How to Throw a Boomerang and Catch It Every Time
Boom Tech · Throwing Guide
How to throw a boomerang (and actually get it back)
A step-by-step guide for beginners, kids, and anyone whose first throw went sideways. Works for foam boomerangs and handcrafted wooden boomerangs alike.
Quick answer: hold the boomerang almost vertically (not flat like a frisbee), throw it into the wind at a slight angle, and snap your wrist hard on release for spin. Most first throws fail because the boomerang is thrown flat, downwind, or without enough spin — fix those three things and it'll come back.
On this page
1. Choosing the right boomerang to learn on
The boomerang you start with matters more than the throw itself. A boomerang built for competition flight is genuinely harder to return than one designed for learning. Here's how our two ranges compare:
| Type | Best for | Wind needed | Learning curve |
|---|---|---|---|
| Foam boomerangs Superangs, OZ Icerunner, OZzie Emu |
Kids 5+, first-timers, indoor/backyard play | Light or none | Easiest — forgiving, safe, soft landing |
| Handcrafted wooden boomerangs Performance range |
Teens and adults ready for real flight distance | Light-moderate, steady direction | Moderate — more speed and range once mastered |
If this is your first boomerang ever, start foam. It's near-impossible to hurt yourself or anyone else with one, and the lighter weight means it returns in less wind and forgives a slightly wrong angle. Browse foam boomerangs for kids and beginners or, once you've got the motion down, step up to the handcrafted performance range.
Left-handed thrower? The Superang solves that.
Our Superang range — Indoor and Outdoor — is ambidextrous and can be tuned for a left- or right-handed throw, something almost no other foam boomerang can do. The Outdoor Superang adds a plastic insert for extra weight and range. We invented this design in 1996, so it's been quietly solving the "wrong-handed boomerang" problem for 30 years.
The Outdoor Superang's extra weight and range, makes it ideal for beginners that have a hard throw and spin. Here's how our four foam models actually differ:
| Foam model | Handedness | Weight | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Indoor Superang Outdoor Superang |
Ambidextrous — tune for left or right handed |
Indoor Superang -very light Outdoor Superang weighted with a plastic insert |
Left-handed throwers, and anyone wanting extra outdoor range |
| OZ Icerunner | Right-handed | Lighter | Absolute beginners and younger or smaller throwers |
| OZzie Emu | Right-handed | Lighter | Absolute beginners and younger or smaller throwers |
The OZ Icerunner and OZzie Emu are newer additions to our range — their lighter build makes them especially easy to control on a first throw, which is why they're popular starting points for beginners who find heavier weight boomerangs a bit much to handle at first.
2. The 5-step throw
Check the wind
Wet a finger and hold it up, or watch nearby trees and flags. A boomerang needs wind to curve back — dead-still air is the number one reason a first throw doesn't return. Face into the wind.
Grip and angle
Hold one end with your thumb on top, curve facing away from you. Tilt the boomerang nearly vertical — about 10-20° off straight up, leaning slightly away from your body. Flat throws (like a frisbee) will not come back — this is the single biggest fix for most beginners.
Aim off the wind
Don't throw straight into the wind — aim about 20-45° to the side of it (to your throwing-arm side if you're right-handed). This is the angle most people get wrong on their first few tries.
Snap your wrist on release
The power comes from a fast wrist flick, not your arm. More spin means a tighter, more predictable flight path. Throw with a firm, level arm motion and let the wrist do the work at the last moment.
Watch the flight path
A well-thrown boomerang climbs, curves left (for a right-handed throw), and loops back toward you, often finishing with a flatter, hovering "landing" spin. If it flies straight and drops, go back to step 2 — you're likely too flat.
3. Reading wind and throw angle
This is the part most guides skip, and it's the difference between a boomerang that circles back to your hand and one that lands in the neighbour's yard.
Face into the wind, then aim your throw roughly 20-45° off the wind direction, tilted toward your throwing arm.
| Wind condition | What to expect | Adjustment |
|---|---|---|
| Dead calm | Hardest conditions — boomerang has little to curve against | Throw harder with more spin; stick to foam boomerangs |
| Light breeze (ideal) | Best learning conditions — steady, gentle curve back | Standard 20-45° angle, as above |
| Moderate wind | Faster, wider return path — good once you're comfortable | Narrow your angle slightly, closer to 20° |
| Strong or gusty | Unpredictable — even experienced throwers struggle | Wait it out, or move somewhere more sheltered |
4. Common mistakes (and the fix)
| What's happening | Likely cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Flies straight, drops to the ground | Thrown flat, like a frisbee | Tilt it near-vertical (step 2) |
| Climbs, stalls, and dives | Thrown too steeply upward | Throw more level, let the tilt (not the arm angle) create the curve |
| Barely curves at all | Not enough spin | Snap the wrist harder on release (step 4) |
| Curves the wrong way or too wide | Thrown with the wind instead of into it | Reface into the wind before throwing |
| Returns but overshoots past you | Thrown too hard for the wind strength | Ease off power in stronger wind |
For a deeper breakdown with more examples, see our full Common Throwing Mistakes page.
5. Catching it safely
A returning boomerang comes back faster than most people expect, and it's still spinning hard. The safest catch is a two-handed clap, not a one-handed grab:
- Track it the whole way in — don't take your eyes off it in the last few metres
- Clap it flat between both palms, from the sides, rather than reaching out with one hand
- If it's coming in too fast or off-target, let it land — a dropped boomerang is far safer than a mistimed catch
- Kids should always have an adult supervising the catch until they're confident with the flight pattern
6. Safety basics
- Throw in a large, open, flat area — an oval, park, or big backyard, well clear of people, pets, cars, and windows
- Never throw toward another person, even as a joke — a returning path is hard to predict exactly
- Wooden performance boomerangs fly faster and further than foam — give them extra clearance
- Foam boomerangs are the safer starting point for ages 5+ and for indoor or tight backyard play
- Check your throwing space is clear behind you too — a boomerang's return path loops, it doesn't retrace the outward path
7. Frequently asked questions
Do I need wind for a boomerang to come back?
Yes, at least a light breeze. A boomerang's return relies on air moving across its wings asymmetrically as it spins — in completely still air even an expert throw will fly straighter and drop rather than loop back.
Can left-handed people throw a boomerang?
Yes — but most boomerangs are shaped for one hand only, curving the wrong way for the other. Our Superang range solves this: it's ambidextrous and can be tuned for a left- or right-handed throw, so left-handers aren't stuck adapting to a right-handed design. Wooden performance boomerangs, by contrast, are typically handed and built for one throwing side.
How much space do I need to throw a boomerang?
For foam boomerangs, a decent backyard or small park is enough. For handcrafted wooden performance boomerangs, aim for an open oval or large park — they can travel 30-40+ metres out before curving back.
Why does my boomerang fly straight instead of curving back?
This is almost always a flat throw. Boomerangs need to be thrown near-vertically, not sidearm like a frisbee — see step 2 above.
What age can kids start throwing a boomerang?
Our foam range is designed for ages 5 and up, with adult supervision recommended for younger kids. It's soft, lightweight, and forgiving of an imperfect throw while they learn the motion.
Is a wooden or foam boomerang better for a first-timer?
Foam. It's lighter, safer, needs less wind, and is more forgiving of an off-angle throw. Move to a handcrafted wooden boomerang once you're consistently getting foam boomerangs to return.
Ready to try it yourself?
Every boomerang we sell is flight-tested before it ships — built to actually come back.
Shop all boomerangsGuide written by the OZ Boomerangs team, Melbourne — proud supporters of the Victoria Boomerang Throwing Association. Questions? Get in touch or check our FAQ.