Apex Balloons can manufacture any possible size, design and style of Experimental or Light Sport hot air balloons. From perfectly flat panels to the most extreme bulbous gores, any combination of styles can be built. We specialize in a completely custom design to fit your requirements, preferences, or even guilty pleasures. Want a Racer with smooth gores? Easy! A flat-paneled natural shape envelope for artwork? Simple! How about a curvy, voluptuous envelope design to showcase your favorite colors? No problem! Start here for a primer on planning the design of your own hot air balloon.

Using state-of-the-art 3D CAD software, designing, creating and building complex artwork or logos into your envelope is our specialty. Racer shapes, appendage balloons, and special shape balloons of almost any possible design are available.

We're big on using the lightweight ripstop nylons made popular by the parachute industry and balloon homebuilders alike. These lightweight fabrics weigh about half of what normal balloon fabric does, and the life expectancy of a typical lightweight balloon envelope does not suffer terribly when taken proper care of.

Packing and handling small balloons made from this lightweight fabric is a dream! If you're sick and tired of hauling around a heavy balloon, you'll certainly fall in love with a lightweight system for fun flying. A typical two-place envelope can be kept under 100 lbs. with lightweight fabric. One-person solo balloons easily fit into the ultralight category.

As an Experimental hot air balloon, you can carry passengers and fly at balloon festivals without any hassles. Insurance is typically less expensive than a standard balloon, because you will not be flying passengers for hire.

Please contact us with any requirements or design suggestions you may have.

I've either built or assisted with the designing and/or building of many balloons over the past decades. Here are a few that I've helped bring to life in some way - click on each thumbnail for a larger photo: