The Utility Belt... Revealed!

"Where does he get those wonderful toys?" – The Joker

 

Stock Utility Belt



A couple months ago, I received a couple of items that were purchased as affordable, ready-made costume parts for the batsuit.  Amongst those was a plastic adult batman utility belt.  After a few more aquisitions, some fit testing, and modfications, the utility belt is finally at a stage where it is ready for practical use.

Being the single most versatile and multi-faceted tool in Batman's arsenal, the functionality of the utility belt cannot be understated.  This one item carries practically all of the Caped Crusader's tools, weaponry, as well as most of his computerized and pseudorealistic technology.



Utility Belt, Fully Loaded



The World's Greatest Detective is often seen carrying way more than a regular emergency services officer's share of tools and gadgets on his belt.  Always pulling out just the right gizmos for his crime fighting needs.  The key?  Modularization and good planning.

A well planned utility belt not only increases carrying capacity, it also improves ergonomics for the weight carried, and reaction times for retrieving the right tools in a hurry, so that Batman's opponents will never catch him unprepared, fidgetting at his belt for that flashlight or batarang.



Parachute Clips



Over the decades, Batman's utility belt has carried many things from weapons, to stealth tools, to forensics gadgets, to well...  You name it, he's pretty much done it.

The belt, as you might've guessed, needed to be sturdy and reliable.  Since a rather large proportion of Batman's crime fighting gadgets, his theatricality and the control of his surroundings are reliant on the utility belt and its contents, it just wouldn't do to hold the belt together with a flimsy strip of velcro at the back.

Having found a parachute clip from an old luggage strap, I used that to replace the original velcro strip for better strength and durability.



Batarang Holster



Practically everything placed onto this utility belt has been retooled or repurposed.  So far, just the most logical and practical things, but lots more is in the works.

First of all, the Batarang Holster.  This was originally an airsoft gun holster, which used a velcro closure.  What is it with velcro closures?  Don't people understand that velcro is mighty loud and attracts way too much attention?

Needless to say, the velcro was removed in favor for a snap button.  Unfortunately, I don't have a picture with a batarang, as currently all of mine have been sold out, and I'm waiting to make the next set.



Baton Holster



Also in the lines of weaponry, I've elected to add a baton to the belt.  Some of you might be thinking, "Hey Batman doesn't use any batons!", and you are right...  At least, partially.

In the DC comics storyline, the Earth 2 version of Batman does carry two tonfas, which are similar enough to law enforcement batons.  The reasoning is simple.  How many large animals, or supersized villians does Batman encounter every day?  Add that up, an suddenly batarangs and smokebombs seem pretty puny, and Batman's martial arts training can only go the distance so far without breaking his back.



Key Silencer

Even in Christopher Nolan's The Dark Knight, Batman is seen to have mechanized kubotans loaded into his gauntlets to give him combat superiority over his opponents.  So the use of a law enforcement or military baton is not entirely out of the question.  Just don't break any laws by beating people up with it.

A key silencer, absconded from my other holster belt since my days as an emergency medical responder.  Seeing as even Batman occasionally requires the use of keys, especially to his own vehicles and property, a key silencer is an essential tool to keep from making that annoying jingle every step he takes.



Bat-Cache-O-Cash and Misc Items Pouch



This neat little item is another addition from my old holster belt.  Originally this was just a glove pouch, for storing nitrile gloves and barriers for first aid use, but now it's been repurposed to carry the Bat-Cache-O-Cash, and other miscellaneous things, like... a credit card, and driver's license maybe?

You never know when Poison Ivy suddenly wants all your money for a venomous kiss, or when even the Dark Knight might get pulled over on the highway, and might then be required to produce his credentials from an outfit practically devoid of pockets.



Flashlight Holster

Flashlight.  Actually, this holster is repurposed also from a previous portion of the EMR belt.  This holster used to carry my multitool, but since my LED flashlight seems to fit so snugly in this holster, I decided to use it for now, and go through the trouble of adding a top flap at a later point in time.

Also, I've elected to purchase this LED flashlight, as opposed to using my old Mini Maglite, simply because it's so much brighter.  That, and it costs so much less than getting a new LED Maglite, or a replacement kit for the old one.

For now at the very least, Batman will be able to read documents and search crime scenes for clues without any trouble.



Handcuff Holster



So what happens after Batman beats up the criminals?  Well...  He can't exactly just leave'em there, and GCPD is a little far away.  Waiting for the police officers to show would take a bit of patience and gambling on luck.

There's a couple of solutions to that.  Tie the evildoers up with rope, or...  If they're strong enough to escape even a hogtie, cuff them up with a sleek, black pair of nickel steel handcuffs.  Just pray they don't have a key like you do, Batman.



Smartphone and Tools Holster



And last but not least, the tool pouch.  This cell phone / tool holder, like the batarang and baton holsters, has been retooled, replacing the stock velcro with a snap button.  Two of the compartments have also been amalgamated so that the tools fit properly.

Currently, this holds a smartphone, a multitool, and a rather uniquely shaped racheting screwdriver with various popular bits.  The racheting screwdriver as actually hacked together from two separate screwdrivers, taking advantage of compactness and the pistol-like handle.  All of that is stuffed into the tool pouch.

Other ideas that have been deferred until later, are smoke pellets, lockpicks, a batline (rope), and a forensic evidence kit.  If need be, it's good to know that the belt still has room for possibly one more holster to be added.

Bat-Gadgets: The Batarang

"He's only one man!"

"The most... uh... dangerous man on Earth..." – Protex and Superman, JLA Issue #4

Unrefutability one of Batman's most dangerous tools in his arsenal, the batarang (originally spelled baterang) is a roughly bat-shaped, semi-lethal throwing weapon.  Earlier versions were indeed styled after boomerangs, whereas later adaptations of the batarang have become more of a shuriken-like weapon.



Batarang (Arkham Asylum/Arkham City Style)



Whatever its shape and format, the batarang has always been one of the most versatile and useful tools in Batman's armaments, used to disarm and disable assailants, cut various objects, carry small charges of explosives or electicity, or double as an impromptu grappling hook.



Although seldom referred to by name, the batarang is undoubtably one of the most iconic symbols within Batman's posession, not to mention that it's an all-time fan favorite.

It goes without saying then that Batman would most likely have one or several of these within his crime-fighting tools all the time.


I took it upon myself to create some of these, following an instructable, and with sound advice from a machinist and an airbrush artist.

Batarang - Folded

The result:  Foldable batarangs.



Now, while these particular batarangs are styled after the Arkham Asylam and Arkham City video games, after learning the skills necessary to machine these, I've found it's not necessarily at all difficult to create batarangs with any other style or focus, simply by varying the techniques and materials a little bit.

For example, the Nolan films foldable batarang can be easily made using plexiglass and a small mortise hinge, whereas this particular style shown requires a furniture nut, a flathead screw, and a pair of magnet tabs.  How you style them is simply a matter of cutting the shape of the weapon on plexiglass.



Batarang - Back View



But it seems one thing is for certain.  People LOVE batarangs.  Fans, and even friends that do not necessarily love Batman much have started asking me to sell these.  We'll see.

Bat-Gadgets: The Bat-Phone

"It's the Bat-Phone." – Alfred Pennyworth

Although probably not one of the more exciting Bat-Gadgets of all time, the Bat-Phone has always been an essential tool in Batman's arsenal, helping to relay critical information to Batman and his aides in a timely manner for the purposes of crimefighting.

The Bat-Phone has evolved much over the decades, starting from the big red pulse-dial clunker in 1966, to the more recent incarnations of a high-tech mobile cellular device in the Nolan films, capable of performing many cool detective tricks like sonar imaging and all kinds of smart phone stuff.

Be it as it may, the TV and film incarnations of the Bat-Phone have always seemed to focus on the tactile, handheld device.  With technology the way it is these days, you'd think that Batman would simply hide a bluetooth earpiece inside his headset, and set a speed dial on his oh-so-trusty iPh... erm...  I mean Bat-Phone, so that he could call Alfred when he's in serious trouble.

Plantronics Explorer 210 Bluetooth Headset

Which, is why I've secured myself a new Plantronics Explorer 210 Bluetooth headset, to hide under the cowl.  A very ridgid body with a slim profile, comfortable in-ear speaker with a contoured ear-tip delivers decent enough sound (you have to turn it all the way up if there's a lot of road noise, but otherwise it's fine on medium), and I'd say decent battery life (8 hours talk time, 8 days standby), all packaged in only 11.5 grams of weight.

Cool part is, it only cost me $21.99, and I earned $0.44 maCashback for getting it through SHOP.COM.  Hey Nolan, time to get Christian Bale one of these, don't you think?