Health & Wellness · Head-to-head
North American Rescue Combat Application Tourniquet (C-A-T) Gen 7 vs Safeguard Medical TMT Tourniquet (Tactical Mechanical Tourniquet)
Which should you buy? Our verdict on both, pulled from our full The Best Tourniquets: 4 Compared (and One to Skip) comparison.
The C-A-T Gen 7 is on the CoTCCC recommended list, is a device many bleeding control courses put in your hands, and its maker and US federal agencies have published counterfeit-checking guidance. The TMT is also on the list, is wider at the band, and its maker publishes a definite shelf life, which makes it easier to manage in a kit you rarely open.
North American Rescue Combat Application Tourniquet (C-A-T) Gen 7
Buy itThe tourniquet on the CoTCCC list that you are most likely to have already practised on, with published guidance for confirming yours is genuine.
- Listed by name on the CoTCCC Recommended Devices and Adjuncts document, under the same national stock number North American Rescue prints on the band.
- A common device in civilian bleeding control classes, so the muscle memory you build in a course transfers to the unit in your kit.
- North American Rescue sells a blue trainer version of the same Gen 7 design, so you can practise repeatedly without wearing out the one you carry.
- At 1.5 inches the band is the narrowest of the devices here, and wider cuffs are associated with occlusion at lower pressure in the surgical literature.
- It is a heavily counterfeited tourniquet, so where you buy it matters as much as which model you buy.
- North American Rescue publishes no fixed shelf life, only conditions, which means you have to inspect it yourself rather than read a date.
Safeguard Medical TMT Tourniquet (Tactical Mechanical Tourniquet)
Buy itA CoTCCC-listed windlass tourniquet with a 2 inch band, two independent locks, and a manufacturer-stated 7 year shelf life.
- On the CoTCCC recommended list as the Tactical Mechanical Tourniquet, matching the national stock number Safeguard Medical publishes.
- The 2 inch strap is wider than the C-A-T band, and Safeguard Medical states it achieves occlusion at lower pressures.
- Safeguard Medical publishes a 7 year shelf life and a UV-protective additive, which makes an unopened unit easier to manage in a kit you rarely check.
- It is less commonly used in civilian classes than the C-A-T, so you may have to seek out instruction specific to it.
- Safeguard Medical does not list a separate trainer version, so practice means either buying a second unit or borrowing one.
- The wider band and quick-disconnect buckle make it a slightly thicker package than a flat-folded C-A-T in a narrow pouch.
Side by side
The 8 criteria below are the ones our full comparison judged every product on, narrowed to these two.
| North American Rescue Combat Application Tourniquet (C-A-T) Gen 7 Our pick | Safeguard Medical TMT Tourniquet (Tactical Mechanical Tourniquet) | |
|---|---|---|
| Our verdict | Buy | Buy |
| Best for | Almost anyone building a first trauma kit, especially if you plan to take a bleeding control course and want to own the device the course will hand you. | A buyer who wants a wider band and a printed expiry date to work from, and who is happy to seek training on a device that is not the default in every class. |
| Price tier | $$ · mid-range | $$ · mid-range |
| On the CoTCCC recommended list | Yes, as Combat Application Tourniquet (CAT) Gen 7 | Yes, as Tactical Mechanical Tourniquet (TMT) |
| Stock number on that list | 6515-01-521-7976 | 6515-01-656-6191 |
| How it tightens | Windlass rod, clip and retention strap | Windlass torsion bar with double-routed speed buckle |
| Band width | 1.5 in | 2 in |
| Weight | 2.7 oz | 3.5 oz |
| Packaged size | 6.5 x 2.4 x 1.5 in | 4.5 x 2.5 x 2 in |
| Manufacturer shelf life statement | No shelf life while unused, packaged and stored dry, dark and climate controlled | 7 years |
| Practice version | Separate blue trainer sold under a training stock number | No separate trainer listed |
Which one is right for you?
Pick the North American Rescue Combat Application Tourniquet (C-A-T) Gen 7 if
almost anyone building a first trauma kit, especially if you plan to take a bleeding control course and want to own the device the course will hand you.
Know before buying: at 1.5 inches the band is the narrowest of the devices here, and wider cuffs are associated with occlusion at lower pressure in the surgical literature.
Pick the Safeguard Medical TMT Tourniquet (Tactical Mechanical Tourniquet) if
a buyer who wants a wider band and a printed expiry date to work from, and who is happy to seek training on a device that is not the default in every class.
Know before buying: it is less commonly used in civilian classes than the C-A-T, so you may have to seek out instruction specific to it.
The bottom line
Our overall pick is the North American Rescue Combat Application Tourniquet (C-A-T) Gen 7 - The tourniquet on the CoTCCC list that you are most likely to have already practised on, with published guidance for confirming yours is genuine. Choose the Safeguard Medical TMT Tourniquet (Tactical Mechanical Tourniquet) instead if a buyer who wants a wider band and a printed expiry date to work from, and who is happy to seek training on a device that is not the default in every class.
Want the full picture, including the other options we compared and the popular one we'd skip? Read the complete The Best Tourniquets: 4 Compared (and One to Skip).