STOP Buying Fake CAT Tourniquets
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 8 ก.พ. 2017
- Please stop buying Chinese toys to defend your self against bleeding out. It appears that most of the CATs on Amazon and Ebay are fakes.
For more information watch these:
• Counterfeit Combat App...
• Fake CAT TQ?!?!
Buy real North American Rescue TQs Here:
medicalgearoutfitters.com/col...
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Buy from here: medicalgearoutfitters.com/collections/tourniquets-holders/products/gen-7-combat-application-tourniquet-c-a-t
SkinnyMedic: I have a fake, how do I get a free real one? 😂🤪
SkinnyMedic any promo codes?
Is the recon medical tq good
The Red Cross also sells them as well and St. Johns Ambulance.
If you would ship to Canada I would but 300 dollars of gear off of you. But now I have to get it off of Amazon and hope that my Israeli bandage and cat are real
I've read several paramedics unaware of carrying counterfeit CAT in the fields, and the windlass snapped while trying to stop the bleeding. There should be strict laws on counterfeiting medical products as this is a device that decides life and death.
Seriously. It's sickening that there are counterfeit, inferior-quality products out there designed to deceive those purchasing them as products designed to save lives but due to their lower quality will become a serious liability in a life-or-death situation.
kevin lin I am an EMT and had legit CATs fail on me, I know they were legit because they were direct from the the local military base.
yeah, i agree, it makes me sick that people are counterfeiting something that is meant to save lives, this is not something to be taken lightly.
I have some from the army as well and they look like they might be fakes. They say CAT on the back but on the plastic arm, they dont have CAT written on them.
Yeah, yeah, more laws, MOAAR!
Just let's stop using capitalism, no "more laws" needed.
FYI I broke one of the fakes applying it to a manikin!
Will you be able to make it to the gun show this weekend?
They actually have some good ones on Amazon. It's up to a person to do the research before buying. Everyone will have their own preference. We also have to look at a person's budget, do the research and get what you can afford, do not go broke people trying to keep up with the "rich and fancy" kits. Anything is better than nothing when your life is on the line. This coming from experience. I love your page keep it coming
What experience do you have where buying an inferior product is justifiable when you or a loved ones life is at stake? The difference is literally life or death and we're talking about a $15 difference. It doesn't matter who you are anyone can scrape that together.
I am the daughter of two doctors, I myself am a Paramedic. We actually have a side project where we help feed, clean, and teach those who are less fortunate and some who are homeless, part of that teaching is medical, you will be very surprised at how many people can't get that up, so it does matter who they are and the budget. We teach how to get the job done with what they have and are able to purchase, like I said I like your channel but from experience I don't agree with if a person can't afford it they should go broker than they already are especially those who are homeless, we can just teach them different ways to get the same job done.
Serenity Sekhmet good on you for all you do. However, I think you may be overthinking the premise a little. I'm fairly sure that anyone watching this video on TH-cam, or buying tourniquets in general, is not homeless. There have been many reports of people buying these "fake" tourniquets and them failing. I believe he is speaking to all the people who have the means to purchase kits and equipment, but choose to go cheap on these. Honestly, if you were in a pinch, you'd use whatever you had right?
I mean, I have a buddy with a $2,000 Tavor, but complains about how much a $30 tourniquet is. 😂
These are the videos that I like on youtube. Very genuine, right to the point and none of the crazy clickbait graphics. Thank you for taking the time to make this.
The problem here is two-fold. One - it is becoming increasingly difficult to identify a "fake" on Amazon. The seller states they are real, legitimate CAT tourniquets. The seller also changes on the same posting depending on stock. You could buy a real CAT today from Amazon and tomorrow the seller would be different and it would be a fake.
Two - North American Rescue charges $8.00 ground and $12.00(2 day shipping) to ship that tiny tourniquet to my address. That alone will drive people to Amazon with free Prime Shipping. I realize price should not be a factor with your life but, in the real world people consider shipping cost. It should cost about $2.00-$4.00 max to ship that tourniquet.
I charge $29.99 with free shipping for a Gen 7 :-)
That's why you only buy from reputable dealers.... like skinny medic.
Reputable dealers? You mean like North American Rescue, the ones who make the tourniquet? They sell on Amazon too:
www.amazon.com/North-American-Rescue/b/ref=bl_dp_s_web_3036997011?ie=UTF8&node=3036997011&field-lbr_brands_browse-bin=North+American+Rescue
The problem here is stock. When a "reputable dealer" goes out of stock, Amazon automatically reverts to the next seller with stock. That seller may or may not be selling real CAT's.
Gotcha. So stop buying medical supplies on amazon.
It cost $2.68 to ship a 4 oz TQ. NAR is getting rich and has eliminated any competition, it doesn't cost $8 to ship a 4 oz product.
Wow thank you so much, I bought a CAT Gen 7 off amazon for my personal jump bag (I’m an EMT) and after watching this video, I noticed that both the time stamp and back plate were off. I then applied it to my arm and got 4 good turns out of it. I now keep it to educate my squad on fake TQs and immediately bought a new one from NAR. Thank you so much for the info, you definitely just saved someone’s life!
Good thing I watched this before buying a set of 3 for $15. Thank you!!
sadly I have had issues with real CATs as well. The volunteer department I use to work for got a few dozen CATs from the local military base so we know they were real. Long story short we had 3 break on us in the next year (and we only used a few that year so it was like a 15-25% fail rate) so the medical director went so far as to prohibit the use of them by the department and we went back to the SOFT-T
CrazyIrishMedic i personally think SOFTs are superior. I’ve used them for so long and have never had an issue.
Incroyable.
college student here, I can't chew the idea of paying 30 bucks for a cat. I haven't bought one nor any of the fakes because those are clearly not worth the investment. my solution was to buy a swat t I can get em for $10-12 and outfit several kits. perhaps I have the wrong attitude about this, but if these people really gave a crap about people having good quality life saving tqs, then they would make them more affordable. they would sell more, I can guarantee that. thank you skinny medic, I appreciate the effort and work you put into informing us.
$30 is not a lot of money, look at the cost of combat gauze, its literally just gauze with some chemical on it. super cheap to make, yet stupid expensive. yet i bought both because I want to have it when I need it.
Try befriending a corpsman/medic that how I got a lot of gear in High school they always have supplies to spare and if you show a genuine concern they will likely give you a couple. IDK its just a though
No offense intended but yes, you have the wrong attitude about severe hemorrhage control. Thirty bucks is a small price to pay to save someone’s life. A SWAT T is not a tourniquet, not even close, it’s nothing more than a device to keep pressure on a dressing & wont do much of anything to stop severe hemorrhaging from a deep artery or vein that has been lacerated.
@faultroy Maybe I'm misinterpreting you, but I don't think it's a good idea to teach people that makeshift TQs are a valid substitute for real TQs. Obviously being able to make a makeshift TQ is a great skill to know for a disaster where you need more TQs than you have with you. But knowing how to make a TQ out of a shirt and a stick doesn't mean you don't need to carry a real TQ.
30 dollars to save your life, swat t's are supposedly not used in combat, plus the rubber ccN break, you need 2 hands to put it on. By a soft t , or a cat
I'm glad that I came across your channel. It's very educational and informative! I went through my two IFAKs and one of the two was a fake. I'm glad I came across it before I actually depended on it!
I'm very glad I came across this video before I bought a tourniquet to wear while I conceal carry!! Very good to know the difference!! Thanks brother!!
Until retiring last month I was a CLS/TCCC instructor for the CA guard. Most of our students were military and were issued their IFAKs. We had soldiers with fake CATs, fake combat gauze, fake needles, even fake shears. All issued to them. One class had 15 soldiers from the same unit that were issued fake CATs. Their supply sergeant was tasked with getting IFAKs for the unit and fell for the "30 CATs for $100" ruse on eBay.
I work at a hospital and i had to do some continuing education stuff today and these tourniquets were one of the modules. I have never seen these before today and then this video shows up on my TH-cam. They are reading my mind!
You should advise that every time the cat tq is applied that the efficiency declines. Practicing over and over is going to wear out your ribbon inside.
scenario for fun just to see what people come up with:
You are at a shooting range and have on your person an IFAK with trauma shears, 1 Israeli bandage, 1 pack of H&H compressed gauze, 1 CAT TQ, 1 NPA, a few pairs of rubber gloves, a roll of medical tape (or duck tape doesn't really matter for this), an emergency blanket, and some band aids.
In you're truck (which is a 2 minute run away) you have a nice med kit with 3 of everything just mentioned plus 4 chest seals, and a few packs of burn ointment.
A Man is double tapping at steel targets when 2 of his rounds ricochet and hit a man beside you, he falls on his back clutching his chest just to the left of the heart.
You look him over quickly and find that he has no IFAK, has a blue tee-shirt, and jeans, he has been shot in the chest just left of the heart and is having irregular breathing, and in the right arm 3 inches below the elbow and it seems to have hit an artery, he also has a cut on the back of his head from a metal chair witch he fell on (not heavy bleeding but enough to mention)
You call out cease fire to get the area safe. a crowd begins to form around you and one man says he knows first aid and CPR but doesn't have anything with him. Another man says he knows the victim and wants to help but doesn't know any first aid.
(Have fun leave your course of action in the replys! If SkinnyMedic happens to see this i would love to hear his response!)
(My course of action in order) I would tell the victim's friend that my truck was unlocked as well as the location of the med kit and send him to get it, point at the first person i saw with a cell phone and get them to call 911 while i get out my IFAK, tell the man who knows first aid to hold pressure on the arm wound while i get out my H&H, and begin wound packing on the arm as soon as possible and hold pressure with my knee for 3-5 minutes while working on the chest seal with help for the man who knew first aid(which should be enough time for the victim's friend to return with the med kit) if wound packing didn't work i would use a TQ. if the victim's friend still wasn't back by then with the med kit i would attempt to make an improvised chest seal with tape and gloves and check his back for exit wounds, throw an emergency blanket over the victim if he was showing signs of shock and elevate his feet on something, use an Israeli bandage to tend to his head injury, and try to keep him calm and alert by talking to him and assuring him that paramedics were on the way.
Love it mate thanks for making a video like this when you doing a job or going out to have fun and you get put in that situation where you gonna help someone out you want to know that you've got the best of the best equipment
If you’re faced with an option where there is a fake tourniquet in front of you ready to go and a bandanna with a stick or pen which set up would you go for?
May sound crazy, but you can enhance the quality of a cheap tourniquet by simply laminating the windlass with multiple layers of resin. I have done this and tested it for durability. It's almost as good as a steel windlass. Although I do have NAR, and Recon TQs, having some extras as backup is always ideal.
I bought a pack of 10 cheap Chinese knockoffs for $40 and a can of resin for $10.
Great vid btw
Video was pretty thin on HOW to tell fakes, and reasons why fakes are bad. Is it the Velcro? the windlass? The tightening band? Need more meat to the info.
*The video was pretty clear.He said it's hard to tell if it's a fake or not so buy from a trusted dealer, possibly directly from AR.*
*The fakes are bad because they won't work and you will die, simple enough.*
*The fake don't get tighter as you turn the windlass, you can turn it 5, 6, 7 times then they will break.*
*They are poorly made of cheaper material.Not to mention they are stealing from the original company who invented the product.*
...but it didnt break
*It would have after he turned it a few more times because it wouldn't stop the bleeding.*
*Those fake ones are not designed to work like the real thing, they will get you killed.Period.*
*But feel free to use them to save a few bucks.*
maybe it might have broke... guess we wont know. course if you over tighten anything it will break. too bad im not willing to spend $40 on one to intentionally break it
*Skinny Medic reported he broke a fake one, you can find videos on TH-cam of people testing fake ones and proving they don't work.*
*They either break or just don't tighten as you turn the windlass, both situations would kill you.*
*You can buy a real one directly from NAR for $30, this one wont break.*
www.narescue.com/combat-application-tourniquet-c-a-t
*If $30 is too expensive for a life saving device you can get a SWAT T for half that price.*
*Even a $6 TK4 will work better than a fake Chinese CAT and it will save your life.*
Your link doesn't ship outside the US. What is a Canadian option if you would know?
Buy your cats from a licensed breeder.
WOW! Never knew there were FAKE Tourniquets!! I saw them on Amazon for about 10 bucks and bought one not thinking the real ones were 30$$!! I had no idea.
There are actually ads for the cheap knockoffs under your video.
I own multiple real CAT gen 7 Tourniquets and probably 20 SAM XT Tourniquets (Which I think are superior to CAT). I recently ordered 5 "counterfeit" CAT gen 7 TQs from alibaba just to check them out. Honestly, they not only seem very similar to the CAT original TQ, but somewhat superior, the plastics are thicker and more durable. The windlass seems just as strong and I cannot break with while applying the TQ (trust me, I tried). I can break the windlass by bending it when I'm not applying it, but I can do that with a genuine CAT as well. I was trying to find other reasons why people hate on them so much, then I saw your video and decided to give this a try. The Chinese version is tight after 2 spins of the windlass just the same as the CAT. I want to believe everyone when they say these Chinese counterfeits are garbage (and I am sure a lot of them are) but I honestly believe the ones I have are just as good, if not better than the original. Based on what I see and what I have tested, I would trust my life to them.... Unless there is something I am missing??
I have seen a lot of videos comparing why they're garbage, but I just don't see it when I hold them in my hand. I very much think some people do buy garbage TQs from china, but I also believe you can get very good ones (just like any product). Personally I think most of this is propagated by this push for North Americans to believe everything made in China is garbage, and I don't think that's the case. The ones I have seem extremely legitimate and were definitely much cheaper. I can't get these to fail and I bet you can't either.
Thank you for this, and all that you do.
this was informational and I appreciate you sharing this info.
What does number of turns have to do with being a fake, are the others more prone to break ?
is it OK to buy other gen models of cats from NAR? cause you can still find the older models for less than the gen 7s
Hi Skinny, Just wondering why all the Gen 7's I am seeing dont have the Red Tang on the end of the Strap (I am in Uk) ?
Could you review recon medical cat tourniquet
He’s he?
You almost convinced me. So a nice TIME stamp and 3 turns less makes 25 bucks, right?
The windlass snapping on you would be the bigger issue
I just ordered my 2nd kit from you because I trust you to sell me a real one. Saw fake ones with a holster for like $12 or so. Too good to be true....
Thank you, sir! Very helpful video!
How do you feel about those recon medical TQ's?
I would love to see a review of the Recon Medical GEN 4 Tourniquet, have not found a bad review and the price is insane.
He talks about fakes and clones in the video
excellent vid. Thanks for sharing the knowledge.
Is it safe to assume if I ordered a trauma kit refill from your store yesterday before this video was posted they have been checked by whoever assembles them?
thanks for making this. this helped make me choose the 30 buck gen 7 one from amazon.
but how do the cheaper 16 dollar Recon ones have such good reviews? 5 stars, nearly 3000 reviews
that's good information! now I need to check mine out!!
got mine from you so I'm not worried
So the issue is that you have to turn the windlass 2 more times?
I had TWO SoonHUA “Life Saving Tourniquets”, in a row, fail on the same patient. I finally used a CAT 5 from my IFAK. The first, the band between the windlass and plastic clip broke and the second, the solely plastic windlass snapped in half. I thought they were aluminum and some sort of steel core. Unbelievable! It took hours to identify the manufacturer. They came in kits purchased from an online store. They were all removed and replaced in less than 24hrs.
This is one of the scariest stories ever shared on the internet. When we think "TQ is needed" - to have it break is on top of any list of FUBAR.
Pretty much all first responder life-saving can be improvised. TQ is not one of them (I have read 85% non-effectiveness for improvised TQ). We do improvise gauze stuffing. We do improvise chest-seals. We do improvise pressure bandages. We do not improvise TQ well.
Things to not get from "third party brands" on Amazone: Climbing gear (harness, ropes etc). A 3-D printed gun (it will blow up in your face) and a tourniquet.
For people on a budget - save on the cost of gauze with haemostatic agents in them. They are not really needed. And I doubt if they are actually worth the cost since it is the stuffing and the pressure who does the actual job. These powders/gels are not magical surgeons that close up bleedings. It is still stuffing and pressure that does the job (I sometimes fear action movies where someone "powders the wound" or push a compress the wound that miraculously returns the arteries and circulation into full operation within 15 seconds may make people with quickloth or whatever have a bit too high hopes of what their medipack can do).
I was going to buy one from eBay but after watching your video I ordered one from your store. As your shipping is included! Thanks!!
Thank you!
Ok...what about non-fakes that are similar to NAR CAT but aren't marketing themselves as CATs?
Prodigysportsman Just buy the real deal and be done....
What do you think about the recon medical tourniquets ?
How important is the “made on” dates? Is there an expiration or certain time they should be replaced?
have a look at the Recon medical one. please thanks
Thats the one I just bought...hoping its not a fake.
Chad Hill ... how do I put this, they are not CAT’s they aren’t advertised to be CAT’s they are a company of their own. Therefore it’s not a “Fake” CAT but a real Recon Medical Tourniquet. None the less to I think to answer your question no they are not CAT tourniquets
C BO recon Medical doesn’t make CATs they make CAT style TQs, but it’s a completely separate TQ. They’re very good. You made a good purchase
Ruble Medical not TCCC approved. Not worth buying
Totally agree! Also what do you think about the DB arms medical kits?
Great vid. I almost bought a fake on Amazon, until I saw this video. Again thanks.
Dude, i already ordered on Amazon when I stumbled on this video. Sure enough got 2 fantastic tourniquets from Recon Medical. Great reviews and all. They just arrived and I gave one a try. Well, long story short I am glad I decided to try. It's a piece of garbage. I did 6 turns and almost destroyed the damn thing. So glad I found out now and not in the field. Returning this crap in a hurry!! Buying yours now.
I bought mine on amazon but its 100% real. Good thing it is because before purchasing it I had no idea there was so many counterfeits and that they were so difficult to spot. Great video.
You mentioned they You sell items/kits. How do I find the site where you sell the “real deal” items? Thanks
I know you are trying to help but really you need to brush up on your TC3. The windlass has to rotate 360 degrees to count as a single turn. On the fake CAT you only turned it 2.5 times which is less than the 4 complete turns required to merit reapplication of a tourniquet. Also while pain is a way to tell a tourniquet is working the only guaranteed way is to test a distal pulse on the affected limb. As long as a tourniquet (improvised or manufactured like a CAT or a SOF T) cuts off a distal pulse it means it works. While generally I agree to watch out for counterfeit products there is nothing magical about the CAT made by NAR. Any medic worth their salt knows that the plastic windlass of the CAT is prone to breaking. I've seen people bust the blue trianers at CLS classes I have seen EFMB candidates bust them at Camp Bullis. If you don't want the windlass to break buy a SOF T.
Does a belt + square knots + lag bolt is better than a fake one?
The recon brand are pretty good. They have a metal windless. They dont try to pass off as NAR cats like the others.
Im not military or law enforcement, i will prob never use it but want one for my car... do you have any used ones? or can I make one from paracord?
A sturdy leather belt with prong-style buckle is a better choice. You want to spread the compressive load over more area, paracord will do a lot of tissue damage and will be hard to get tight enough to stop arterial flow.
great vid! going through my inventory now
Thanks a bunch, I almost fell for this.
great video on an important topic. also, nice hoodie!
Thank you for making this video.
I almost ordered a fake 5 pack of tourniquets off of Amazon for $26.00.
I'm sticking with the $53 NAR gen 7 CATs.
isnt it dangerous to put a tourniquet on if you dont need it?
some good tips. Thanks
I bought mine from Amazon, but it was supposedly from NAR.
Do you know if you're doing a class in July?
I am not sure yet
Thanks for this post. I've re-supplied four kits in the last month. Got a few CAT7s from Amazon four in a pack for $130, seem to be legit, but I'll re-check. Had a good review. You definitely learn to be skeptical of products priced at a fraction of the real thing.
So, besides tightening them how do you tell which ones are fake?
@Skinnymedic-Just received my order from your website of a few of cat-7’s,5x8 van quest fat pack loaded kit, and assorted goodies to have extras of items included. Very pleased with brand names, fair prices& fast shipping. Just wanted to say, thank you & I’m a satisfied customer who when I need another kit, You’ll defiantly get my business again.
What are your thoughts on the Recon Medical brand tourniquets with the metal winless?
Garbage chinese-made clone of an American design that's not even approved by the CoTCCC. If you want an aluminum windlass get a SOFT-TW.
Thanks for the tip! 👍saved me a headache in having to spend MORE getting a quality 't-kit
How do we get ahold of one through you?
Just ordered 4 from you Thank You for the information....
Thank you!
perhaps you should disable ads on this video as youtube are showing eBay ads for cheap ones
My old lady yelled at me for buying "rubber tubes".
Thank you for letting me know I was looking at them I thought I would research it first before buying one. Saving me money and mine or someone's life
Amazon is where I was looking at them now I know not to buy it I'll have to talk to a paramedic and see where they get there's from
Pretty thin on why it's fake and how to tell a fake one. I like the posts but this was not really clear and precise. I'm a former SF Medic.
th-cam.com/video/gJ-CIk-eQYM/w-d-xo.html
I was trained with a piece of rope and a stick when I went though basic.
LoL dude who cares, moral is just buy from a reputable location, like straight from mfg...
Thank you and what an eye opener! Makes you wonder what else is junk/fake out there.
Sooooo they both works, just the real one works faster with a Chinese one works slower but it works right?
any way to id fake swat t, tk 4, rats tourniquets and other med equipment?
I hope he makes a video about it.
How do you feel about army surplus tourniquets
Is recon medical a good brand? I bought a two pack of gen 3 for about 25-30. I didnt realize there were fakes until after I bought them.
Danial Meeker their good
Recon Medical is great. They aren’t fake CATs, they don’t pretend to be CATs
Damn it, looks like I gotta order some real ones!
Why does the original need to cost $30 bucks? I get it, they want to get rich, but are you telling me its impossible for a company to source the same materials and build their own version that isn't from the original manufacturer but still works to stop the pulse/bleeding? I gave several from another company called RECON, they have an aluminum windlass and work fantastic. $15.00 each Just because they are not bade by the originator does not make them a FAKE tourniquet.
you vaguely pointed out the different in the "time" font as being fake but didnt actually show us the tag differences on the fakes vs the real McCoys.... I'm looking to purchase with an amazon gift card.
Thanks for the video. I just ordered my first CAT from medical gear outfitters yesterday
Thank you! I just shipped your order!
How many tourniquets should you have available?
Are the ones from the army fake? the ones I have are from the army but don't have the word CAT on the side of the plastic arm.
Bro a Tourniquet is a Tourniquet. Even though it's not the generic brand, it would stop the bleeding. The usage of a Tourniquet is a last resort tool. You should always check the Tourniquet to assure it is working properly, if it is a toy it will pop quickly. Only a fool would not inspect his or her purchases.
Great video. Thanks for the info. I'm pretty sure I have some fakes. I'll start replacing them ASAP.
I have several Amazon tourniquets. I'm the process of replacing all of them and converting these old fake ones to training only
Thanks. I had no idea.
After watching your video I discovered that one of my CAT tourniquets is fake and one is genuine. Have one more in the vehicle kit to check. Bought them all on Amazon at different times. Thank you. I will be buying some gear from you for this.
Right below this video, Google put up ads for three "Combat Application Tourniquets" one for $9.50, another for $9.99 and another for $23.51. :-D
Is the primary issue that the stick thing breaks? Not sure an extra turn or two is a big deal in an emergency.
What are other issues with a knock off?
it's a huge deal in an emergency....
Good video! Saw your original post, checked my TQ and looked good to go, didn't see the collaboration video with NAR and found out I just happened to have a "good" knockoff...ugh. Will be ordering new one from your site soon!
What about the Recon tourniquet?
Good video ! Thanks man it saves lifes
I have a fake one but it looks damn good lol... But I just got a new one (it's real) and the time tab velcro is gray, the twist stick thingy is nice and thick (that's what she said lol) and that is the one I use on my vest at work. Now... the fake one, worst case, it should still work, right?
thanks for this important info
What's your take on recon medical
Thanks man just bought 2 of them from you.
So is the time stamp the only way to distinguish whether it is real or fake??..What else determines that??..Just received mine from Ebay with a gray time stamp..Wonder if legit or not.?..Perhaps I should return it..