Fake vs Real C-A-T Tourniquet: Where You Buy Matters Most

A real tourniquet and a fake one can look almost the same. A fake can fail when you pull it tight. Would you know which one is in your kit?

I'm Ryan. I'm a former fire captain, with 20+ years as a paramedic, and a dad of three. A C-A-T is a Combat Application Tourniquet. My genuine one is in my Dark Angel trauma kit.

A tourniquet is a strap that goes around an arm or a leg for very bad bleeding. It is not for small cuts.

The full free printable checklist is at /tourniquet.

I carried a fake in an older trauma kit I put together myself, not my Dark Angel kit, for about 2 years without knowing. I found out while I was researching this video. The fake had thin, flimsy plastic. The real one has thick, solid clasps.

Rule 1: where you buy it

Where you buy it matters most. Buy from North American Rescue or an authorized dealer. That's it.

Many cheap online listings are fakes, even when the photo and the name look real. A price that's too low is a warning sign.

Rule 2: the CoTCCC list

I carry only tourniquets on the CoTCCC list. That's a group that reviews which tourniquets are recommended. If it's not on the list, I don't carry it.

In my EMS career I never once used a tourniquet. Most bleeding I handled was controlled with direct pressure. The real challenge was internal bleeding, bleeding you can't see inside the body. A tourniquet can't stop that. Still carry one and be ready. But it's rare.

What I check

Looks alone won't tell you for sure. Here's what I look at.

1. The package. Real ones have clear printing. Sloppy printing or misspellings are red flags. The real one has CAT printed on the package and on the device.
2. The parts. The windlass rod, the clip, the buckle, and the strap feel solid on a real one. On a fake they feel thin.

If you're not sure, don't trust it. Take any look-alike out. Don't keep it as a spare.

Get trained

A full how-to video is coming. The best way to learn is hands-on in a Stop the Bleed class. They're short and often free.

If someone is bleeding badly, call 911 first, or have someone else call.

The short version

• Fakes look almost the same, but they can fail when you pull them tight.
• A C-A-T is a Combat Application Tourniquet. Mine is in my Dark Angel trauma kit.
• A tourniquet is for very bad bleeding on an arm or a leg, not for small cuts.
• Where you buy it matters most: North American Rescue or an authorized dealer.
• I carry only CoTCCC-listed tourniquets.
• Check the package and the parts. CAT should be printed on the package and on the device.
• Take a look-alike out. Don't keep it as a spare.
• Learn hands-on in a Stop the Bleed class. Call 911 first.

The full free printable checklist is at /tourniquet.

Related

What goes in a Stop the Bleed kit · Dark Angel kit review · Build your own kit