Best Hang Glider Manufacturers

Just like with anything else, you might only want to buy a hang glider from a reputable company. Here are the best hang glider manufacturers out there.

When you buy just about anything, one of the main things you’ll usually look at is where it’s made. This is especially true of bigger purchases, and even more so for things that your life might literally depend on, like a hang glider. You don’t want to buy from a manufacturer that’s known for poor products or unsafe construction. So what are the best hang glider manufacturers?

The best hang gliding manufacturers are Wills Wing, North Wing, A-I-R USA, and ICARO 2000. The first three are based out of the United States, and ICARO 2000 is located in Europe. All four of these companies have a solid history, top-quality hang gliders, and great reputations in the community.

There are a lot of things to think about when you're looking for the best hang glider manufacturer. After all, this is a decision that can affect your safety while flying. So, it's important to do your research and find a company that you can trust. In this article, we'll discuss what people should look for in a hang glider manufacturer, and then we'll get into who the best ones are.

At FlightNotch, we are hang gliding enthusiasts ourselves who have purchased gliders over the years. Outside of the ones we’ve bought for ourselves, we have used many, many more and have personal experience with lots of different manufacturers. The thing with hang gliders, however, is that there really aren’t that many high-quality manufacturers that we would recommend.

‍What to Look for in a Hang Glider Manufacturer

Before we get into the best hang glider manufacturers, let's first discuss what people should look for in a company. This way, you'll know what to keep an eye out for when you're doing your research. After all, while you're hang gliding hundreds to thousands of feet in the air, you want to be confident that your hang glider was made by a reputable and trustworthy company.

Let me also preface this by saying that we understand that what makes one manufacturer the best compared to another has some level of subjectivity to it. However, there are some fairly objective measures that we can look at to determine which companies are making the best hang gliders. With that being said, here are some of the things you should look for in a hang glider manufacturer.

Company History

One of the most important things to consider is the history of the company. How long have they been in business? What kind of experience do they have? This is important because you want to make sure that you're working with a company that knows what they're doing. A newer company might be making great hang gliders, but they simply don't have the same level of experience as a company that's been around for decades.

This can be one of the things that are a little bit difficult to establish when it comes to hang glider manufacturers because of the relative newness of the sport as a whole. Compared to other types of aircraft, hang gliders are still fairly new. However, there are some companies that have been around since the early days of hang gliding and they definitely have the experience to back up their claims.

Products

The second thing that you want to look for when it comes to hang glider manufacturers is, well, the actual hang gliders that they make and produce. Are they making high-quality products? What do their hang gliders look like? Are they made with durable materials? These are all important questions to ask when you're looking at different companies. You want to make sure that you're getting a hang glider that's going to be safe and durable.

When it comes to the products, you also want to make sure that the company offers a good variety, or that they offer something specific, but they do it very well. Some companies might only make one type of hang glider while others offer a wide range. It's important to find a company that has the right hang glider for you and your needs. Both cases can be beneficial, it just depends on what you're in the market for.

Reputation

Last, but certainly not least, you want to look at the reputation of the company. What do other people say about them? Have they had any negative press? Are they known for making high-quality products or are they known for cutting corners and using subpar materials? These are all important things to consider when you're looking at different companies, especially hang glider manufacturers. Lucky for you, in this case, we've done the work for you and will only show you the best companies here.

This is another one of those things that can be a bit subjective and you can be swayed by a single person that's had a bad experience. That's why it's important to comb through different reviews and testimonials to get a well-rounded idea of what the company is like. Again, we've handled the legwork here so you can just read below and you'll know which companies are worth looking into.

What are the Best Hang Glider Manufacturers?

Now that we've gone over what to look for in a hang glider manufacturer, let's get into who the best companies are. These are the companies that have been around for a while, have a great reputation, and make high-quality products.

Wills Wing

Up first as arguably the best hang glider manufacturer in the world is Wills Wing. This company has been around since 1973 and they have a long history of making high-quality hang gliders. They're located in the United States and they offer a wide variety of hang gliders for all different types of pilots, whether you're a beginner or an expert.

They have everything from tandem hang gliders to those made specifically for aerobatics. They're also always innovating and coming out with new designs and features for their hang gliders. Wills Wing is most known for its Falcon, Sport, and Alpha line of gliders. If you're looking for a top-of-the-line product, then Wills Wing is definitely a company that you want to check out.

North Wing

Up next is North Wing, another great company located in the United States as well. They've been around since 1996 and recently celebrated more than 25 years in the business of offering a wide range of high-quality hang gliders. They have everything from entry-level to expert level and they even have some much more specialized options depending on the type of hang glider (or other aircraft) that you’re looking for.

They're a company that's always innovating and they're always coming out with new products. They have a great reputation in the hang gliding community and they're definitely a brand that you can trust. Some of their most popular product lines include the Freedom, Liberty, Horizon, Pulse, and T2 series of gliders. They're all great options and you really can't go wrong with any of them.

A-I-R USA

Another excellent choice is A-I-R USA, who’s based out of Golden, Colorado. They've been in business since the early 2000s and they offer a wide range of hang gliders as well. They have everything from entry-level to expert level and they even have some electric-powered options and some gliders if that's something that you're interested in.

This company is not nearly as well known as Wills Wing or North Wing, but they still produce some of the best hang gliders out there. This company is known for its ATOS product line, in which there are eight different gliders, all designed for different pilots and different uses. One of them, the ATOS VQ, actually made the cut and is one of the best hang gliders on the market in our complete ranking.

ICARO 2000

Rounding off our list of the best hang glider manufacturers in the world is ICARO 2000. This is the only European-based company on this list and was actually the first hang glider manufacturer in Europe. ICARO 2000 is based in Italy and was founded in 1973 by Peter Skaarup and Alfio Caronti. The founding of the company came after Caronti received his first glider from Bill Moyes, who was the first hang glider pilot in all of Europe.

They offer a wide range of different types of hang gliders as well, so whether you're just getting started or you're a seasoned pro, they have a glider that's right for you. And like all the other manufacturers on this list, they have a great reputation and are known for making high-quality products. The Laminar is their most famous model. But the MastR, Alto, and Piuma are awesome gliders as well that are worth checking out depending on what you’re looking for.

So there you have it! These are the best hang glider manufacturers in the world. Do your research and make sure you're buying from one of these companies if you want to get the best possible product. If you check out our article on the best hang gliders on the market, you'll see that the list is made entirely of gliders produced by the first three companies on this list.

So these truly are the best of the best when it comes to hang gliders. Get out there and start flying! And if you're just getting started, make sure to check out our beginner's guide to hang gliding. It has everything you need to know to get started in this incredible sport. Thanks for reading!