When it comes to life-saving equipment like tourniquets, authenticity is crucial. Counterfeit products can pose serious risks to both patients and medical professionals. In this Centa1 Med Kits blog post, we will explore how to differentiate between real and counterfeit North American Rescue CAT Gen-7 Tourniquets.
What are the key features of a genuine CAT Gen-7 Tourniquet?
The genuine CAT Gen-7 Tourniquet from North American Rescue (NAR) is a widely used device in emergency medical situations. To ensure you have a genuine product, look for the following key features:
- Legitimate NAR Style Shrink-Wrap Packaging with Instructions inside
- Gray Velcro "TIME" Windlass Strap *"Sonic Welded" to the Left Outer Body of the Windless Clip
- RED Elliptical Tip *"Sonic Welded" to the end of the Patented Free-Moving Internal Band
- Unique number (NSN - NATO or National Stock Number) and other CAT Information on the inside of the Free-Moving Internal Band, approximately 5" down from the RED Elliptical Tip
- Durable, non-bendable polymer windlass rod with a secure, strong bilateral entry Windlass Clip locking mechanism
- "Velcro" Hook and Loop Fasteners providing strong adhesive for quick and secure application
- "CAT" Logo and other related information on the Windless Rod, Routing Buckle and on the back of the Stabilization Plate
How can you spot a counterfeit CAT Gen-7 Tourniquet?
Counterfeit tourniquets may look similar to the real product at first glance, but there are key differences to watch out for:
- The price of the counterfeit tourniquet will be ridiculously underpriced, such as $23.00 for two GEN-7 Tourniquets, when the true cost of one CAT GEN-7 tourniquet at the time of this writing is $31.00 at Centa1 Med Kits, and $31.99 at North American Rescue.
- Poor quality materials that may break under pressure, such as a bendable windlass rod, flimsy windlass clip and routing buckle, or weak internal band or windlass strap
- Missing or incorrect branding and logos on specific parts and at specific locations
- Lack of true *"Sonic Welding" marks on the RED elliptical tip and on the back of the TIME windlass strap where it is attached to the windlass clip.
- Incorrect color of the "TIME" windless strap; Gray on legit NAR GEN-7 tourniquets, White on counterfeit tourniquets
- Lack of a unique NSN number (NATO or National Stock Number) or a fake NSN number that cannot be verified
- A loose and longer than usual windlass rod attachment strap that requires several more turns to tighten down the tourniquet band to occlude blood flow, if even possible with the counterfeit tourniquet
- Misspelled words or unclear instructions for the tourniquet
Why is it important to avoid counterfeit tourniquets?
Using a counterfeit tourniquet can have serious consequences in emergency situations. A fake product may fail when applied, leading to uncontrolled bleeding and potentially life-threatening outcomes. Medical professionals rely on the quality and reliability of genuine CAT Gen-7 Tourniquets to save lives.
Some of the failures seen using counterfeit NAR CAT GEN-7 tourniquets include, but are not limited to:
- Broken or deformed windlass rod while tightening down tourniquet
- Broken routing buckle while tightening down tourniquet
- Torn, or slack in the windlass rod strap after attempting to apply it
- Torn, or slack in the band located under the windlass rod strap and above the stabilization plate after attempting to apply it
- Failure of the counterfeit tourniquet to occlude blood flow.
To avoid these issues, always purchase tourniquets from authorized dealers and reputable sources such as Centa1 Med Kits to ensure you are getting a genuine product. Remember, when it comes to emergency medical equipment, authenticity matters.
* "Sonic welding is another name for ultrasonic welding, which uses high-frequency sound waves to join two pieces of material together." (Definition obtained from a Google AI Search)
For additional information on this and other related topics, please follow our friends at:
"North American Rescue"
C-A-T® Gen 7 - 3D model by NARescue (@narescue) [a77e2e4]
"Skinny Medic"
or "Mountain Medical"
This CAT Tourniquet Will Get You Killed
or "PrepMedic"
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Thanks for your support, be safe....