Talon 2

Name: Talon 2
Brand: rigging innovations inc
Rating: 2.3 (12 reviews)

Zimmy · February 22, 2006

I purchased a Talon 2 from DZ.com and sent it to RI to be reharnessed. I am 5'2" tall with a short torso. I wanted a double articulated harness, two pillows for handles, with the chest strap below the bust line. The rig is PERFECT!!! It is so comfortable. I want to say "Thank You" to RI for a GREAT product and outstanding customer service!

tinfoil · January 7, 2004

I've been jumping that Talon rig that was made a few months before they started calling them Talon2's (I can't see the difference between them) for a few months.

All the flaps are well secured, done a little bit of FF with it and nothing came open. Less then an inch of bridle showing on my container.
The main is easy to pack, and seems to have the worlds shortest closing loop. On my container the loop is attached to one of the flaps, not to the bottom of the main packing tray. It’s different, but it works.
You rigger might need a little skill while packing the reserve, right now my left riser cover pops open all the time because of how the reserve bridle of folded. Its an easy fix I’m sure but a pain when you on a trip.
The few times I needed to call the company, they have been very helpful and friendly, answered all my questions.
I think it’s a great rig, made by a great company. My next rig will definitely be made by Rigging Innovations Inc.

Oh, and the Velcro toggles are great, all the excess break line is stowed between the toggle and the riser, but it doesn’t touch any of the rough Velcro.

JPA · November 9, 2002

I bought a Parachutes Australia Talon 2 T2 DOM 2000 and put just over 120 jumps on it. I loved it and never had a problem at allpaces on more than one jump . I certainly put it through its but it always performed. What I liked the most was the ease of packing - especially the closing sequence - and the complete bridal protection. Most modern rigs have these features, but for me the Talon is very user friendly. Basically I think it is a good rig for all diciplines. Go hard.

lazerq3 · October 24, 2001

I purchased the Talon2 T4 with the multiflex option and just love it. Granted I'm really new to the sport and havent jumped a lot of diff containers but this is a great rig. I mainly fly formation but have recently started learning FreeFlying. A couple of times I've tumbled ass over end trying to learn a new position and never had any problems with the tuctabs(riser covers),or with the reserve flap coming out!!The bridal exposure from the right flap to the boc pouch is minimal( approx 1/2 showing), and has never came out. I pack a PD170 main/ 181RavenDash M reserve. Both fit very nice with plenty of room to downsize. Very comfortable container. Little hint: get a nice sturdy plastic brisel brush and brush it off after the days jumping and it will look like new everytime you bring her out!!! A well groomed rig is a happy one!!!

flipper · September 21, 2001

my first rig was the old style talon....it worked well and fitted pretty good as well. when it came to time to get a new rig i went for the T2 with hip rings...when i first gott the rig the rings squeaked a bit ...i have now done about 500 jumps on the rig...i have a tempo 150 reserve in it and a stiletto 120 main....it fits very well and is very comfertable...on the one occasion that i have had to use the resrve it was right there within a couple of hundred feet....no worries..i do mainly freefly and have never had any of the covers open in freefall...i cant say this for the other rigs i have tried ...(jav..vector...etc etc etc )...to sum it up...i reckon that i wont ever own any other type of rig ...

flipper

January 12, 2000

I purchased a new 'Parachutes Australia' Talon 2 a few months ago. My previous rig was a Racer Elite. I echo the other comments - the Talon 2 is cost-effective, comfortable, well-designed, easy to pack and visually appealing.

I particularly like the monkey-grip PC handle, BOC bridle cover, elimination of velcro and the riser tuck tabs. I find the chest strap to be rather higher on the torso than on the Racer, so the alti can be right in your face under canopy. The 3 rings are also right at the top of the shoulders when you wear the rig.

The walrus teeth on the main top flap are a bit thin, and may distort. PA provide an RSL with every rig, which may or may not be your preference (the APF requires every Aussie jumper to use an RSL or AAD).

January 3, 2000

I've had the same problem with opening of the reserve pin cover in vertical positions. My rigger got in touch with Rigging Innovations and they came up with a solution.

On the reserve pin cover they attached an elastic band which is tightly tucked under the top stiffener (where the end of the reserve pin is tucked under the fabric pouch). Forgive me if this might sound vague, but English is not my native language. If you just take a look at the rig will be clear, otherwise I could send a picture to those of you who might be interested.

Since then I've had no problems with exposed reserve pins. Reserve activation is not limited by this modification as I experienced last year.

December 24, 1999

Since 1991 I have purchased five Talons. My two most recent are Talon2's. Over the years I have been lucky enough to be able to jump many of the major brand rigs available today, including the Javelin, Racer, Mirage, Vector, Eclipse, and even a Dolphin. I keep coming back to the Talon. Why? Value for the dollar. I have yet to find another rig that finds the balance between features and price.

I currently jump two Talon2's. One has a fully articulated harness and the other has the standard harness. The ringed harness is very comfortable and flexible, but squeaks when you move. I have found the standard harness to be just as comfortable at a much lower price. The only rig I have found to be more comfortable is the Racer. I feel that comfort is a function of fit. When you buy a Talon, make sure you get one that fits you and it should be comfortable. The Talon2 is available in a broad range of sizes, making it easy to find the right combination of main/reserve containers and harness fit. One of my rigs has the floating leg pads while the other has the standard leg pads. They are both comfortable and I can't honestly say I have a preferance.

I find that the style of the Talon2 is appealing. I know it may seem trivial, but I want a rig that looks good. The Mirage rates number one in my book here, but the Talon2 offers plenty of style options that enable it to rival any Rig for good looks.

The Talon2 is a very rigger friendly unit. It has a straight forward design with a single pin reserve that can easily be packed with a minimum of tools and effort. I prefer not to have any of my reserve exposed, including the top of the reserve pilot chute. Is there an advantage in deployment speed when you have a Pop-Top type of reserve? Possibly, but I am not convinced. I believe the spring and packing method are more critical. When packed properly, the pilot chute of my Talon2 deploys to the full extension of the bridle when activated on the ground. It needs to be fully compressed in the indent created by the molar reserve freebag. This also presents a neat appearance and ensures that the reserve tuck tab stays in place.

Safety is a major concern of mine when selecting a rig. I have a high level of comfort with the Talon2. Velcro has been eliminated with the excetion of one small patch on the bridle. Speaking of the bridle, there is little or none of it exposed. If you choose the BOC protector flap option, it virtually eliminates any exposed bridle. I have compared the kill-line bridle and pc that come with the Talon2 to the Monkey Fist and prefer the Monkey Fist because it is shorter, wider and stiffer which seems to give it less of a tendency to twist up. I have never had a problem with the tuck tabs on the riser covers or the main closing flap. I am guessing that I have over 500 jumps on my two current rigs, including some sit and head down jumps and even some funneled zoo loads and everyting has always stayed in place. I have the hybrid cable housings on one rig and hard on the other. Both seem to perform about the same when performing the "three blokes test".

One thing I think is often overlooked when discussing the Talon2 are the velcroless toggles. I really appreciate the slender design of these toggles. They are easy to stow and they stay put. The top tab is fully covered by an elastic stow that prevents the slider grommets from dislodging them while pulling the silder down and collapsing it. The slim profile also makes it easier to pull the slider past them without hanging up.

I have also found the customer service at Rigging Innovations to be superior. They are not alone in that category, but if I had ever had poor service from them, I doubt that I would be as loyal to them. The bottom line here is they are prompt, friendly and they deliver.

In summary, I have found the Talon2 offers safety, comfort, fit and style in a rigger friendly package in a range of prices that makes it an excellent value.

December 1, 1999

I have been jumping Talons since the '94 Talon was introduced ... even worked at the Talon factory when it was still in California. I still jump a Talon 2 because it provides the best combination of fit, flexibility, reliability and ease of packing.

Fit - the first time I jumped my '94 Talon, it was the first time I didn't notice my rig in freefall. Unlike all my previous rigs, I no longer had to struggle with the harness. My '94 Talon was just "there" somewhere near me in freefall. The rounded edge, floating leg pads on my Talon 2 are the same way. They are just "there", out of the way when I walk to the airplane and providing just enough padding that I don't notice them under canopy.

The Talon 2's biggest advantage is it technological leadership. While other manufacturers are taking the first stumbling steps in learning how to build ringed harnesses ("articulated" for those who like big words), Rigging Innovations has been sewing ringed harnesses for 8 years. Sure R.I. took a while learning how to size ringed harnesses early in the learning curve, but that was a long time ago, The Talon 2 is still five to eight years ahead of its competitors. Speaking of being ahead of its competitors, the Talon 2 is way ahead when it comes to tuck tabs! Most of the other manufacturers are still trying to retrofit tuck tabs to existing designs. Sometimes you just have to bite the bullet and start from scratch when designing a container to incorporate tuck tabs from the start.

I like packing Talon 2 reserves because the fifth generation freebag makes it so easy and your rigger does not have to waste time fussing with any obsolete flaps. Would I buy another Talon 2? Probably not. If money is tight next year I will probably buy an R.I. Genera because it has a better main pin protector flap and its fixed harness is almost as comfortable as hip rings at a fraction of the cost. If money flows smoothly next year I will probably invest in an R.I. Voodoo because again it has a better main pin protector flap and the latest in fully articulated harnesses (hip and chest rings for people who like small words) for head-down flying.

In conclusion, I like my Talon 2 because it fits great and is easy to pack. The gear freak in me admires the fact that my Talon 2 has a five to eight year technological lead on most other rigs.

Rob Warner
FAA Master Parachute Rigger
In case this sounds like a factory endorsement, remeber that I bought my first '94 Talon BEFORE R.I. offered me a job at the factory.

November 8, 1999

I had, and sometimes still have, the same problem with the reserve flap opening on sit jumps (even after a repack with a different rigger that was aware of the problem). It's great they're addressing the reserve flap opening but people buying a used Talon 2 should be aware of the potential problem.

November 1, 1999

Size Tested: T1
main: PD 107
reserve: PD 113

Rigging Innovations has manufactured harness and container systems for over 15 years. From its grass roots original Talon to the current Talon 2, RI has incorporated numerous new ideas which have set standards within the skydiving industry. The Talon 2 brings together a culmination of good engineering design and quality construction.

With approximately 500 jumps on a Talon 2, I have found this rig to be very comfortable. The multi-flex design allows substantial freedom of movement without comprimizing fit. I found the rig suitable for both FS and freefly, however, on prior sit jumps, the reserve flap became unstowed from its tuck position. BTW, having since changed riggers, I no longer experience this problem, perhaps due to a "flatter" reserve pack job. (I believe that the newest models include a velcro closure AND tuck flap on the reserve flap). Main flap and riser covers stay closed regardless of skydiving position/discipline.

The remainder of the rig is well built. The appearance of the container is very clean with little or no "pucker" around the material surrounding the packed main or reserve. I recommend replacing the "soft" housings to conventional stainless hardware to minimize the possibility of a hard cut-away. This is a no cost option for a would be buyer. The Cypres window is mounted on the backpad for easy turn-on and inspection.

There are a lot of "options" available to the buyer in which to customize the rig to personal taste. The "bottom line" however is not cheap and is just shy of a comparably built Javelin or Vector 3. All in all, the Talon 2 is a comfortable, well made harness and container. The manufacturer, Rigging Innovations, has been around for a long time and has a record of good customer support and service.

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