I’ve mention previously how crucial my aerial rig has been to my progress so I wanted to show all the options I considered and the factors that led me to choose Circus Gear!
The very first factor I had in mind was height. I wanted to buy the tallest rig I could since I love silks and have always felt limited by short ceilings. So immediately that cut out all A-frame options, but I will talk through a couple of those at the end in case anyone is considering that since they are a much more affordable option.
When I started seriously shopping for a rig I had already day dreamed about it for three years so I did have an idea of where to start. Immediately my top four choices were: Suspedulum, Ludwig /VVolfy , Circus Gear and Aerial Essentials.
Suspendulum:
Price: $2,300-2,500 + $460 for shipping
This is a tripod rig that goes up to 20ft 3in. This rig can also be set up to 10.5ft and 16ft. I have used a Supsendulum rig and i do like them! however , my first concern with this rig is the small amount of space at the top, so even though it is 20ft tall you can’t necessarily use the full 20 ft without kicking the legs and I have kicked the legs in the couple times I have used one. My second concern was since it is a tripod it cannot have a pulley system, only quad leg rigs can handle pulley systems. I cannot explain the physics behind that, I’m just reporting what I’ve learned from someone else. They aren’t too bad to set up either, definitely at least a two person job but easier with 3+.
Ludwig/VVolfy:
Price: $2,625-2,850
This rig is a quad leg rig and does have a pulley add on as an option. The highest height is 19ft 6in. It can also be set up as low as 6ft and hit any height in between in roughly 6in increments. It also has the option to have a wider header bar to give you more room at the top of the rig. I have never used this brand of rig but I know its popular in the aerial community and made by a well known manufacturer. I’ve heard good things from friends who have since bought one but I’ve also heard they are HEAVY and that they really aren’t meant to be left out all the time since they are only powder coated they could rust once that coating gets scratched.
Aerial essentials:
Price: $3,850
A quad leg rig this is a newer rig so I’ve never used one nor have I known anyone to use one. They looks similar to the Ludwig rigs and aerial essentials also offers a pulley system. Full height of 21ft
Circus gear:
Price: $3,000-3,235
a quad leg rig that comes with four 3 ft legs and twelve 6 ft legs. These legs being offset in size makes it easier to set up the rig since it offsets the height slightly and it means there’s more height adjustable options. I was able to try a circus gear rig and pulley system before making my decision and loved it. I never tried silks on a circus gear rig but I was able to try Lyra. Some factors I was looking for when trying it was how much sway the rig had, can I fully extend my body without kicking the legs and can I comfortably do dynamic things like beats and drops, comfort is not the only factor when doing drops, some rigs are not rated for drops and beats like A-frame rigs. The circus gear website also has videos on how to set up their rig and how to set up the pulley system that I was able to watch before making my decision and feel confident that the set up was not complicated or difficult. The pulley system available is also a 4:1 meaning that performers can be lifted during performances. This rig is also aluminum so it’s rust proof and good to leave outside for long periods of time!
I chose circus gear because it was the tallest rig with a decent amount of space at the top to move, the set up appeared the easiest of all the rigs I’d looked at, they are a trusted brand in the community and the 4:1 pulley system seemed like a good investment.
I’ve owned my rig for a full season now and can confirm that it is my favorite rig I’ve ever used. It’s very easy to set up and the height options are very accommodating to different venues. I still haven’t been able to play much with the fly pulley aspect but I do used the pulley system every time it’s set up. It eliminates the need for a ladder and makes switching apparatus so quick and easy. The owner of circus gear is also very nice and quick to answer any questions if you email him. Added bonus: the entire rig and pulley fit in my 2 door Honda civic comfortably😎
A-frame rigs:
VVolfy: $2,000-2,200
X-pole: $700
Aerial Essentials: $950
The only A-frames brands I would trust are X-pole, Ludwig and aerial essentials. There are more options out there but these are trusted manufacturers with good reputations in the community. There may be more that are trustworthy but as I said earlier I didn’t have much interest in a small rig so my research was limited. Do not buy off Amazon. It’s hard to verify if what you’re buying off Amazon is truly from the maker it claims or if it’s a cheap knock-off. A frame rigs are unsteady so they are hard to get a good spin and keep a good spin and you also risk hitting your feet in the legs which will also kill spin if course. A frames can be good for conditioning and sequences that don’t require too much height or width. They can be used for creative work as well but I didn’t want the added obstacles and limitations.