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High Energy Sports Company Information...a brief history

Betty Pfeiffer established High Energy Sports in 1982 with "safety as a top priority". High Energy Sports harnesses soon expanded into safety systems, which included emergency parachutes.

With the emphasis on safety, High Energy Sports started building blower restraints and "Kevlar blankets" for speed boat and race car industry.

In 1983 the USA World Team flew with High Energy Sports harnesses. Remarkably team members chose to purchase these harnesses as opposed to flying other harnesses "donated" to team members.

Through the years such innovations as the "Higgens Hinge" ( a 3-sided velcro flap in the front of the cocoon used for male "relief" on long flights), Universal back pack (The harness turns into itself to form its own gear bag), parachute safety lock system (to avoid accidental deployments), easy entry side zip harnesses have been a bench mark of High Energy Sports.

Not all the new developments have been successful. For example the Ace Harness with the "Bombay Doors" which allowed the pilot to open and close the pod style harness without zipping, allowed cold air in the front leg area. The retractable map holder made from window shade hardware and streamlined inside a fared base tube never worked well for more than a flight or two. The result of listening to customers needs and determining that their "wish" was not dangerous developed into new harness options.

Today hang glider pilots can choose from over 30 options in effect "designing" their own harnesses.

In 1986 it became apparent that the current style parachutes were not working well with the type of Hang Glider failures experienced during that time. High Energy Sports started working on a way to build a parachute that would better suit the special needs of the Hang Gliding community.

In 1993 the Quantum Series parachutes were introduced. These parachutes revolutionized round parachute design and evolved into designs used by the Forest Service and the Special Forces today.

In the mid 1990's High Energy Sports expanded production to include Powered Parachute Wings. In 1999 they took over full production of Quantum Advantage Wings, the Sky Series Wings and Powered Parachute risers. "Manufacturing Powered Parachutes turned out to be a wonderful way to apply principles I have learned in hang gliding and parachutes while expanding my own knowledge base" states the vivacious High Energy Sports president Betty Pfeiffer.

Today High Energy Sports continues to produce hang gliding harnesses and emergency parachutes for hang gliding and paragliding, race car components as well as powered parachute wings. In addition the company has expanded into high-powered model rocketry parachutes.

To Read an Article By Carol Yastrov Titled The History of High Energy Sport's Quantum Series Parachutes recently published in the USHGA Magazine click here.