Daily carry only works if you keep carrying it — the Shirt Shield takes the wear that makes people leave the tourniquet in the car.
At a glance
12 things to know about the Rigid Gen 7 C-A-T® Case with Shirt Shield
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 Shirt Shield is made by Eleven 10® and sold by North American Rescue under item 80-0944.3 It is the rigid Gen 7 case with a shield added behind it.
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02
A carrier is not a tourniquet
The case is compatible with 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
What the Shirt Shield does
The Shirt Shield, with its mounting hardware, protects the uniform shirt from undue wear caused by friction from the windlass clip.3 A tourniquet worn on the belt every shift rubs the shirt every shift; the shield takes that wear instead.
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04
Replaceable
The Shirt Shield attaches with two screws and can be replaced if ever needed.3 NAR also lists a replacement hardware set, item ZZ-0988 (3 screws, washers, o-rings and nuts), that fits the Shirt Shield and the belt attachment.4
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05
Held tightly, nothing to defeat
The case holds the Gen 7 tightly in place with no straps or covers, and the tourniquet is removed by grabbing and pulling its exposed top.3
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06
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; test retention on your own belt.
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07
Belt and drop-leg mounting
A Blade-Tech TekLok belt attachment fits belts up to 2.25 in.; the case mounts vertically or horizontally, or attaches to a Safariland drop-leg shroud using the existing holes.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 the shield fitted the case is taller, so check that the exposed top of the tourniquet still falls naturally to your hand.
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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 in our store
NAR item numbers: Black 80-0944, Ranger Green 80-0946, Coyote Tan 80-0945, Polished Black 80-0963, Basketweave Black 80-0962.3
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11
Size and weight
H 5.88 × W 2.5 × D 2 in.; 5.36 oz with the Shirt Shield fitted.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.10 Wear this case in uniform, 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 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 uniform and 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.5
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4Draw it. Grab the exposed top of the tourniquet and pull it free 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.1,5
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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.1,5
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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.1,5
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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.5 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
- Uniform-shirt carry, where windlass-clip wear is the reason the tourniquet stays in the car3
- 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 200812 | 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 200913 | 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 200511 | 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 202114 | 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 201810 | 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 202315 | 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.7,8,3,9
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
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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