In the world of tactical minimalism, Blue Force Gear excels at keeping things simple. And with the Tourniquet Now! pouch it keeps the tourniquet easily within reach and available for immediate deployment aside from the larger medical kit.
The Tourniquet Now! (TKN) pouch is an open clamshell design that wraps upward to enclose the tourniquet itself. The overall material is 500D Cordura, and the pouch can accommodate any CAT-sized tourniquet or similar typed life-saving strap.
Exterior
The front exterior of the TKN pouch has a black/white “TQ” identification panel stitched into the front for clear visibility.
At the top, the fold-over lid is secured via hook-and-loop and has a Ball Loaded Index Point (BLIP) that helps provide maximum tangibility regardless of conditions.
The rear of the TKN pouch has Blue Force Gear’s proprietary Helium Whisper MOLLE mounting system made from ULTRAcomp laminate, giving it a threaded strength greater than 1000D nylon.
Interior
The inside of the TKN pouch is a nylon sleeve that secures the tourniquet once the pouch is opened. Users merely have to slide their hand down the length of the open pouch and the tourniquet slides readily out.
Specifications:
- Overall Size: 2″ (W) x 2″ (L) x 7″ (H)
The Tourniquet Now! pouch is available in Multicam (featured), Black, and Coyote Brown.
Product Evaluation Scores:
- Cost – Fair (2/5): The Tourniquet Now! (TKN) pouch is listed at $29.95 which, for a dedicated pouch that provides near-immediate, simplistic access, is a reasonable price. Other market alternatives include the C-A-T Holder ($19.95) by North American Rescue, the Tourniquet Pouch ($20.24) by Tactical Tailor, or the Gen2 Tourniquet Pouch ($24) by T3 Gear. These comparisons would place the TKN at the higher end of the current market, and a most likely reason for this would be inclusion of the BLIP and Helium Whisper mounting system.
- Comfort – Good (4/5): From a comfort aspect, the TKN provided near-immediate access by allowing the pouch itself to fold away, and expose the tourniquet for easy reach. The BLIP provided easy tactile recognition, even when the pouch is placed out of direct sight. The oversized “TQ” in clear, contrasting colors made it obvious to others that its contents could be of life-saving use if the shooter should become immobilized.
- Durability – Good (4/5): The material of the TKN lends itself to the overall durability of the pouch, and gave the pouch good marks for its blend of 500D Cordura and ULTRAcomp laminate. A little wear was noted on the hook-and-loop tabs on the Helium Whisper mounting system, but this minor wear was consistent with other products using the same mounting system—nor compromised the integrity of the product itself.
- Functionality – Average (3/5): Functionally, the design of the TKN pouch allowed it to open up and fall away is a very simplified manner. The tourniquet itself also slid away easily and was not hindered by the elastic material. The only negative aspect evaluated was the length of hook-and-loop material on the lid, as it was consistently not long enough to cover the entire tourniquet once placed in the TKN. There was still sufficient material to close the pouch, but the BLIP stuck out annoyingly.
- Weight – Good (4/5): At 41 grams (or 1.44 ounces) empty, the TKN was of a lighter weight than the previously mentioned market alternatives, most likely due to its lightweight materials and mounting system. In comparison, the C-A-T Holder (2.4 ounces) by North American Rescue, the Tourniquet Pouch (2.56 ounces) by Tactical Tailor, and the Gen2 Tourniquet Pouch (2.89 ounces) by T3 Gear were all above the weight of the TKN but represented the average weight to be expected for a dedicated MOLLE/PALS pouch.
Overall Rating – Above Average (17/25)
Product Link: https://www.blueforcegear.com/tourniquet-now-pouch
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