Gin Gliders
Gin Gliders is a South Korean manufacturer founded in 1998 that designs and globally distributes certified paragliding equipment — wings, harnesses, rescues, paramotoring gear, and accessories — through authorized distributors across 18+ countries serving pilots from beginners to competition athletes.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1998
- HeadquartersYongin, South Korea
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Gin Gliders does
Gin Gliders Inc. is a South Korean specialty sporting goods manufacturer founded in 1998 and headquartered in Yongin, Gyeonggi-Do. The company designs, manufactures, and globally distributes a comprehensive paragliding equipment portfolio covering the full EN safety classification spectrum — from EN A school wings (Yeti 6, Bolero 8, Elise) and EN B/C sport wings (Calypso 2, Bonanza 3, Camino 2, GTO 3) through EN D and CCC competition wings (Leopard, Puma 2, Boomerang 12) — plus tandem variants, mini-wings, harnesses (classic, reversible, cocoon, mountain, tandem), rescue parachutes, paramotor wings and gear, and a wide accessory line (rucksacks, packing bags, connectors, sportswear). The business is hardware sales driven, with revenue earned through unit sales of certified paragliding equipment and accessories.
The company's go-to-market is a hybrid direct-and-distribution model: products flow through a global network of authorized distributors and repair/check centers operating in 18+ countries (Austria, France, Italy, Spain, Switzerland, USA, China, Japan, Korea, New Zealand, South Africa, and others), with regional headquarters in France (GIN France, Doussard) and Korea (Gingliders Korea, Yongin-si). Direct-to-consumer access is provided through the company website (gingliders.com), though customers are directed to local distributors for pricing and purchase. Marketing is built around content (website, news, newsletter), organic social (Facebook, Instagram, YouTube), experiential event marketing (testivals in Austria, France, Spain), and team-athlete competition visibility (X-Pyr, Spanish Hike & Fly Championship, Pre-PWC). Gin team pilots serve as ongoing third-party validators of product performance in demanding competition environments.
The firm operates with 51-100 employees, is privately held with no disclosed external investment or parent company, and shows no evidence of mergers, acquisitions, or recapitalizations in the available data. The customer base is highly fragmented across five primary segments — beginner and entry-level pilots, sport and leisure pilots, high-performance and competition pilots, tandem pilots and instructors, and paramotor pilots — with no named enterprise customers or significant customer concentration disclosed.
Gin Gliders firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Gin Gliders
- Legal name
- Gin Gliders Inc.
- Website
- https://gingliders.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1998
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- Gin Gliders is a South Korean manufacturer founded in 1998 that designs and globally distributes certified paragliding equipment — wings, harnesses, rescues, paramotoring gear, and accessories — through authorized distributors across 18+ countries serving pilots from beginners to competition athletes.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Gin Gliders industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Paragliding Equipment
- NAICS
- Aircraft Manufacturing (336411), Other Aircraft Parts and Auxiliary Equipment Manufacturing (336413)
- SIC
- Aircraft & Parts (3720)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Paragliding, Skydiving & Airborne Adventure Sports (THAJABAJ)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Aerial Adventure & Flight Schools (Paragliding, Hang Gliding, Paramotoring) (THAAAKAA)
Keywords
Where Gin Gliders is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Yongin
- HQ country
- South Korea
- HQ region
- Asia
Offices3 records
Markets served
Gin Gliders business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Paraglider Sales: Direct sales of paragliding wings across beginner to competition levels, including tandem and mini-wing variants. Products sold through distributors globally and directly via the company website.
- Harness Sales: Full range of harnesses including classic, reversible, cocoon, and mountain configurations for various flying disciplines including tandem applications.
- Rescue Parachute Sales: Safety equipment including rounded, square, and drag parachutes designed for emergency situations and paramotor applications.
- Paramotoring Equipment: Complete paramotor wing range and gear including cocoons, tents, and specialized paramotor harnesses for powered paragliding.
- Accessories and Gear: Rucksacks, packing bags, containers, connectors, sportswear, and extras including windsocks, banners, and tents.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | Quote-based pricing through authorized distributors |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels8 records
Gin Gliders product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Gin Gliders designs and manufactures ready-to-fly paragliders and related equipment. Its product range spans the full EN safety classification (EN A through EN D and CCC) covering beginner school wings, sport/leisure wings, high-performance competition wings, tandem wings, and mini wings, complemented by a full line of harnesses, rescue parachutes, paramotor wings, and accessories such as rucksacks, packing bags, and sportswear.
Product overview
Gin Gliders is a manufacturer and global distributor of paragliding equipment offering a comprehensive product portfolio. The company produces paragliders across multiple EN certification levels (EN A through EN D and CCC) for beginners, sport pilots, high-performance, tandem, and mini wing categories. The product range includes Yeti, Bolero, Elise, Calypso, Evora, Bandit, Avid, Explorer, Bonanza, Camino, GTO, Leopard, Puma, Boomerang, Fuse, and Griffin paraglider models. Gin Gliders also manufactures harnesses including Gingo, Verso, Switch, Yeti race, Genie, and Safari models in classic, reversible, cocoon, mountain, and tandem configurations. The rescue equipment lineup features Yeti rescue, Yeti UL, Yeti cross, G-lite, and G-Chute products. For paramotoring, the company offers Pegasus, Vantage, Falcon, Carve, and Condor paragliders plus paramotor-specific cocoon and tent gear. The comprehensive accessory line includes rucksacks (Daily bag, X-lite, Classic lite, Classic, XXL), packing bags (Yeti compress, Concertina, Fast packing), containers and cases, connectors and parts (carabiners, brake handles, speedbars, spreaders, bridles), sportswear (gloves, headwear, outerwear, T-shirts, sweats & hoodies, footwear), and extras (windsocks, windflags, banner stand, Gin tent, Mini glider). The company operates through a global network of distributors and repair/check centers across Austria, France, Italy, Japan, Korea, Spain, Switzerland, USA, and other countries.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Yeti 6 Ultralight EN A paraglider for discovery and adventure flying, suitable for beginners or experienced adventurers on trips; most suited for hike 'n fly, schooling, and thermal flying at lower wing loadings, and becomes dynamic at high wing loadings.
- Bolero 8 Next-generation EN A school wing redesigned from profile to internal architecture with remarkable homogeneity, pitch stability, and forgiving handling for growing with pilots through every step of learning.
- Elise Light and compact EN A paraglider suitable as a first wing after school or for leisure pilots, offering highest levels of passive safety with agile, fun handling for trips, hikes, and cross-country flights.
- Calypso 2 EN B paraglider for pilot progression, combining safety with performance characteristics.
- Evora EN B paraglider in the beginner and intermediate category.
- Bandit 2 Ultralight EN B paraglider designed for pilots seeking genuine cross-country adventures and freedom of flying mountain to mountain, combining ultra-lightweight concept with performance of higher-aspect wing.
- Avid EN B sport paraglider in the Sport category for cross-country flying.
- Explorer 2 EN B sport paraglider designed for exploration and adventure flying.
- Bonanza 3 EN B sport paraglider offering performance and handling for sport pilots.
- Camino 2 EN C sport paraglider for intermediate to advanced pilots seeking performance.
- GTO 3 EN C sport paraglider flown by competition pilots achieving victories in sport category competitions.
- Leopard EN D high performance paraglider for advanced pilots seeking maximum performance.
- Puma EN D high performance paraglider in the high performance category.
- Puma 2 EN D hike and fly competition wing developed specifically for high-level hike and fly competition, featuring outstanding comfort, confidence, and performance in demanding mountain conditions with exceptional climb performance and compact packed size.
- Boomerang 12 CCC (Competition/Competition) certified high performance paraglider for competitive pilots.
- Fuse 4 EN B tandem paraglider incorporating refinements to riser system and canopy design for improved functionality, reliability, and visual consistency.
- Fuse mini Mini tandem paraglider for lightweight tandem flying applications.
- Yeti tandem 3 EN B tandem paraglider designed for professional tandem operations.
- Griffin Mini wing paraglider for specialized mini wing flying.
- Gingo 4 Classic harness for traditional paragliding with comfort and reliability.
- Gingo airlite 5 Lightweight classic harness for pilots seeking minimal weight without sacrificing safety.
- Verso 4 Reversible harness that converts between flying and walking configurations, designed for travel and hike-and-fly.
- Switch 2 Reversible harness for paramotor and paragliding applications.
- Yeti race Cocoon harness designed for race performance with aerodynamic positioning.
- Genie x lite Lightweight cocoon harness for pilots seeking performance with minimal weight.
- Genie lite 3 Lightweight cocoon harness for cross-country and competition flying.
- Genie race 5 Competition-grade cocoon harness designed for race performance.
- Yeti xtrem 2 Mountain harness designed for extreme mountain flying conditions.
- Yeti convertible 2 Convertible mountain harness offering versatility for mountain flying and hiking.
- Safari pilot 3 Split legs tandem pilot harness designed to make tandem flying work easier.
- Safari passenger 3 Tandem passenger harness for passenger comfort during tandem flights.
- Yeti rescue Rounded emergency rescue parachute for standard emergency situations.
- Yeti UL Square emergency rescue parachute with ultralight design for weight-conscious pilots.
- Yeti cross 2 Square rescue parachute designed for cross applications.
- G-lite 2 Lightweight square rescue parachute for pilots seeking minimal weight.
- G-Chute Drag parachute for deployment practice and training applications.
- Pegasus 4 EN A/B paramotor paraglider for beginner and intermediate powered paragliding.
- Vantage 4 Paramotor paraglider for beginner and intermediate pilots seeking reliable performance.
- Falcon 2 Intermediate and advanced paramotor paraglider for experienced powered pilots.
- Carve 2 Intermediate and advanced paramotor paraglider designed for carving maneuvers.
- Condor 2 Tandem paramotor paraglider for powered tandem flights.
- Paramotor cocoon Cocoon harness system designed specifically for paramotor applications.
- Gin Gliders Gear & Accessories Line Comprehensive accessories including rucksacks (X-lite 40l, Classic lite, Classic, XXL, Daily bag), packing bags (Yeti compress, Concertina compress, Concertina bag, Fast packing bag speedfly, Fast packing bag light, Fast packing bag, Fast packing rucksack), containers and cases, connectors and parts (carabiners, brake handles, speedbars, spreaders, bridles, parts), sportswear (gloves, headwear, outerwear, T-shirts, sweats & hoodies, footwear), and extras (Windsock M, Windsock L, Windflag, banner stand, Gin tent, Mini glider).
Quantifiable outcome
- Puma 2 competitive debut: Gin team pilots finished in overall top 10 at 2026 Spanish Hike & Fly Championship
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Gin Gliders
Customer profileSegments5 records
Ideal customer profiles5 records
Gin Gliders technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration3 records
Feature3 records
Gin Gliders partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and regional.
- GIN FrancecoreRegional distribution partner handling sales, support, and repair services for the European market from their location in Doussard, France. Operates as the primary Gin Gliders presence in France and surrounding regions.
- Gingliders KoreacoreRegional distribution partner handling sales, support, and repair services for the Korean market from their location in Yongin-si, South Korea.
- Super-Wing Paragliding Group (Beijing)regionalAuthorized repair center and distributor for China, located in Beijing's Olympic Sports Centre. Handles sales and service support for the Chinese market.
- Super Fly Inc. (Utah)regionalAuthorized repair center and distributor for the USA market, located in Bluffdale, Utah. Handles sales and service support for the North American market.
- Aerotact Co. Ltd. (Tokyo)regionalAuthorized repair center and distributor for Japan, located in Tokyo. Handles sales and service support for the Japanese market.
- Kasana Aventura S.L. (Spain)regionalAuthorized distributor for Spain, located in Gran Alacant, Santa Pola. Handles sales and service support for the Spanish market.
Scale indicators2 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Gin Gliders competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Niviuk: Spanish paraglider manufacturer with full EN A–D coverage, harnesses, and accessories. Comparable product breadth and a direct competitor in the Spanish and broader European markets where Gin is also active.
- AirDesign: Slovenian paraglider manufacturer with EN A–D wings, harnesses, and accessories. Comparable in size, product breadth, and premium positioning; competes with Gin across hike & fly and XC categories.
- Ozone Paragliders: UK-based paraglider manufacturer with a comparable full-range product line across EN A through competition wings, plus harnesses and accessories. One of the largest and most established paragliding brands globally and the most direct head-to-head competitor to Gin Gliders across every certification level.
- Advance Thun AG: Swiss paraglider and harness manufacturer offering a similar EN A–D product ladder, plus speedflying and accessories. Comparable premium positioning, comparable global dealer model, and direct competition in the hike & fly and XC categories.
- UP International (UP Paragliders): German paraglider manufacturer with EN A–D wings and harnesses. Comparable product breadth and competition presence; competes in the same hike & fly and XC categories.
- Skywalk GmbH & Co. KG: German paraglider and harness manufacturer with EN A–D wings, speedflying, and accessories. Comparable product architecture and a direct competitor in hike & fly, XC, and school wing categories.
- Supair (Air Conception): French paragliding equipment manufacturer offering wings, harnesses, and rescue systems. Comparable in product scope, particularly in harnesses and rescue parachutes, and directly competing in the French-speaking European market.
- Mac Para Technology: Czech paraglider manufacturer offering EN A–D wings, harnesses, and paramotor products. Direct competitor in the paramotor category where Gin also competes (Pegasus, Vantage, Falcon lines).
- Swing Flugsportgeräte: German paraglider manufacturer offering a full EN A–D product range, harnesses, and speedflying wings. Comparable in scale and target customer segments, with a direct overlap in European competition sponsorship.
- Nova Vertriebsgesellschaft (Nova Industries): Austrian paraglider manufacturer with a full EN A–D lineup, harnesses, and accessories. Comparable in scale, premium positioning, and competition sponsorship strategy; one of Gin's most direct European competitors.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Gin Gliders social profiles
Digital presenceGin Gliders financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Gin Gliders leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Gin Gliders funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Gin Gliders M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Gin Gliders
What does Gin Gliders do?
Gin Gliders designs and manufactures ready-to-fly paragliders and related equipment. Its product range spans the full EN safety classification (EN A through EN D and CCC) covering beginner school wings, sport/leisure wings, high-performance competition wings, tandem wings, and mini wings, complemented by a full line of harnesses, rescue parachutes, paramotor wings, and accessories such as rucksacks, packing bags, and sportswear.
Is Gin Gliders a public or private company?
Gin Gliders is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Gin Gliders founded?
Gin Gliders was founded in 1998. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is Gin Gliders based?
Gin Gliders is headquartered in Yongin, South Korea, in the Asia region.
How does Gin Gliders make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. Paraglider Sales are the primary driver. The others are harness Sales, rescue Parachute Sales, paramotoring Equipment and accessories and Gear.
Who are Gin Gliders's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Niviuk, AirDesign, Ozone Paragliders, Advance Thun AG, UP International (UP Paragliders), Skywalk GmbH & Co. KG, Supair (Air Conception), Mac Para Technology, Swing Flugsportgeräte and Nova Vertriebsgesellschaft (Nova Industries).
Does Gin Gliders have an API?
No public API is recorded for Gin Gliders.
What industry is Gin Gliders in?
Gin Gliders's product category is Paragliding Equipment. Its primary akta.pro industry code is THAJABAJ, Paragliding, Skydiving & Airborne Adventure Sports, with a secondary code of THAAAKAA, Aerial Adventure & Flight Schools (Paragliding, Hang Gliding, Paramotoring). Its NAICS code is 336411 and its SIC code is 3720.