The 3 Most Recommended Tourniquet Holders

Buried at the bottom of a first aid kit or “in the car” are both places you do not want your tourniquet when it’s needed.

Tourniquet holders are simple, but they are almost as important as the tourniquet itself.

A tourniquet needs to be accessible and readily available for one-handed deployment in under a minute, 30 seconds if possible. Luckily, there are some great options for attaching the tourniquet anywhere you’d like.

Contents

CAT Tourniquet Holder

CAT tourniquet holders come as either a soft or a hard case. Both holders work great with the CAT tourniquet, and they attach to belts or MOLLE straps in vertical, horizontal, or inverted positions.

There are some key points to consider when deciding which to purchase.

Hard Case CAT Tourniquet Holder

Buy this CAT Tourniquet Holder on Amazon

• Pros: Rugged. Gets the job done. Adjustable attachment for any size strap or belt.
• Cons: Bulkier than soft case. Does not fit horizontally on belt.

Details:

• Fits up to a 2.25” wide belt
• Tourniquet stays in holder by friction

Notes:

• The tourniquet fits in a bit tight, but comes out easily and with one hand.
• This will not fit a SOFT T Wide tourniquet

Soft Case CAT Tourniquet Holder

Buy this Soft CAT Tourniquet Holder on Amazon

• Pros: Cheap. Gets the job done. Lightweight
• Cons: Straps only accommodate 1.5” wide belt. Some complaints that the pouch sits cockeyed

Details:

• 3.5” MOLLE strap with snap in buckle (vertical)
• Two belt loops accommodate 1.5” wide belt (horizontal)
• Velcro top strap for tourniquet access
• A “TQ” patch identifies it as a tourniquet holder.

Notes:

• The tourniquet fits in a bit tight, but comes out easily and with one hand.
• The SOFT T Wide tourniquet will fit snugly.
• A SOFT T tourniquet will have some problems fitting because of the screw.

SOFT T Wide Tourniquet Holder

This hard case is the same as the CAT hard case tourniquet holder, but it is wider to accommodate the SOFT T wide tourniquet.

Hard cases are not very forgiving on which tourniquet you're putting in them, but the soft CAT tourniquet holder can accomodate both the CAT and the SOFT T wide.

Hard Case SOFT T Wide Tourniquet Holder

Buy this SOFT T Wide Tourniquet Holder on Amazon

• Pros: Rugged. Gets the job done. Adjustable attachment for any size strap or belt
• Cons: Bulkier. It does not fit horizontally on a belt.

Details:

• Fits up to a 2.25” wide belt
• Tourniquet stays in holder by friction

Notes:

• The tourniquet fits in a bit tight, but comes out easily and with one hand.
• This will fit a CAT tourniquet, but the wider holder might cause the CAT to fall out more easily.

Additional Resources

1. SOFT T Tourniquet vs CAT Tourniquet
2. RATS: Rapid Application Tourniquet System
3. Tourniquet uses and precautions
4. Study about tourniquets exposed in Afghanistan