Photo By Gordon Lindsay

WHAT’S NEW ON THE TALON FX.
The Talon FX is a highly refined and polished upgrade to the Talon FS.  Some of the design features immediately stand out and make for a cleaner and smoother look overall.
In addition, there are numerous internal and construction changes that make it easier to pack and maintain as well as offer up to date safety improvements.
 
The Talon FX offers these design changes as well as Stainless Steel hardware and Space foam as standard for one all inclusive price.
 
The Talon FX is being re-certified to the latest TSO C23d standards. It will be rated to 150 kts and 325 lbs.

SIZES
The container sizes parallel those of the Talon FS. At the moment the Talon FX is available in the following sizes: FX00, FX0, FX1, FX2, FX5, FX6 and FX7.
 
BACKPAD & RISER COVERS
The FX backpad/yoke configuration has been re-designed to have a much narrower upper yoke/shoulder area for a tighter fit over the shoulders. The use of the Space foam as a standard material contributes significantly to increased comfort and fit in this area. The hip pad/horizontal back strap has been re-designed for a greater surface area and holds the containers firmer to the back and prevents shifting in freefall. Space foam here also makes for a more comfortable fit. The main riser covers have been re-designed to integrate into the narrow yoke.
 
We have also designed a short yoke configuration for smaller bodied Individuals that allows for shorter harness sizing. This has been very well received by those who have jumped the configuration. 
 
RESERVE TOP FLAP
The reserve top flap has been re-designed to open fully to allow for easier packing and pin check. The flap closing sequence has been changed so that the bottom flap closes last. This, along with the more angular shape, makes the outside flap lay flatter. The 3-point tuck tab design keeps the flap secure in all positions.
 
RESERVE CONTAINER
The reserve container has been tweaked to make for a smoother fit. Internally, the Cypres installation has been modified to remove the #1 grommet from the bottom internal flap. The cutter channel has been changed to allow for better routing and cable protection. The cutter sleeve location now incorporates a webbing cover to protect the cutter from wear by the container and pilot chute grommets.

MAIN CONTAINER
The most noticeable change to the main container is the re-design of the main side flaps to integrate the main riser covers into a one piece design. This makes for a considerably smoother look and a better fit. Less sewing means less wrinkles. The revised side flap design, along with the new top reserve flap shape, presents a noticeably different look to the Talon FX.
 
The bottom of the main container has a different construction method that eliminates sewing lines, resulting in a smoother look. Internally, the bottom loop keeper elastic has been replaced with a tuck flap keeper.
 
MAIN DEPLOYMENT BAG
Depending on the size of the containers, the main bag configuration has been changed to what we refer to as a “drop-in” bag where the bridle grommet is upright in the container and the line stows are against the floor of the container. This provides a smoother bag extraction and is easier to pack since the packer/jumper does not have to rotate the bag into the main container. The “drop-in” bags have a graphic label on the top of the bag showing the stowing into the container. The longer and flatter size containers continue to use a conventional horizontal bag.
 
RESERVE DEPLOYMENT BAG
The reserve bag has undergone some subtle changes such as the Velcro on the line stow pouch. The hook Velcro is shielded with a cover to prevent the canopy lines from becoming snagged during packing. The bag shape has been fine tuned for  a better fit in the reserve container.
 
RESERVE PILOTCHUTE
Our famous Stealth reserve PC has had the grommet in the top of the metal cap replaced with a size “O” stainless steel spur grommet and washer. This results in the top being stiffer and the heavier grommet is virtually immune from damage during packing.

MAIN PILOTCHUTE AND BRIDLE
The main pilotchute is made from ZP fabric and is available in a throw-out configuration with either a Hackey or a FreeFly handle. A POP configuration is also offered. The pilotchutes come in 26”, 30”, and 33” depending on the size of the container system. The Kill-line bridle is standard.
 
MAIN RISERS AND TOGGLES
The FX comes standard with the Mini 3-ring configuration and TY-17 main risers. The risers have been re-designed to incorporate built-in dive loops that extend to the outside of the riser so they are easily grasped.
 
The cable channel has been changed to reduce the amount of visible cable between the grommet and the mouth of the channel to only ¾”. Teflon anti-twist tubes are standard.
 
The main toggle keepers have been re-designed to replace elastic with webbing keepers and are now the best we have seen. Premature toggle release is virtually eliminated yet the toggles are easily released when needed. Overall, these are the closest to the perfect risers that we’ve seen.
 
HARNESS
The harness is identical with the original Voodoo configuration introduced in 2000. It is simply, the best on the market. The “V-flex” leg strap design stays in place and molds itself to the upper leg. The double wide leg strap, along with the Space foam padding, provides unparalleled comfort.
 
The Multi-flex main lift web design, with Stainless Steel rings at the chest and hips, is standard.  The inset horizontal backstrap conforms to the body to hold the containers tightly in place in any attitude. The larger horizontal pads with Space foam add to the comfort.
 
The reserve risers now use a Velcroless toggle system identical to the main risers to eliminate steering line damage during use.
 
CONCLUSION
As you can see from the above, the Talon FX continues the tradition of constantly improving the state of the art in harness and container design.
 
PRICING
The price for the Talon FX reflects the current state of the art technology incorporated into the design in addition to the “high value” extras such as Stainless Steel and Space foam. The price compares to competitive products that charge extra for the same options included as standard in the Talon FX.