Computer Support Blog

With enthusiasm continuing to rise for Christopher Nolan’s final Batman film, The Dark Knight Rises, Batman is cool once again.  In fact, while interest in virtually every other super hero seems to be more subject to fashion and trends – Superman, for example, lost a lot of popularity during the 1990s when people were more interested in edgy and dark superheroes and antiheroes – Batman seems to be one of the most consistently popular superheroes in the United States.  Perhaps it is because Batman represents an attainable level of heroism, at least in the minds of most people.  Batman is, after all, just a man.  Sure, he is a billionaire, but financial concerns aside, he is just a ridiculously smart guy with a lot of very cool gadgets.  Now, there are two gadgets that could allow you to be more like the Batman by essentially replicating Batman’s famous grappling gun!

The first gadget you would need is the Tactical Pneumatic Launch System, manufactured by Digital Force Technologies.  The T-PLS is a grappling gun.  Using air compressed to up to 350 pounds per square inch, the T-PLS is a nineteen pound grappling gun.  At 44” long, the T-PLS is hardly as discrete as Batman’s fictional grappling gun, but it is easily as cool (and far more real).

Properly maintained, the Tactical Pneumatic Launch System – which has been used by the U.S. military for years – will launch its titanium grappling hook 120 feet into the air!  Just like Batman’s grappling hook, the T-PLS utilizes an ultra-thin line for climbing.  The titanium grappling hook is attached to a 7mm Kevlar line, which is exceptionally durable and can easily hold a person and equipment up to 350 pounds.  Because it is powered with compressed air, the grappling hook deploys with a great deal of speed, but not a lot of noise.

Of course, part of the coolness of Batman’s grappling gun is the way it allows him to ascend the line he attaches to a building – at least in the modern Batman movies.  For the ascent function, there is the Atlas Power Ascender.  While some might recommend the APA-5, because of its 500 pound pulling capacity, the APA-3, which may interface with a 7 mm cord, has a 350 pound weight capacity, which is more than most people would ever need.  The APA-3 Atlas Power Ascender from Atlas Devices is a rapid ascent backpack.  Currently used by the U.S. Department of Defense, the APA-3 is field-tested for durability and reliability.

Weighing twenty-five pounds including its battery, the APA-3 is a backpack that will lift up to 350 pounds for about 600 feet (800 feet for a 200 pound load).  While the APA-3 might be a little bulky, it is fast.  You can ascend at up to five feet per second or descend using the APA-3 at ten feet per second!  The APA-3 is also splashproof, so your line remains protected from some water and elements.

Neither the APA-3, nor the T-PLS is commercially available from the manufacturer.  However, both units have been popping up in the secondary market more and more.  But, keep in mind, neither device should be used outside the manufacturer’s specifications and that Bruce Wayne is able to afford his cool gadgets because he is a billionaire!

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