I can easily throw a baseball farther than my 8-year old, but when it comes to the Aerobie, I was shocked 2 nights ago when he was regularly throwing an Aerobie over my head while I had trouble reaching him at the same distance of 200 to 250 feet. I think my still longer arms gives me the leverage advantage over him for the baseball throws, but my son has the fast whip action in his arms and wrist that I never had. I suspect he’s giving a higher rate of spin to the Aerobie than I am which enables it to stay stable and travel over a longer distance.
I still remember my first Aerobie which I bought as a freshman in college in 1984. Back then, they had a stiff metal instead of a stiff plastic ring inside of the softer plastic exterior. Once, I underestimated how far the Aerobie could go, and I hit a young boy square in the back on one of the Biscayne Bay beaches. Fortunately, the boy was fine and his dad didn’t come over and pummel me after I shouted an apology.
It was surprising to see the Aerobie was made in the U.S. with almost every other toy now made in China. The history of the Aerobie makes for an interesting read with its Silicon Valley origins: