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  1. #1
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    Pros/cons Talons vs Raptors (power poles)

    I am ordering a new boat and have to decide on shallow water anchors. My buddy has Talons. I like the 12 ft. Range, but with spot lock might not be necessary. Not sure what sticks up higher on the boat?

    Can you all with more experience give me your Otis and cons of these.

    Thanks!!

  2. BBC SPONSOR
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    #2
    What boat / motor are you planning to order?

    I would take this into consideration as well when choosing anchors. The overall weight of Talons vs Raptors is substantial and can effect overall boat performance especially smaller or lower hp rigs.

  3. BBC SPONSOR mhines's Avatar
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    #3
    If you are comparing Poles/Raptors to talons, the talons are generally going to be shorter. They are very different styles or anchors and all 3 have their pros and cons! If you prefer the articulating style like the Raptors/poles, my vote would be raptors with active anchoring. They hold like nothing else out there!

    Power Pole has one of, if not THE BEST customer service in the industry as well.

    With PP or Raptors you can't go wrong. Talons tend to have lots more issues.

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  4. BBC SPONSOR/ Shallow Water Anchors Moderator
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    #4
    Talons as Rich stated while being some of the deepest avaiable have one positive that come to mind they can be easily moved between boats, if you dont want to buy multiple for other boats you may own. When Space is at a premium no pumps can also help however they are the most problimatic due to the design and being all electric, for sure the heaviest causing boat performance issues on 175 and under boats and are in to a asc center for repair the most of the 3 now offered. As stated with powerpole you have 22 years of experience building shallow water anchors behind you as well as mentioned the best customer service in the industry they were built simplistic so parts can be easily sent to you fedex and you can quickly easily repair yourself and get back on the water. Circuit board failures do happen and the most common issue on poles, and they are quickly taken care of by you when a new board is sent to your house. ( been a little longer lately with the shortage of Circuit Boards in the country for everything) The drift paddle option is also great and I fully expect minn kota to copy this as well for the Raptor. The Raptor while way better then a talon in the minn kota lineup has its own set of Flaws IMO. While active anchoring may appeal to some it is a unnecessary feature for most, causing more pump wear over time, more noise and more amp draw thruout the day. Sure you can turn it off, what was the point of spending the extra Cash for it. (Most of you think its something new, Power Pole had "the wave-pack" back in the day providing a similar persay function it was abandoned by JL Marine) the other issue I see is totally sealed pumps, in the event of board issues valve problems, motor problems thats a trip to the asc warranty center. No simple swap out of parts done by you like Power Poles. Also no drive off protection was built into the Raptor pumps a big oversight on Minn Kotas part IMO. Advantage of Raptor?? slightly more modern look? some may say price however they are comparing a blade to a Raptor, you have to remember a Raptor most closely compares to a Pro II from Power Poles Lineup so keep that in mind and compare accordingly. ( this comes from many dealers that sell both and is not only my opinion but the opinion of dealers that sell both poles and Raptors.) maybe another Raptor Advantage, silver as a standard color. after Speaking to some asc certified warranty centers for minn Kota most common failures they have seen is cylinder failures in the Raptor, so up to now they have been fairly solid. However have to consider how many poles are out and how long they have been on boats Its Raptors really first "full" year.. At the end of the day you have to weigh the pros and cons of each model and Manufactuer Do your homework not only look at the product look at how the company handles problems should they arise. ( how close is your local warranty center for Minn Kota) choose what you feel is the right model for you, dont worry about what others tell you its your $$$. When you are ready to purchase shop the many sponsors here such as Rich, Myself, FTO Marine, Marshland and RMP as they will surely provide you with the best deals be it Minn Kota products or Power Pole products. Rich or Myself for Power Pole and Rich and all the others mentioned, besides myself for Raptors or Talons.

  5. Member
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    #5
    So I have run both 8 and 12 foot Talons as well as 10 foot Blades now. As others have stated the Talons are heaver, make more noise and in my case had more issues with the cables than I was expecting. I had issues with customer support with the Talons and service centers were hard to find. I like the Power-Poles and to date have only had a few minor issues with one bolt starting to work loose. Customer support was excellent to work with and really seemed to want to help me out. I am not going to bash another companies product, as they all have some flaws, but I cannot see me going back to the Talons. Just can't beat their service.
    Risen From The Ashes!!

  6. Member
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    #6
    Thanks everyone. Those are great replies and just what I wanted to hear.