Got Talons?

Got Talons? I got mine last week. What are Talons? Well, if you’re familiar with Torklift’s frame mounted tie downs for truck campers, Talons are simply Torklift’s aluminum version of the same system. In fact, aside from the lightweight, military grade aluminum from which they’re made and the color and shape of the tie down inserts (the Talon inserts are silver not black), there are very few differences between the two products.

So why buy a set of Talons? Well, the fact that they’re made of aluminum means they’re lighter (a set of four Talons are a good 40 pounds lighter than the old steel version). When it comes to truck campers, every pound matters, especially if your truck and truck camper combo is pushing your GVWR. Another big benefit of the Talons is that they won’t rust–no more cleaning and painting on an annual basis to keep them protected and looking good. The only real negative with the Torklift Talons is the cost–you’ll spend a good $200 more for a complete set of aluminum Talons compared to the original steel Torklift tie downs.

The Talon truck camper tie down system comes with four aluminum inserts, four aluminum frame mounted receivers that work similar to trailer hitch receiver, mounting hardware, and four finishing kit covers to protect the receiver tubes when the inserts aren’t installed. Like all Torklift products, the
Talon truck camper tie down system comes with Torklift’s legendary lifetime warranty. Better yet, they’re proudly made in the USA. If you’re like me, this is important. Anytime I can help keep an American worker employed, I’m going to do it. Even if it means I have to pay a little more. I learned long ago that you get what you pay for and with Torklift, you get a product that works as designed and is covered with a lifetime warranty.

Unfortunately, I have to wait a few months for the temperatures to cool down before I can install them. It’s still too blasted hot here in Arizona in the summer to do anything outside. I’ll probably install them in mid-October. Oh, and in case you’re wondering. The Talon inserts aren’t interchangeable between the two systems. Meaning you can’t put a Talon insert into an old steel tie down receiver; they’re a bit too large. The picture below shows the physical differences between the two inserts.