Stock multiple types of tourniquet or focus on one?

[MacWa77ace]

I would be extraordinarily weary of a tourniquet that was part of $7 kit....

One thing that I insist my EMTs do is to take the shrink-wrap off the CATs before they put them in their kit.  If you need a TQ, you need it NOW NOW NOW, and that is not the time to be futzing around with unwrapping the damn thing.  (Not to mention the difficulty of unwrapping it if your hands already have blood on them).

You probably know this but its not in your post so I'll mention it here. In addition to taking the plastic off, you should 'pre-rig' your CAT TQs for fast deployment.

Here's how I set mine up so when you pull it open it has a giant loop ready to go over the biggest body extremities. The way they come is that there is really no loop and you have to create one, then open it up big enough to go over a limb. This technique cuts out all that extra time and fumbling by doing it in advance of the need.

First thing you do is open it up and make the 'giant' loop with about a 2-3" tab, then ...

I also move the 'label' over so you don't have to do that to access the windlass.