A cover earns its place only if it costs nothing on the draw — this one breaks apart as the tourniquet comes out.
At a glance
12 things to know about the Rigid Gen 7 C-A-T® Case with Cover
What it holds, how it draws, where it mounts, and why the tourniquet inside it matters as much as the case.
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01
What it is
The Gen 7 C-A-T® RIGID TQ Case with Cover is sold by North American Rescue under item 80-0485. It carries one tourniquet on a duty, patrol or pistol belt and adds a cover over the injection-molded nylon case.3
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02
A carrier is not a tourniquet
The case accommodates the C-A-T® Gen 7, 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
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03
A cover that completely covers it
The cover is one-piece Hypalon and completely covers the tourniquet in storage, protecting it from the elements and giving a clean, uniform look.3 For a tourniquet that rides on a belt through rain, dust and sun, the enclosure is the reason to choose this version.
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04
It breaks apart on the draw
When the tourniquet is deployed, the cover “breaks apart” so there is no snagging and the C-A-T can be drawn easily and quickly.3 Test that in your own drill: the point of an enclosed carrier is that the cover costs you nothing on the draw.
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05
Tight hold in the case
The injection-molded nylon case holds the C-A-T tightly in place and is described as strong and durable for rugged law-enforcement and military use.3
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06
Belt mount
A Blade-Tech TekLok belt attachment fits belts up to 2.25 in. The case mounts vertically or horizontally.3
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07
Drop-leg option
The case mounts with two screws in the middle, and the existing holes also attach it to a Safariland drop-leg shroud.3
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08
Where to wear it
Carry the tourniquet where you can reach it with either hand, under stress, without looking. With a cover over it, check that the draw still starts from a place your hand finds blind.
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09
It says what it is
A hook-and-loop cross is included to identify the case as medical equipment.3
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10
Five colors
NAR item numbers: Black 80-0485, Ranger Green 80-0487, Coyote Tan 80-0486, Navy Blue 80-1160, Multicam 80-1148.3
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11
Size and weight
L 6.75 × W 2.25 × D 2.5 in. Without a C-A-T the case weighs 4.5 oz; with a C-A-T fitted, about 7 oz.3
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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.9 Practice drawing through the cover, one-handed, with gloves — the cover is the one feature that changes the draw.
How to carry, draw and use it
Carrier first, then the tourniquet: fit, mount, draw, place, tighten, record.
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1Pair the case with its tourniquet. Seat one C-A-T® Gen 7 in the case. Other tourniquet models need their own carrier.3
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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.
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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 case.4
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4Draw it. Pull the tourniquet out; the cover breaks apart as it comes free.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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8Replace the cover and tourniquet. A C-A-T that has been applied is single-use and retired.4 The cover breaks apart by design, so a case that has been drawn from needs its cover and a new tourniquet before it goes back on the belt. NAR sells Rigid C-A-T TQ Case Covers as a related item.3
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
- Belts that see weather, where an enclosed carrier is worth the extra size3
- 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 200811 | 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 200912 | 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 200510 | 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 202113 | 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 20189 | 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 |
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|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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.6,3,7,8
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
- Navy Blue
- 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.
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