Enter Talón Footwear
As any seasoned martial artist knows, the most serious self-defense situations in life typically happen in public settings. In these unexpected and unfortunate situations, the combatants are almost always wearing shoes. This is where Talón Footwear’s rubber literally meets the road! Traditional martial arts Grandmaster Joël Castillo, who grew up in San Francisco’s Chinatown, not only had an affinity for Gung Fu, but also dancing in night clubs in his early twenties.
The club’s bouncers became his students and eventually his best friends. Only drinking water and keeping a watchful eye over them at the door from the dance floor, Grandmaster Joël Castillo was involved in hundreds of real street altercations over the years. Throughout these experiences, he has completely understood what footwear works and doesn’t work in real-life street fighting situations!
NASA Technology!
Grandmaster Joël Castillo was introduced to Alexander Gross, a former NASA rocket scientist who was responsible for designing the space suit for the Apollo 11 lunar landing. He designed many iconic athletic shoes for the biggest brands in the world and even for world champion boxer Mike Tyson! Joel knew he was the man to design the ultimate martial art shoe for daily use. Alexander Gross took the challenge and they formed TALÓN FOOTWEAR - “In Honor of Dedicated Martial Artists!” This is our company’s mantra. We are confident our new “PHÉONIX TALÓN STEALTH ATTACK” model is the best all-around shoe for martial artists available anywhere in the world!
Exquisite Footwear for Self-Defense
We at Talón believe the first rule of self-defense is to not be the aggressor. However, sometimes we must respond! Our marque Talón (Spanish for “heel”) represents stability. Stability is vital in any self-defense situation. Our bespoke "Ground Zero" outsole sheds water like a winter tire for non-slippage. It can also change direction quickly thanks to three specially designed pivot disks on the outsole. The kicking ability and toe protection is truly unparalleled! The truth is we all need to be stable on our feet, so Talón Footwear is for everyone. Our customers love our super-light, comfortable design. Our classic styles are appropriate in casual settings, going out at night, fitness and training, and even daily work. Try a pair and you won't regret it!
Cynthia Rothrock Signature Line!
In keeping with our mantra, Talón Footwear is honored that our first collaboration is with the eighth degree black belt and action movie star-- Grandmaster Cynthia Rothrock. Cynthia created her very own signature line! Enter the “Lady Dragon’s” TALÓN FIRE STORM coming 2024!!!
Committed To Quality
Former NASA engineer Alexander Gross & Grandmaster Joël Castillo were in absolute agreement designing the Talón Footwear brand. No matter how functional the shoe might be, quality and durability should never be compromised. They really want you to enjoy your shoes for years to come.
Joël Castillo Bio
Grandmaster Joël Castillo has been training the traditional Chinese martial & healing arts for over 36 years. He is the founder of White Phéonix Gung Fu academies worldwide. As a teacher of various styles for over 28 years and a former coach of the United States National Martial Art Team, he has dedicated most of his life to the study and furtherance of martial arts. Grandmaster Joël Castillo remains undefeated in international matches and was awarded a gold medal for fighting at the 1999 U.S. Open. He was subsequently inducted into the U.S. Martial Arts Hall of Fame in 2007 as "Kung Fu Grandmaster of the year.”
Alexander Gross Bio
Space Materials Program:
Lead Engineer Systems Design Group Apollo Spacesuit Program, Johnson Space Center
Lead Design Engineer Apollo Spacesuit Program/Skylab/ASTP, Manufacturing Facility
Sports Footwear Industry:
Alexander Gross has designed athletic footwear for Nike, Converse, Adidas, Asics, Avia, Lowell, Timberland, The North Face, Bata, Rugged Shark, Teva, LaCrosse, Artic Trail, Yukon, Airwalk, and Morrow.
Technical Apparel for the USMC, USA Olympic Team winter sports footwear, the
Army of India winter footwear, & Wilson Sports footwear.