Real boomerangs do come back.

But how can you tell that you have a genuine returning boomerang? A lot of them sold here in Australia are for display only. They look stunning but more often than not, the wings don't have the right airfoils.
The person trying to sell it to you might point out that it has a bit of material filed off the bottom of one of the wings as a sign that it is a real returner. But that is only part of the story.

An expert can recognize whether a boomerang could work in principle, but only throwing it and fine tuning it before it is being sold, is the key of getting a great flyer as opposed to one that sort of works. With mass production boomerangs you could get lucky having one that works fine, but it is more the exception than the rule.

Most boomerang makers I know, are in it for the hobby, the passion of making great flyers.They will invest time to give you good advice and make sure you get an excellent flyer to start with. From there it is up to you and with a little bit of practice you should be able to get good results in hours.

Since I discovered the fun of throwing a boomerang I noticed the many different ways you can enjoy this unique sport.
I always carry some boomerangs in my car and often throw a few at lunch time.
It is also great fun to make and throw your own creation.
A lot of throwers love this part of crafting and experimenting.
If you are getting better at throwing you can consider entering boomerang contests. You'll notice the different events all have their own specialized type of boomerangs and those events are great places to meet other throwers and learn a lot.

Hope you discover a great new sport.

Cheers, Rob