I had never noticed the “bat pad” inside Adam’s costume until today!

[BiffPow]

My son and I were watching the season two Catwoman episodes four and five. In the second part (“The Cat and the Fiddle”) as Batman and Robin are getting out of the big magnifying glass griddle trap, I noticed a light colored circular pad in the crotch of Batman’s costume. I assume it was to catch sweat and keep him dry, but I just had never noticed it before and I wondered if anyone has ever incorporated that element into their Batman costumes.

[AndyFish]

You shouldn't be looking there Biff!
I assumed its just part of the tights, but never having actually worn tights myself I'll defer to members who have.

[BiffPow]

You shouldn't be looking there Biff!

Couldn’t help seeing it. Stands out on bigger screen TVs.

There was nothing like that built into the tights that I used for my Batman costume a few years ago.

In fairness, it WAS a Julie Newmar Catwoman double episode, and she was getting “sweet” on Batman, so maybe Adam needed a bit more sweat protection than usual.

[Chuck Williams]

That is a gusset in the crotch of the tights.
Most tights that are sewn up the back have them.
It's just a way to keep all the seams from coming together in the center.
Most the time, as in this case, it's the same fabric as the tight but in some cases it's a more breatheable fabric.


Most of the publicity shots have been retouched to eliminate the seams.

[BiffPow]

Ahhh! I see it. Thanks, Chuck!

In the episode, it looks lighter in color (the more breathable fabric?), but this explanation makes sense and the photograph is proof.

[Chuck Williams]

The fabric has a slight sheen to it and the gusset is just reflecting light differently because the grain of the fabric is at a different angle than the legs of the tights.
The gusset on the bat tights is the same fabric as the legs.

[Chuck Williams]

The two pair of original Robin tights I've seen had the same fabric in the gusset at the rest of the tight.

This pair however is either a very unfortunate fabric grain/lighting set up or another style of tight with the more breathable gusset fabric.

I know Burt hated the tights and they may have been trying something new. In one episode I could swear he was wearing hose over the tights or over shaved legs.
The weave near the groin changes density and I thought I saw a box shape in a light reflection...

It's a mystery!

[AndyFish]

Tights must be incredibly uncomfortable. I recently bought some undershirts that were "100%" cotton-- and if you know me you know I only wear cotton and linen-- I am hot all year round (in a physical temperature sense not an appearance sentiment) and when I got the shirts, I know we're not supposed to say anything bad about products here, but they were Calvin Klein and I swear they were made with some kind of rubber. They were insanely tight and stretchy.

I tore them apart and used them to dust in my studio.

[Ben Bentley]

The fabric has a slight sheen to it and the gusset is just reflecting light differently because the grain of the fabric is at a different angle than the legs of the tights.
The gusset on the bat tights is the same fabric as the legs.

That BTS photo of Adam was exactly the image I thought of when I saw the original post in this thread.