This CAT Tourniquet Will Get You Killed 

Paying $30 for a C.A.T is better than spending thousands on a funeral in my book.

I'm a doctor, who is an avid shooter. I love going to the range. I looked up this video, because I was suspicious of the tourniquets I have. Good video.

Things might've changed in the 3 years since this video was posted. I just bought (August 2023) an inexpensive Chinese made clone of a CAT-7 tourniquet and put it through the exact same tests as in the video, it worked exactly like the brand name CAT-7. Nothing broke or stretched out and it worked fine. I was suspicious however that maybe this was some kind of rare Chinese tourniquet so I tried another one from same source, again, worked just fine. One drawback to anything made from China is there are many manufacturers of stuff, and some companies put out a quality product and others put out garbage.

Wow, that's insane... Good on your buddy for carrying a backup.

I have a few that I know are knockoffs. Have practiced/tested them and they do not stretch and show no signs of being damaged by use. Full occlusion with 1 1/2 turns. Could maybe get full 2 turns if I weren't such a baby. I'm not endorsing any alternatives in any way, just sharing the findings from my sample size. . By all means, go with the best trusted product you can get!

Its a fucked up world - when you have to be suspicious of every “customer review video” as being a possible paid commercial .

Glad I found your website and videos. I'm a physician and my church asked me to look into and help get trauma kit(s). Didn't realize the rabbit hole of knowledge I will be acquiring to help out effectively and to help individuals who are interested get the necessary training experiences. Thank you! Definitely subbed!

My problem with any manufacturer that does business with the government, particularly military, is that they can set a price that precludes business with much of the civilian market. And most of them seem to be fine with that.

This video will most definitely save lives. Good man.

Thank you so much for the info. I have very limited funds to spend and was looking at cat Tourniquets (on amazon) something told me to wait before I buy one. now I know why I needed to see your info. Thanks again and God Bless

Absolutely fantastic video, content, and presentation!! Thanks!!

There is the argument that something is better than nothing, if you have to make a lot of kits and cannot afford expensive ones

I put together a shooting range first aid kit and it looks like I have a couple crappy tourniquets in there. Fake ones! Thank you for opening my eyes to this

Thank you for a VERY informative video ! I am a 73 years old veteran and avid trap shooter. I always have a trauma kit in my vehicles. Watching this video made me check my tourniquets for fakes ! All are good to go ! I appreciate you sharing your knowledge ! JJP

Thank you for this review. Our OHV club just went through STOP THE BLEED® First Aid Training sessions and bought 5 IFAK Trauma Kits for IFAK raffle prizes specifically with the CAT Tourniquet + SWAT-T tourniquets for individuals with smaller arms/legs + Israeli pressure wound bandages + compressed hemostatic gauze. This was very informative.

Excellent video. I just checked the several I have in various bug out and travel bags and find they are North American Rescue CAT so am very relieved for obvious reasons.

I bought 2 of these they were advertised as a "CAT" tourniquets once I received them I could tell that they were not the same quality as my real CAT TQ's. I used them for range training with some of my students. The first one that we used worked a few times for practice and then the buckle broke with the second one the first time we used it the windless snapped in half. Invest in good quality medical equipment. Good video. Thank you!

A couple of weeks ago I bought a four pack of tourniquets on Amazon for $29. They look exactly like the CAT, but after watching your video, I felt compelled to try one of them to make sure that it worked. I'm a Veteran, EMT, CNA, and nursing student, and I'm happy to say that within three turns of the windless, it was extremely tight and to my standards. I'm not entirely sure which brand I got but I'm happy to say that while others might not work, these ones definitely do.

Thank you thank you. This should be in the newspaper for those who do not subscribe to to mountain man. Serious stuff!

Thanks for the great videos. Learning a lot and Got a ankle kit on the way so I’m ready if ever need be.

At the height of covid, the state of WA provided hospitals with pallets of counterfeit 3M N95. Furer Inslee got a screaming deal on them no doubt, the seller likely threw in a free boat for inslees family or something. Important stuff like this buy straight from the source. I only buy CAT straight from NAR

Having a substandard piece of safety gear is worse than none at all due to the false sense of security it provokes. If it fails you're done. Frankly, I prefer the Tactical Medical Solutions SOF T wide tourniquet (also approved by the TCCC) due to the metal windlass. But a genuine CAT is fine too. Have used both. Both work. Both are approved by the TCCC. TCCC testing includes the quality of the tourniquet, it's ease of use, and it's effectiveness. Your tourniquet has to have all those elements.

CAT was used on my right leg in Iraq. I trust them, but I got some that aren’t the NAR CAT’s. Rhino Rescue makes incredible tourniquets. Outside of NAR CAT’s and Rhino Rescue I don’t trust them. Had a fake fail. The windlass folded in half on me. Lol.

I was trying to give myself a stranger with an imitation tourniquet. Totally wrecked the mood. Just kidding. Thanks for the info.

Thanks, for the info! JD, (Michigan)

Thank you! May save a life with that info.

This is good infromation thank you for sharing

Thanks for the great video. Do you have any opinions on the Rats? I have Recon, SWAT-T (least favorite, keep them for extra pressure bandages and a last resort) and CAT, however i have two dogs and would love to get the RATS for them due to the significantly less width?

Excellent information, thanks! Question a little off topic. Just got CERT qualified, in med class was informed never put on a tourniquet...if done, never remove it but let ER or EMT do it. Talking to brother-in-law today and he disagrees. He's a 1st Cav combat medic with two Iraq tours, he advice was after 15 min, loosen tourniquet for couple of beats then retighten. Done every 15 mins. Your advice?

I cringe every time I hear it. It's a CAT. Or a Combat Application Tourniquet. Not a CAT Tourniquet.

RHINO makes a good product too

I like the Recon Medical (CAT) ones so far.. they work VERY good. At least for now.. do you have an opinion on them?

Dude. Thanks for the info. I just looked in both of my medical kits and they both are fake ones I have. Thanks for the heads up

Thanks for the video Brian. I like your "man room".

I got one of these crap tourniquets in a Chinese kit from Amazon. Now I've got to check the other components such as the Israeli bandage, etc. Update, it's all going back to Bezos

Thank you for all your informative videos! Can anyone recommend a good training course in S FL? It's nice to have all the gear advertised but if you don't know how to use it, you might actually do more damage than help.

I have 4 copy cat tourniquets that I got from Amazon and had no pulse after 3 turns.. I will still grab a couple from NAR, but I’m going to keep the ones I already have as backups though. will edc with the real ones.

Thanks

I never understood cheaping out on life saving equipment. Good ammo for conceal carry self defense is $35 a box? Oh well. Good tourniquet is $35? so what? I'll never think risking a life is worth saving $20 or even $100

I’ve tested the fake CATs and they work fine

Hi this infomation its very important.

Thanks Brian. Dammit I have some of the knockoffs. Sadly, NAR CATs are made in PRC. I noticed you carry TacMed SOF Gen 4 at Mountain Man Medical. It's made in the USA. Do you have a demo video?

Good info, but you did put 1st one on bare arm and 2nd over your sleeve.

I saw many fake CAT. and thanks to videos like this, i only bought real ones. Don't wanna someone or me get killed because my medkit have faulty tourniquet.

Without using them, how can I tell the difference between genuine NAR and a counterfeit? What tells are there?

Would you recommend using the counterfeit as an inexpensive way to practice instead of buying an expensive real CAT for practice?

Thanks for this! This may save a lot of lives. I almost bought some Amazon ones and wouldn't have known any better.

there is very simple solution for that problem - not charging $30 for a piece of belt with windlass. There is no reason for NAR to charge that much, other than pure profit. Notice there is little to none info about materials used in CAT - you know why? Cause it's not space technology, you use same belt to secure stuff on a trailer, so why the heck it cost $30?

I don't have money for an authentic TC, I'm just an ordinary good Samaritan overseas, and the dollar is too high.

I am surprised in the US where suing for 10’s of millions of dollars is not uncommon saving $20 on a fake medical product is in any way considered a good idea.

Ive got a Fake one that i only use for Training stuff… tho also no Puls at 2 Full turns

I have cheap ones but ive tested mine before putting them in my IFAKs

You probably just saved my life or the life of another. I'm putting together what I call my "Home Defense Gear," and on the advice of my son who is currently active duty Air Force Security Forces and who knows a thing or two about combat gear, I included a CAT in my IFAK. I'm retired Air Force from the same service branch and career field, but they've made some pretty significant advances in medical and first aid gear since I retired 23 years ago, so I went to my son for advice. And yes, I f*cked up and bought it from Amazon for $14. (Yeah, I know, don't laugh.) After watching this video I checked the CAT that I bought, and guess what - yep, it's a FAKE. So it's now sitting in the trash and I'm getting ready to order a REAL one from YOUR company! Thank you so much for this video! I may literally owe you my life!

Thanks for the info I bought an everyday carry kit from Amazon that came with a tourniquet. I just checked it out and sure as shit I’ll have to buy a real tourniquet! Thanks again

Opinions on rhino rescue?

Hey bro, I’d love to see what you think of the Rhino Rescue tourniquets that exist now, they seem pretty dang solid.

Sounds like the cheap CAT tourniquet is a dog.

NAR CAT, $2 materials, $2 labor, $26 logo. If you're a person with a budget trying to get medical gear you'll probably never use, $30 for a single use item is a hard sell. Not to mention trying to have multiple of them. 4 per person, $120.

I have worked EMS, but mostly I grew up and still travel through a high crime area. There's a real possibility I'd need a tourniquet one day. So far, no. I did know the counterfeit ones exist and won't work. I didn't realize it was easy to tell the difference when checking purchased ones. I buy from NAR. But I never thought to check the ones on the truck when I was an EMT. I've always carried a trauma kit (even on the ambulance, and yes, safety had a fit... but got over it). I know I've got legit gear. I will most certainly pass this on so others know how bad the counterfeit is.

I’m glad I clicked on the video, my C.A.T T is legit.

A large portion of my legitimate C-A-T ts have stitching unraveling. Single stitched straps fall apart. Quality control is a concern.

While not every clone CAT is junk, it’s too hard to tell which ones are bad. I’ve had a few and tested them all before considering carrying them and I’ve for sure cut off blood circulation with them. My best advice is just test your gear before trusting it.

Hell I buy $9 cat gen 7 models at Fort Campbell KY.

Have you checked out Recon Medical tourniquets? I think you'll be happily surprised.

I can’t believe that people have the guts to manufacture a bad quality, fake rip off of such an essential piece of gear that literally means the difference between life and death, thank goodness your buddy in the story had a spare because when you look at most people who carry a tourniquet it’s usually only one, absolutely disgusting that people are willing to gamble with peoples lives for money

How do you know what you have? The preferred brand is stated, but how to identify a bad one is not. And are there other good brands?

I'm afraid that eventually we'll start to see knockoff CATs that *have* the NSN numbers and other details on them.

the fake ones have a issue where the bar snaps too

I received a $125+ kit from a reputable company that had a counterfeit CAT

I bought 2 from eBay 3 years ago. Be careful.

Wish real CAT were easier to get in Canada. Pay crazy high prices if you can find someone to sell or crazy cheap fakes

For real yall, the gucci rifle and tac gear is cool, but I know a real one when i see one, and he usually has at least 2 tourniquets on his gear. Remember: "its the small things that get You killed." Always.

Big knife with a pair of brass knuckles

tourniquets need super tightening and that hurts like hell as arteries run DEEP...but we were always taught that since the arteries run on the inside of legs and arms you tighten down THERE, not on the outer side of the arm/leg. Just sayin'...

Buy only from the North American Rescue site only. Then you won't have to worry. I use the cheap ones for training only and mark them as such

Like 6 or 7 times.

Great video bro. You know your stuff!👏👏👏👏💪💯.

What do you think of Recon Medical's tourniquets?

What do you guys think of the TMT?

There's places to save $, your life saving gear, is not of them...

Name of the knife on wall? Near Brass knuckles.

Holy shit, how as a Hospital can you not go for a real CAT ?!?!?! I mean yeah save costs or what ever but CATs are not that expensive. Smells like a class action lawsuit if somebody is going to kick the bucket because of that.

Thanks DOC for the heads up

I just got a couple of first aid kits from Amazon that had tourniquets in them and both are fakes! I will be buying the authentic CAT ones ASAP!

misleading fakes being sold on amazon like that should should definitely not be allowed in the US.

One of your points was it was harder to turn? Maybe because you put it on in the opposite direction as the first one ? Not saying the product is any better just noticed the inconsistency of your test. Like doing one with your right hand and one with your left, not an equal assessment. I do agree that you get what you pay for.

Heard about bad Amazon tourniquets so I purchased mine through LA Police gear.

Wow! Thank you so much brotha! Just found a fake turkey neck in my daily pouch. Good thing I have a real G7 CAT as a back up. Thank you for the vid. What a life saver this man! 💪🏼💪🏼💪🏼🇺🇸 Gonna go buy some more legit stuff. 🤙🏼

THE SAME ERROR AGAIN, I DON'T KNOW WHAT EXPERIENCE YOU HAVE.

I have a friend in CBP who said the Chinese are getting better at copying the real ones, labels etc. If it's cheap...

I could see the fakes being good for training purposes where you have large groups where full function is not critically necessary for practical hands on concept and the cost savings would be worth it. just inform the group In the difference

I got a med kit online and the Israeli bandage the nasal pharyngeal and so on where the same brand as I got in the army but the CAT didn't look or feel right I had heard of knock offs before and was immediately suspicious of it I'm gonna got test it and see how it fails

Ordered one of these cheap tourniquets from China - it had a nice pouch, pair of scissors, but the item itself is everything you describe here - low quality plastic and loose, slippery winding belt.

Cutting corners and cost is one thing; but to do this and cost someone there life.. My God , what's wrong with some of these companies?? There's got to be some kind of law against selling equipment like this.. If not, there should be.

Nice SXB

Someone should takeamazon to task for allowing the sale of these on amazon

How you know is real or fake? Can you make a video with the real vs fake

what I do not understand is why is it that medical supplies are so expensive, you would think that medical supplies such as a CAT tourniquet would cost as much as they do, and screw that theory is how much is your life worth that is BS that someone would even say that. it is just a saying for a selling point only. so I can most definitely understand why that company bought a low grade tourniquet. I guess I will bleed out, because I am a poor and I cannot afford $30. + for a decent tourniquet.

These counters are all over ebay

I'm ok with using an aliexpress tourniquet for practice but not for real life