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This page describes products and general use; it is not medical advice.
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Short answer. A windlass tourniquet such as the Combat Application Tourniquet (C-A-T) is built from a band, a buckle, a rod, a clip (or rod clips) and a time strap. The band goes around the limb, the rod is the windlass that tightens it, the clip holds the rod, and the time strap secures the rod and carries the application time. Buyers, clinic staff and trainers often meet these parts under two different sets of names; the table below lines them up.
What counts as the tourniquet
In U.S. device regulation the product is defined by its function, not by a parts list. Under 21 CFR 878.5900, a nonpneumatic tourniquet is a device consisting of a strap or tubing intended to be wrapped around a patient’s limb. The same section classifies it as Class I (general controls) and exempts it from premarket notification, subject to the limitations in 21 CFR 878.9. Everything else on a windlass tourniquet, such as the rod and clip, is how a particular design tightens that strap.
For how designs differ (windlass, elastic, ratchet, pneumatic), see tourniquet types. For what a tourniquet is and where it is used, see what is a tourniquet. This page covers the parts of one worked example, the C-A-T, because it is the product whose manufacturer instructions and training sheet are cited here. Other designs name and arrange their parts differently.
The parts of a windlass tourniquet and what each does
The table uses the manufacturer’s own labels from the C-A-T Resources LLC Instructions for Use (document INST-001 REV01) and the alternative names used in the NAEMT TCCC-MP curriculum skill sheet for the C-A-T (file dated 7 August 2017). Tourniquet parts for other products are not covered by this table.
| Part (manufacturer IFU name) | What it is | Also called (NAEMT skill sheet) |
|---|---|---|
| Band | The strap that wraps around the limb and fastens back on itself; it passes through the slit of the buckle or a loop in the band, depending on the version of use. | Self-Adhering Band |
| Buckle | The fitting with a slit that the band is routed through. | Friction adapter buckle |
| Rod | The windlass: the rod that is turned to tighten the band. | Windlass Rod |
| Clip / rod clips | The clip that the rod is secured inside to lock it in place. | Windlass Clip |
| TIME strap | The strap that secures the rod and band and carries the recorded time of application. | Windlass Strap (adheres to the hook-and-loop on the Windlass Clip) |
Same part, different names
If a catalogue, a training handout and a product insert disagree, they may be describing the same component. The manufacturer’s instructions say “band”, “buckle”, “rod”, “clip” and “TIME strap”. The NAEMT skill sheet says “Self-Adhering Band”, “friction adapter buckle”, “Windlass Rod”, “Windlass Clip” and “Windlass Strap”. Staff who write purchasing specifications or training checklists should pick one vocabulary and say which source it comes from, so that two people reading the same sheet mean the same component.
What the parts mean for handling and storage
- Labelling. Because the same part carries different names in different documents, label stocked units and training units clearly so that staff can tell them apart.
- Quick-launch storage. The IFU includes a section on storing the device in a “quick launch configuration”, with the TIME strap left open and in ready position.
- Who may direct use. The IFU says the C-A-T should only be used as directed by the user’s military service component guidelines, an EMS authority, or under the supervision of a physician.
Who uses it
The C-A-T is a military and EMS product. Its IFU and the NAEMT curriculum sheet come from tactical combat casualty care training. Clinic staff, security teams and facilities managers meet the same parts when they stock, inspect or train with kits; see stocking an emergency trauma response kit for the kit-level view, and emergency and trauma response supplies for the supply category.
Common mistakes
- Treating “tourniquet” as a single object when regulation defines it as a strap or tubing and the tightening mechanism varies by design.
- Mixing vocabularies across purchasing sheets, trainings and inventory lists (band versus Self-Adhering Band; clip versus Windlass Clip).
- Assuming every tourniquet has the same parts as the C-A-T.
Frequently asked questions
What are the parts of a tourniquet?
For a windlass design such as the C-A-T: a band, a buckle, a rod (the windlass), a clip that holds the rod, and a time strap. Other designs arrange their parts differently.
What are tourniquet parts called in training materials?
The NAEMT skill sheet uses Self-Adhering Band, friction adapter buckle, Windlass Rod, Windlass Clip and Windlass Strap for the same components the manufacturer calls band, buckle, rod, clip and TIME strap.
How does U.S. regulation define a tourniquet?
21 CFR 878.5900 describes a nonpneumatic tourniquet as a device consisting of a strap or tubing intended to be wrapped around a patient’s limb, classified as Class I and exempt from premarket notification, subject to 21 CFR 878.9.
Where can I read more about tourniquet designs?
See tourniquet types and rubber tourniquet.
Sources
- U.S. eCFR, 21 CFR 878.5900, Nonpneumatic tourniquet, checked 2026-10-31.
- C-A-T Resources LLC, Combat Application Tourniquet Instructions for Use, INST-001 REV01 (manufacturer site: combattourniquet.com), checked 2026-10-31 via a distributor copy.
- NAEMT, TCCC-MP curriculum skill sheet, Combat Application Tourniquet (C-A-T), dated 7 August 2017, checked 2026-10-31.
