One of the coolest things about Batman is his utility belt. He always seems to have whatever he needs to handle his problems, no matter what they are. In reality, Batman’s utility belt is far out of reach, but you can make a slightly similar one to help with self-defense and survival purposes.
 The Ultimate Utility Belt
This belt can house weapons, gear, and survival aids that can help you endure everything from a hostile physical encounter to a city-wide blackout. The after-effects of a natural disaster, and even being taken by an abductor. How do you construct such a Jack-of-all-trades tool? We are so glad you asked that question.
Why It’s Needed
Carrying gear and weapons to protect yourself is a familiar idea. Many people carry a folding or fixed blade as they go about their day. However, a knife is a weapon that can have long-lasting consequences, including physical, mental, and legal, if used for self-defense. Though you may be in the right, you could have an uphill battle to prove you were justified in using deadly force. That is where the utility belt would come into play.
If you had several non-lethal means to stop an attack or to protect others from harm, you could do both without harsh consequences. Aside from your trusty knife, the items you would include could consist of pepper spray, a stun gun, and even a high-output flashlight. All deterrents could either scare off or drop an attacker.
Why is it needed? Simply put, it’s a dangerous, unpredictable world out there, and several helping hands (in the form of your included gear) would assist to even the odds for you and your loved ones.
Choosing the Right Belt
Your first move when creating your utility belt is choosing the belt itself. Several options are available, and which is right depends on a few factors. First, would you want it streamlined and concealed in plain sight, or would you want a larger one hidden under a jacket or baggy shirt?
If you choose the first one, the items you include will be small, discreet, and accessible from inside the belt itself. If you choose the latter, you’ll be able to hold larger items inside many added buttoned compartments. A third option falls somewhere between these two, where you would wear either a concealable belt or a conventional belt and secure items to the exterior utilizing the gear’s included sheaths, clips, or attachment points.
Belts, like those worn by security or law enforcement personnel, and concealable belts with velcro or zippered openings can be found and bought online from various security stores.
Understanding Your needs
Now that you have your belt, it’s time to add the gear. This all comes down to how many items you want to carry. Too few may be insufficient, and too many and you’ll be encumbered. What level of safety or security do you expect from your belt?
If you want to think only of self-defense, three or four items may be your maximum due to the space and bulkiness of the gear. Or if you wish survival and self-defense in the mix, then more compartments on your belt are needed as you add items for both circumstances. If you are more of a minimalist, just a few items may be needed, but it’s up to you to find those few that will serve you the best.
Possible Items To Include Â
We are now in the meat and potatoes of creating your utility belt. There is an unimaginable variety of possible weapons and gear. Your list could be endless due to your particular wants and needs. However, here are some basics that most belts should include.
The first would be a knife. This multipurpose item can serve as both a tool and a weapon. A folding option will give you the compactness you need to fit into a compartment on the belt or attach it to the belt itself.
Next would be a flashlight. Again, this item can serve multiple purposes by aiding you in the dark and “blinding” an assailant to allow you to escape from the scene. If the thought if blinding the assailant just seems like more fun, you’ll want to be sure to find a high-lumen output option that delivers an effective beam.
I, however, would forgo the flashlight altogether and would recommend either a stun device, a pepper spray canister, or both. While the stun gun can drop a foe at close range, pepper spray allows you some distance to dish out defense to an aggressor. Bear in mind some perfect flashlight/stun gun combos help reduce the number of items you’ll need to carry.
Another excellent addition would be an extendable baton. This weapon is compact for storage purposes but expands to either sixteen, twenty-one, or twenty-six inches for arm’s length defense. No matter if the attacker is empty-handed, one with a knife, or maybe even other sharp weapons.
Extra Smalls For Utility Belt
Moving from these basics, some smaller items can aid in many other ways. A universal handcuff key can be hidden in your belt in case you’re abducted and cuffed by an assailant. A razor cutter, or even smaller, a razor blade, can be stored within a zippered belt and is helpful in quickly cutting through bindings, duct tape, or other materials.
Small fuel: a compact, flameless lighter, water purification tablets, a spool of cordage, and a compass would be essential for survival situations. A hybrid belt that houses both self-defense and survival items can be your all-around go-to gear pack for daily travel. The sky’s the limit when adding items. Just consider overall weight, bulkiness, ease of movement, and accessibility to gear when adding. Too much will be counter-productive when or if you need to use something.
Practicing Your Quick Draw
Your gear is only helpful if you can get to it in time, especially when your life is in danger. This means you must practice retrieving and activating some of your items. These include your knife, baton, stun gun, and pepper spray. Is a snap holding the compartments firm, loose, or somewhere in between? This determines how much force it will take to open it. Can you quickly find the right compartment on your belt without looking?
Imagine if you need pepper spray and you reach for your cell phone. This could be disastrous. Constant practice and repetition in finding your gear are critical when a threat or danger comes your way. You should not stock a piece of gear that you haven’t thoroughly handled and tested. It could fail from improper use or be taken away and used against you!
Legalities of Your Utility Belt
You have outfitted your utility belt with weapons, but can you legally carry them? This cannot be answered here. You’ll need to look for the specific laws from your city, county, or state to get the correct answers. Don’t get yourself into unneeded trouble by breaking the law as you wear your belt.
Even if you have it concealed, someone may panic nearby and call the local authorities when or if exposed. If you’re following the law, then all will be good. Just make sure you are doing your homework and that you are on the right track when carrying your gear.
Everything But the Kitchen Sink
Creating your personalized utility belt can be fun to assemble and a true lifesaver during various self-defense and survival scenarios. Whether you prefer a large belt stocked full of items or if you take the minimalistic approach and choose a select few multipurpose units, you’ll have a massive boost of confidence every time you buckle it firmly around your waist.
