Life is unpredictable, and you don’t have to be in the U.S. army to experience a life-threatening situation. Having an emergency kit and knowing how to use the equipment and tools inside is vital. Imagine you see a car accident, or worse- you are part of one.
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If it is a normal wound, you could apply pressure with your hands and control the bleeding, but if, let’s say, the main artery was cut, you or the person next to you could bleed out before an ambulance arrives.
Best Tourniquets
With the good tourniquet, however, this hypothetical scenario would have a completely different ending. These small devices stop arterial blood loss by pinching off the artery, and you definitely need to have at least one in your bug-out bag.
Today, we have gathered the top 6 tourniquets on the market that are durable, effective, and suitable, even for self-application. Make sure you read each review carefully and pick the one you like the most!
CAT Resources Combat Application Tourniquet
Well, it’s only reasonable that our first suggestion is the official tourniquet of the US army. This fact alone is enough to conclude this is one of the leading tourniquets on the market.
This unit will allow you to occlude blood flow in case of an emergency. Being able to do that when you deal with a traumatic wound with significant hemorrhage is essential, and this CAT tourniquet can literally save you and the person standing next to you.
This tourniquet features a durable windlass rod with a free-moving internal band. Due to that, you get an improved grip and enough circumferential pressure. We really liked the hook and loop of the unit since you can easily tighten the belt and prevent blood loss.
Aside from the reinforced windlass clip, the tourniquet also has a security tab that you can use to write down the time of application.
The dimensions of this CAT tourniquet are 6.5 in. L x 2.4 in. w x 1.5 in. D. When opened, the unit’s length is 37.5 in, and it weighs 2.7 oz. The bottom line is that this CAT tourniquet is a must-have for every first aid kit.
Recon Medical TANTQ Tourniquet
Here’s another suggestion by Recon Medical that you will also love due to its sturdiness, effectiveness, and last but not least, great price. Hopefully, you will never have to use a tourniquet, but if needed, we guarantee you can trust this Recon Medical product with your life.
The stitching of this tourniquet is clean and has no loose ends, whereas the material itself is very strong. The unit has Kevlar stitching that offers exceptional strength and helps with maintaining a firm grip even when you are with bloody or sweaty hands.
There are a few windlass types, and this tourniquet features an aluminum tube. It is round and has a hollow center that reduces weight but is still really stout. You can apply this tourniquet to your arm with ease, and after around 2.5 turns, you will feel that there’s no distal pulse, and the hand pressure it gives you is more than enough to save your life.
At this price, you can even buy several tourniquets and teach your friends and family how to use them.
North American Rescue Military Issue
When it comes to tourniquets, you have to be extremely careful with your choice because your existence can literally depend on it. That’s why you have to be cautious about imported imitations.
Such products can put you and your family in extreme danger, and you always have to search for a manufacturer that has a strict quality management system, just like North American Rescue.
This is another tourniquet used by the US Army that has proven to be exceptionally effective in occluding high blood flow in both the lower and upper extremities.
With this tourniquet, you can lower the number of combat deaths since it meets all safety standards and is one of the finest choices you can make.
This tourniquet features a NAR’S red tip technology that assists you in locating and threading. Its reinforced windlass clip ensures a tight windlass lock and is easy to use, so you don’t need some specialized training to be able to stop the bleeding you or other people.
Writing the time of application is also important, and this tourniquet has a security tab where you can do that.
North American Rescue NAR CAT Tourniquet Gen 7
North American Rescue is probably the most popular company for mission-critical medical products, and it is only normal that this is our second suggestion manufactured by them. You don’t have to specialize in emergency medicine to be able to save someone’s life; you simply have to own a product like this GEN 7.
My favorite thing about this suggestion is that it is actually a two-pack, and even though it may seem rather pricey, it is definitely worth the money. These are high-quality tourniquets that use a durable windlass system with a unique free-moving internal band.
The tourniquet provides true circumferential pressure to the extremity, and once you tighten it properly, bleeding will immediately stop, and the windlass will lock into place.
To maintain pressure during casualty evacuation, you must also apply the retention strap. With this tourniquet, you get a fast application and effective slack removal. The unit weighs 5.6 ounces, so you could carry it with you everywhere you go.
SOFTT-W Tourniquet
Products like this one are proof that when you make a purchase online, you don’t necessarily have to be disappointed with what you get! We were highly impressed with this suggestion as it proves that simplicity is often the better option. The SOFTT-W Tourniquet is lightweight but sturdy, easy to use, and effective.
This new SOFTT tactical tourniquet is made of lightweight alloy components that provide the required performance in terms of durability and strength only metal can offer. With its 1 ½” constricting band, the SOFTT-W tourniquet offers increased pressure and comfort, necessary when in extreme environments.
The snap-lock buckle design allows for fast re-routing of the windlass strap around limbs (no matter the limb size) with no need for rethreading. The single tourniquet application method is also a great advantage as you can use this tourniquet even with one hand.
Recon Medical BLK-1PAK-FBA Tourniquet
Hemorrhaging is one of the leading causes of death in both non-tactical and tactical situations. That’s why you have to be well prepared and know how to do basic first aid.
Having at least two CAT tourniquets with you is vital, and in regard to tourniquet manufacturers, Recon Medical is one of the perfect ones you’ll find.
The unit has a lightweight and durable aluminum windlass, and its unique design offers excellent grip in mud, wet weather, and, of course, blood. Windlass tourniquets like this one can quickly stop bleeding, and you definitely need one in your car, backpack, and kit for emergencies.
For more difficult arterial bleeding, apply a second tourniquet in order to prevent nerve damage.
What we liked about this tourniquet was the aggressive teeth pinch buckle that is super sturdy and prevents the strap from pealing. The device is easy to use, even with one hand, and we all know that the fast application of a tourniquet can be life-saving.
Types of Tourniquets
Even though windlass tourniquets are the most common type of tourniquets, they are not the only ones! Therefore, you have to be familiar with all designs.
1. Windlass Tourniquet
Basically, these models are a webbing sleeve/loop that is combined with a tightening rod, which you can easily twist a couple of times to lock in place and create the needed pressure. Tourniquets with a windlass design wrap around or slide onto the limb, and most of the models have a latch that holds the end of the bar, and that way prevents it from unwinding.
2.Elastic Band Tourniquets
These tourniquets are favored by some because they are thought to be simpler to operate than competing types. However, while this may be true in a real-world context, elastic bands are not the best choice for use in a location where there is the potential for exposure to extreme elements, gunfire, significant blood loss, and limb loss.
These tourniquets are only very lengthy strips of high-quality stretchy material. They need to be wrapped around the limb several times, and since this must be done with force, it is challenging to execute with one hand alone.
3.Ratcheting Tourniquets
These pretty much resemble the common ratches and straps we use to tie down loads on truck beds. For a short period, they had been used by the US Army Rangers, but eventually, they had gone back to windlass models, until 2019, when the CoTCCC approved the first ratcheting tourniquet.
Some models feature a wind-up drum, similar to what truck ratchets have, whereas others have a system resembling the buckles on ski boots. Either way, the modern ratcheting tourniquets are great and won’t cause you any problems such as blood or clothing getting stuck in the mechanism. They are also easy to put on a limb.
4.Pneumatic Tourniquets
Tourniquets like these are mainly used in hospitals, and we do not suggest you use them in your kit for emergency situations. They have an inflatable bladder that squeezes off blood flow. We could even say that the common blood pressure cuff you use is a type of tourniquet.
Wrap Up
Did you know that around 300 people per day in the US sustain a gunshot wound? And that’s only there, imagine the situation around the world…For that reason, you have to make sure you have all the life-saving equipment you need, and a tourniquet is the first thing you have to get.
There are different things you need to keep in mind when choosing such a product: do you have the right cat tourniquet holder, can the unit you’re looking at be used with one hand, is it suitable for your tourniquet pouch, etc? Luckily for you, we’ve prepared the top 6 tourniquets on the market, and as long as you read each review carefully, we bet you will find the best tourniquet for sale.