The 10 Best Boomerangs
Updated by · How we research
Soft foam suits kids, while plastic and wood suit adults. We compared 10 returning boomerangs by range and hand, and the Colorado Boomerangs Glacier leads. When users buy our independently chosen editorial recommendations, we may earn commissions to help fund the Wiki.
Left-handers need a mirror-image boomerang or one that works for either hand, since several wooden and plastic models here are made for the right hand. A returning boomerang curves through the air and comes back when thrown upright into a light breeze. Families and sport throwers alike fly them in big parks and on beaches.
At a Glance
-
1
Colorado Boomerangs Glacier
$29
-
2
Refresh Sports EVA Foam
$14
-
3
Aerobie Orbiter
$13
-
4
Duncan Outdoor Booma
$14
-
5
Colorado Boomerangs Black Mamba
$19
-
6
Colorado Boomerangs Blue Bumblebee
$14
-
7
Colorado Boomerangs Eagle
$24
-
8
Colorado Boomerangs Glow Lightning
$22
-
9
Colorado Boomerangs Aussie Fever
$39
-
10
MB Wooden Boomerangs 18-Inch
$69
From the manual
- Clear 60 yards in every direction of people, cars, trees and buildings, and have an adult supervise children. card front
- Tilt it no more than 45 degrees from vertical, closer to upright as the wind rises, and never throw sidearm. card front
- If it lands in front of you, turn more into the wind; if it lands behind you, turn more off it. card back
- Sinks on the way out? Bend the painted-side tips up. Climbs too high? Bend them down until flat. card back
Why the Colorado Boomerangs Glacier is our top pick
The Glacier leads because it's a real wooden returning boomerang that its maker sells as a beginner model for kids from about 8 up.1 Its maker says it prefers a soft, spinning toss to a hard throw and hovers like a helicopter on its 30-yard round flight, so a new thrower needs no strong arm, and the hover gives time to line up the catch.1 It comes in right- and left-handed versions, though the left one was out of stock at the maker on November 4, 2026.1
Our runner-up, the Refresh Sports EVA Foam, is the better pick for younger children. Its maker labels the four-wing foam model for kids 6 and up, says it floats, and says its box puts the circle at 35 to 40 feet.3,4 Light foam pays for that in wind, though: its maker notes that gusts push foam around more than a plastic or wooden boomerang.4
Both makers give nearly the same advice: an adult supervising children, spin over power, and a tilt no more than 45 degrees from vertical.2,5 The real cost of the Glacier is space. Its maker's card asks for 60 yards clear in every direction, twice the 30 the foam's sheet asks for.2,5 With a big field and a thrower of 8 or older, the Glacier is our pick.
| Colorado Boomerangs Glacier | Refresh Sports EVA Foam | |
|---|---|---|
| Build | Wood, two wings | EVA foam, four wings |
| Maker's age label | 8 and up | 6 and up |
| Stated flight | 30-yard round flight | 35-40 ft circle |
| Hands | Right or left versions | Not stated |
| Clear space asked | 60 yd each way | 30 yd each way |
Sources
- Colorado Boomerangs Glacier 1Product page 2Boomerang instruction card (image)
- Refresh Sports EVA Foam 3Soft Boomerang product page 4How to throw a boomerang 5Boomerang instructions (PDF), pp. 1–2, 1
From the manual
- Clear at least 30 yards in every direction, and keep an adult supervising children. p. 1
- Hold off on catching until you know its flight path, then catch only when it hovers gently toward you. p. 2
- Release at a slight upward angle toward distant treetops; letting go too low makes it climb too high. p. 2
Compare the specs
Swipe the table sideways to see every column.
| Product | Material | Wings (count) | Maker's age label (years) | Hands the maker sells |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Colorado Boomerangs Glacier | Wood | 2 | 8+ | Right or left |
| 2. Refresh Sports EVA Foam | EVA foam | 4 | 6+ | — |
| 3. Aerobie Orbiter | Polycarbonate, rubber edge | Open triangle | 5+ | Right; lefties can adapt |
| 4. Duncan Outdoor Booma | Soft polymer | 3 | 6+ | — |
| 5. Colorado Boomerangs Black Mamba | Plastic | 2 | 8+ | Right only |
| 6. Colorado Boomerangs Blue Bumblebee | Composite plastic | 4 | 10+ | Right or left |
| 7. Colorado Boomerangs Eagle | Wood | 2 | Teens and adults | Right or left |
| 8. Colorado Boomerangs Glow Lightning | Glow-in-the-dark plastic | 3 | 9+ | Right or left |
| 9. Colorado Boomerangs Aussie Fever | Wood | 2 | Teens and adults | Right or left |
| 10. MB Wooden Boomerangs 18-Inch | Baltic birch plywood | — | Teens and adults | Right; lefties can adapt |
Ages and hands are the makers' own labels; a store listing may show another age or only one hand. Wing counts come from the makers' text or product photos. On November 4, 2026, Colorado Boomerangs showed its left-handed Glacier and Eagle as out of stock.
Sources
- Colorado Boomerangs Glacier Black Mamba Blue Bumblebee Eagle Glow Lightning Aussie Fever
- Refresh Sports Soft Boomerang How to throw a boomerang
- Aerobie Orbiter Product page, archived November 2025 Instructions, Czech translation (PDF)
- Duncan Outdoor Booma Product page Duncan's product description, at a retailer
- MB Wooden Boomerangs Dark Brown Cedar 18-inch How to throw a boomerang
From the manual
- Pick a spot at least 45 meters across and a day with very light wind; stronger wind sends it off unpredictably. p. 1
- Left-handers can throw it, but from the right side, over the head. p. 2
- Bend the corners up slightly for a higher flight, or down for a lower one. p. 1
- It doesn't float: Aerobie says no buoyant material it found kept the flight performance. p. 3
Editor's Notes
November 4, 2026, by Ezvid Wiki Editors:
We read Colorado Boomerangs' instruction card, Refresh Sports' throwing sheet and Aerobie's Orbiter instructions, then added a spec table, notes from those sheets and a section on why the Glacier leads. We matched the age labels to the makers', updated the Aussie Fever, Eagle and Glow Lightning entries now that their maker lists both hands, and noted that the MB 18-Inch is shaped for right-handers. We also fixed guide lines that credited the wrong source and added tuning advice from champion thrower Chet Snouffer.
October 17, 2026, by Ezvid Wiki Editors:
The Colorado Boomerangs Glacier, a real wooden returning boomerang at a fair price and meant for beginners, stays on top. The listings for four of the 2021 picks have since disappeared: the Bungle Bungle Soft Outdoor, the Channel Craft Spirit of Wind, the Polypropylene Pro Sports and the High Quality Yanaki. Colorado Boomerangs still sells the Bungle Bungle, now called its Traditional Kids Boomerang, and the Yanaki on its own site. We also let the Hummingbird Jarrah go. It's still sold, but the Colorado Boomerangs Aussie Fever fills the same spot as a handmade Australian boomerang, and the Hummingbird's listed weight didn't add up.
The Aerobie Orbiter, Colorado Boomerangs Black Mamba, Colorado Boomerangs Eagle and Colorado Boomerangs Glow Lightning stay too.
New are two soft boomerangs for kids, the Refresh Sports EVA Foam and the Duncan Outdoor Booma, plus the Colorado Boomerangs Blue Bumblebee, the Aussie Fever and the MB Wooden Boomerangs 18-Inch, which works for either hand. Lefties ask about that a lot.
We wanted to include the soft ArcFire from Colorado Boomerangs, but its product photos show another product's packaging, so we couldn't be sure which boomerang would arrive. The maker sells it directly.
One honest caveat: we found no independent tests of boomerangs. Throwing guides and makers' specs give the ranges, weights and hand, and owner feedback speaks to how reliably they return. We also checked recalls, and each entry flags claims that come from the seller alone.
Earlier notes
February 25, 2021, by Will Rhoda:
With all of our existing options for this list continuing to be smart choices for the category, it was a pretty forgiving round of updates for us, one that finished with the same selection of boomerangs as it started with. As our assessment indicated that the last editor for this page put together a nice mix of options – including a couple choices like the Aerobie Orbiter that are better suited for young children – we saw no need to go mucking about and swapping things out. The only real noteworthy change we made to the list was relocating the Hummingbird Jarrah a bit further down, since it seemed likely that its notably heavy unit weight of nine ounces was likely to be a hindrance for some throwers.
Once you’ve gone ahead and selected your boomerang of choice, if you’re interested in finding other ways to inject a little bit of Australian culture into your life, then you might be interested in investigating our list of didgeridoos.
February 26, 2019, by Melissa Harr:
We examined all of the top offerings from popular maker Colorado Boomerangs as well as top choices from other manufacturers. After some thought, we decided to leave the Black Mamba from Colorado Boomerangs despite some issues with its coloring: for one thing, the red stripes seem to chip off a little too easily, and for another, it's dark, which means it frustratingly may blend in with the ground. But it's well-made, so for some, it may work. Also requiring some thought was the choice to add the Aerobie Orbiter. Its triangle shape allows for various grips and throws, but don't be surprised if you need some practice to get the hang of it. And you can't select a color, which is upsetting to some users. On the other hand, it's not all that expensive and could be a fun choice if you enjoy a bit of a challenge.
Special Honors
Colorado Boomerangs Colorado Boomerangs makes a wide range of returning boomerangs and sells them through its own store, including left-handed versions of many models, soft foam boomerangs for young children such as the ArcFire, and plastic and wooden sport models. It's also the place to find the company's free guides on choosing and throwing a boomerang. boomerangs.com
How A Boomerang Comes Back, And How To Throw It
Thrown that way, it climbs steeply and can dive back fast and hard.
A returning boomerang is a set of small wings joined at the middle. When you throw it spinning, the wing moving forward at the top of the spin creates more lift than the one moving back, and that uneven push makes the boomerang lean and turn in a circle back toward you (Wikipedia). That only works when it's thrown nearly upright. Wooden Boomerangs, a European maker, tells right-handers to tilt it just slightly off vertical, aim at a point on the horizon at about eye level, throw about 45 degrees to the right of the wind and snap the wrist for spin (Wooden Boomerangs). With a left-handed boomerang, left-handers mirror all of that and throw to the left of the wind, as Colorado Boomerangs' instruction card shows (Colorado Boomerangs).
Never throw a boomerang flat like a flying disc. Thrown that way, it climbs steeply and can dive back fast and hard. To catch it, wait until it slows and drops below shoulder height, then clap it between flat palms. If it's coming in fast or high, step aside and let it land.
Most early misses come from a flat throw, too much wind or too little spin. Foam and multi-blade boomerangs fly shorter, slower circles, which gives a beginner more time to learn the motion.
Once the throw is right, small bends fine-tune the flight. Chet Snouffer, a ten-time U.S. national champion and two-time World Cup winner who makes boomerangs at Leading Edge Boomerangs (Delaware County Historical Society), wrote in his 2001 tuning guide that tips bent up slightly lift a boomerang that flies too low, and tips bent down tame one that sails over your head. "Gently" is the key, he says, and never tune a cold boomerang, because it can snap (Leading Edge Boomerangs).
Foam, Plastic Or Wood, And Which Hand
Material sets who a boomerang suits. Soft foam boomerangs are the safe choice for children, and Colorado Boomerangs, a large U.S. maker, recommends a light boomerang of soft plastic or foam for kids about 5 to 10 (Colorado Boomerangs). The same guide warns that a boomerang needs wings shaped like an airplane's to return, and that many souvenir V-shapes are only boomerang-shaped sticks. It also notes that boomerangs with more wings tend to return more readily.
Plastic boomerangs (polypropylene or composite) survive hard landings and are a good next step for teens and adults. Wooden boomerangs, usually birch plywood, are the traditional choice and fly beautifully, but hard hits on stones or pavement can chip or break them (Wooden Boomerangs). Age labels on hard boomerangs vary: Colorado Boomerangs rates several of its wooden and plastic models from about 8 or 10 up, while Wooden Boomerangs recommends 14 and up. Both call them sports equipment, not toys.
Handedness matters more than most buyers expect. A right-handed boomerang curves counterclockwise, and a left-handed one is a mirror image that curves clockwise, so a lefty throwing a right-handed model will struggle. Several makers sell left-handed versions, and a few two-wing designs are made to work with either hand.
Don't confuse a returning boomerang with a hunting stick, sometimes called a kylie. Those are heavier and fly straight for long distances without coming back.
Space, Wind And Safety
A boomerang needs more room than people think. Plan on an open field of grass or sand with 50 to 100 meters clear in every direction. Few backyards are big enough, even for foam: Refresh Sports asks for 30 yards clear in every direction around its foam boomerang (Refresh Sports), and Colorado Boomerangs' card asks for 60. Keep people, pets, cars and windows well outside the flight circle (Wooden Boomerangs).
Wind is the other big factor. Wooden Boomerangs calls a light breeze of 1 to 3 meters per second ideal and says to stop above 5, while World's Great Boomerangs sets its limit at about 5 mph (World's Great Boomerangs). Light foam boomerangs are the most affected by gusts.
World's Great Boomerangs and Colorado Boomerangs' card both call for eye protection when throwing and catching, and Wooden Boomerangs says to step aside and cover your head if one flies at your face. Supervise children with any hard boomerang, and check local rules before you throw: some parks ban it. Retailer guides such as FlyingToyz suggest starting with foam and a short throw before moving up (FlyingToyz).
In November 2026 we searched the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission's recall database for each brand on this list and for boomerangs in general, and found no boomerang recalls (CPSC).
How we researched this
We screened more than 20 boomerangs, compared listing details for 19 of them and narrowed those to 10. We read the instruction card Colorado Boomerangs ships with its six models here, Refresh Sports' two-page throwing sheet, a Czech translation of Aerobie's Orbiter instructions, and each maker's own product pages, including Duncan's and those of MB Wooden Boomerangs, a Lithuanian workshop. Throwing and safety guides from Wooden Boomerangs and World's Great Boomerangs, plus champion Chet Snouffer's tuning notes, shaped the guide. A November 2026 search of the CPSC recall database for every brand and for boomerangs in general found no boomerang recalls, and a search of Health Canada's recall site turned up none either.
Sources (17)
- Wikipedia: Boomerang
- Wooden Boomerangs: How to throw a boomerang
- World's Great Boomerangs: Safety
- Colorado Boomerangs: How to choose a boomerang for kids
- Colorado Boomerangs: Black Mamba
- Colorado Boomerangs: ArcFire
- FlyingToyz: Best beginner boomerang
- CPSC recalls
- Colorado Boomerangs: Boomerang instruction card
- Colorado Boomerangs: Glacier
- Refresh Sports: Soft Boomerang
- Refresh Sports: Boomerang instructions (PDF)
- Aerobie: Orbiter Boomerang (archived November 2025)
- Aerobie Orbiter instructions, Czech translation (PDF)
- Duncan Toys: Outdoor Booma
- MB Wooden Boomerangs: Dark Brown Cedar 18-inch
- Chet Snouffer: Tuning boomerangs for maximum performance (PDF)
Frequently asked questions
What is the best boomerang?
For most throwers from about 8 up, the Colorado Boomerangs Glacier: a birch plywood two-wing boomerang with real airfoils, made in the U.S. and sold for beginners. For younger children, choose a soft foam boomerang such as the Refresh Sports EVA Foam.
What is the best boomerang for beginners?
Children should start with soft foam. Teens and adults can start with a wooden two-wing model like the Glacier or a multi-blade plastic boomerang, which flies a shorter, slower circle. Learn in calm weather on a large field.
Why won't my boomerang come back?
The usual causes are throwing it flat instead of nearly upright, throwing straight into or with the wind instead of about 45 degrees to one side, too little spin, wind that's too strong, or a model made for the other hand.
Do left-handed people need a left-handed boomerang?
Usually, yes. Most boomerangs are made for one hand, and a left-handed version curves the opposite way. A few makers say lefties can throw their right-handed models with a changed grip: MB Wooden Boomerangs says so of its 18-Inch, though it's shaped for right-handers.
How many types of boomerangs are there?
There are two broad kinds: returning boomerangs, used for sport and play, and non-returning hunting sticks. Returning boomerangs come in two-wing, three-blade and four-blade shapes, ring designs, and specialist competition types built for fast catches, long distance or time aloft.
