it tightly in place; cover encloses it | Holds it tightly in place with no straps or covers | Pouch with easy-open elastic pull tab |
| Draw | Grab and pull the top of the C-A-T | Cover breaks apart as the tourniquet is drawn | Grab and pull the top of the C-A-T | Pull the tab |
| Mounting | Blade-Tech TekLok, belts to 2.25 in.; Safariland drop-leg shroud | Blade-Tech TekLok, belts to 2.25 in.; Safariland drop-leg shroud | Blade-Tech TekLok, belts to 2.25 in.; Safariland drop-leg shroud | PALS/MOLLE-style connectors; horizontal on belts to 1.5 in. |
| Fits | C-A-T Gen 7 | C-A-T Gen 7 | C-A-T Gen 7 | C-A-T Gen 6 and Gen 7 |
| Size | H 4.75 × W 2.25 × D 2 in. | L 6.75 × W 2.25 × D 2.5 in. | H 5.88 × W 2.5 × D 2 in. | L 6.25 × W 1.75 × D 1.5 in. |
| Weight | 3.8 oz | 4.5 oz; 7 oz with a C-A-T | 5.36 oz | 2.17 oz |
| Extras | Hook-and-loop medical cross | Hook-and-loop medical cross | Shirt Shield with hardware; medical cross | “TQ” identification patch on the pull tab |
Figures from North American Rescue's product pages for each item.3,6,7,8
Build the system
The tourniquet this case is made for, the other carriers, and what goes in the kit beside it.
Questions buyers ask
Package & specifications
Available Options:
- Black
- Ranger Green
- Coyote Tan
- Polished Black
- Basketweave Black
- Navy Blue
- Orange
- Multicam
- Royal Blue
- Gray
- Black MOLLE
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
