Well, I purchased one of the PHL Flat Pack Carriers that they showed in this article from Option Gray ($19.99, with 15% off your first purchase if you sign up for their email marketing). I got it in the mail yesterday. It's a pretty neat carrier and it does allow you to reduce the footprint of the tourniquet. I don't know that I'll belt carry every day, but it will make it easier to do so. Makes it easier to pack it in a kit.
Thanks for the post. We had a corporate mandated CPR class, recert. for most of us, and the instructor was adamant that the average person has no need for one while spending their time in the city. Mind you we are working in an industrial warehouse for shipping, so not a ton of high risk areas as a whole but there is plenty of things that could prove fatal if an accident occurs at our job. Ever since I started with my CCW many years ago, I added a TQ to my EDC.
Good article. It does surprise me of how many people are so resistant to carrying a tourniquet or even any kind of trauma items, yet see the need for a gun for defense. Even though the likelihood of needing is rare, the chance of surviving one of those rare situations increases with the right equipment. Also, there are options that are out there, that may not be as effective or well-tested as windlass tourniquets, that are better than nothing and could easily be carried. One option that I carry is a pocket bleeding control pack from Officer Survival Solutions which is not much bigger than a deck of cards. It is not as good as the CAT and ETD that I sometimes carry, but because of its size I carry it more frequently. The SWAT-T in the pocket bleeding control pack is not a Committee on Tactical Combat Casualty Care (CoTCCC) recommended TQ, but I look at similar to which gun is better - the double stack that is so big and heavy that you sometimes leave it at home or the mouse gun that you always reach for and carry?
Thank you, great article. I have ordered 2 TQ's for my cars. But, after I ordered them, I can not find a clear consensus what brand I should have ordered. There are few comparisons of many brands. The CAT seems to be the best (???) and the RAT, so-so (??). I ordered Recon Medical, any good? I have seen that it is important to not get cheap Chinese copies but how can I (or anyone else) know what is the right brand/model to carry (not always the best)? Please help educate me and thanks again. Lateck, PS: My comments are from an novice view and I am no expert, I want to learn.
As the author of the article mentioned, what are considered the best tourniquets are those which have gone through the rigors of testing for combat use and received the Committee on Tactical Combat Casualty Care (CoTCCC) recommendation. If I remember correctly there are only 3 that have this distinction: Combat Application Tourniquet (CAT), SOF-Tactical Tourniquet (SOFTT), and Emergency Medical Tourniquet (EMT). That does not mean others may not be good, but may just be they haven’t gone through and passed the testing. There are many similar design tourniquets to the CAT which have a windlass for tightening which are good, but for whatever reason have not received the CoTCCC recommendation, I believe the RECON is one of these. There are also counterfeit ones, especially of the CAT, that are cheaply made. One of the best ways to avoid these is to by through the manufacturer or a reputable source (Medical company vs ebay, Amazon, etc). This link gives some info on the counterfeit CATs. https://thecounterfeitreport.com/product/595/North-American-Rescue-C-A-T-(CAT)-Combat-Application-Tourniquets.html There are then the next level of tourniquets, which some call secondary or back-up or “better than nothing”. These are not CoTCCC recommended and do not have windlasses for tightening, like SWAT, RAT, TK4, etc. These ones usually appeal to people because they pack up smaller and thereby are easier to carry. An example of this is the pocket pack I sometimes carry shown above with a SWAT. These are not as easy to use or going to be the best, but are something that would most likely be better than nothing. I have a CAT in my car and range first aid kits. On my person I’ll carry a CAT and trauma dressing unless I don’t have a cargo pocket, which is when I carry the pocket pack with the SWAT. There is some confusion with the RAT and their statement “TCCC Approved”. I am not well versed on this, but my understanding is the TCCC they refer to is a private company different from the CoTCCC recommendation mentioned in the OP article.
The CAT is outstanding for self-aid and buddy-aid. The SOFTT-W is, I am told reliably, better for buddy aid but is not as good for self-aid. I've never seen the EMT and have no opinion of it. The SWAT-T can achieve occlusion but requires two hands, and may not work on more muscular folks. I would really hate to have to apply it to my own arm. It's better than nothing. The RAT, as far as I can tell, is worse than worthless. My choice has been to train and equip with the CAT. I have carefully checked every one I've come across for signs of forgery and relegated those to training only. Your non-training tourniquet, of whatever manufacture, should never be used for training, and your training devices shouldn't be put into kits for live use.
At the risk of stating the obvious, training is key. Perhaps also the trainer might be able to make a recommendation.
Training is key and what has led me to the CAT as my tourniquet of choice. I’ve tried the SOF-T w, CAT, SWAT, RAT, and TK4; the CAT is the easiest for self application.
As has been stated a few times training is key. With the right training and mindset there are many way to improvise as well. At a recent CERT refresher I attended, not long after the Vegas shooting, the whole triage/treatment mindset swung in the the direction of TQ's. We were given 10 minutes and has to see how many improvised TQ's we could apply. Making using of gauze bandages, bits of T shirt, pens, flashlights etc. etc. In a mass casualty event when it may still not be safe for first responders to enter having the knowledge how to apply a TQ using improvised methods could help save many lives. The commercial units are very good specially for self application and in a subsequent training exercise we did get to use those. Look around you and think what commonly available objects you could use if you really needed to. Wishing you all a happy and safe Thanksgiving.
