Demo Tour · 27 Oct to 1 Nov 2026

Tue 27 Oct to Sun 1 Nov 2026 · North Island, New Zealand

What one change could make you ride better?

Bring the setup you ride now. Change one thing, a foil, a board, a wing or a mast, and feel the difference on the water. Run by Underground, with Armstrong Foils and Foil Drive.

Takes about a minute. We will message you with spots and times.

How a Ride Better demo works

  1. Step 1

    Tell us what you ride. Your board, foil and wing, your weight, and the one thing you want to get better at.

  2. Step 2

    Change one thing. Keep the rest of your setup. Swap just the foil, the board, the tail, the mast or the wing.

  3. Step 3

    Ride it and feel it. Because only one thing changed, you know exactly what made the difference.

  4. Step 4

    Leave with a next step. We book a quick follow-up chat before you go, so nothing gets forgotten. After your demo

Underground Foil Store · 5.0 from 23 Google reviews

Why trying first makes the difference

Try before you buy

Pierre L. bought all his gear from us. He says being able to test first meant he got exactly what he needed for the next step in his foiling.

Demo kit

Glen Blamey says if you are unsure what to get, or just starting out, there is plenty of demo kit to try and good advice on what will suit you.

Seeing it for real

Wayne Carkeek found picking a foil much easier once he could see every size side by side in the shop.

Lesson

Burt Reynolds did a towed lesson with a helmet radio, getting corrected on every small mistake. He reckons he learned more in one hour than in a pile of sessions on his own.

Lesson to upgrade

Adam Macdonald started with a beginner lesson, got set up with beginner gear, then traded it in at a good price when he moved up to newer gear.

Day one to now

Carly Barr has had guidance from her very first day learning to where she rides today, and says the team always takes the time to share what they know.

Intro wing lesson

Mike Millar did a one-hour intro wing foiling lesson and found the teaching patient and encouraging.

On the water

Dougie Rea says the crew showed them the gear, taught them how to use it, and walked through setups until it all made sense.

Read all 23 reviews on Google

01Where and when

Six days, Tuesday 27 October to Sunday 1 November 2026. Spots and times are picked by the wind, swell and tide, so we lock each day in close to the day.

DayWhereTimeFocus
Tue 27 OctTo be announcedTBCTBC
Wed 28 OctTo be announcedTBCTBC
Thu 29 OctTo be announcedTBCTBC
Fri 30 OctTo be announcedTBCTBC
Sat 31 OctTo be announcedTBCTBC
Sun 1 NovTo be announcedTBCTBC

How you will hear

  • Sign up and we message you. Spots, times and any changes go to everyone on the list first.
  • Check this page on the morning. If the wind shifts, the spot can too. This table is kept up to date.
  • Wing and Foil Drive may be at different beaches on the same day, so each runs where conditions suit it best.
No wind? We have a plan for that.

Light days suit Foil Drive and prone. If a day does not work at all, we move it or switch it, and we message everyone who signed up. You will not turn up to an empty beach.

02What you can try

Pick the part of your setup you think is holding you back. That is the one we swap.

Upgrade your board

Midlengths are the big one. People pick one up, ride it once, and get it. Earlier take-off without feeling like you are on a barge.

For: winging, prone, downwind

Upgrade your foil

Still on an older front wing? You might be limiting yourself without knowing it. Try a current Armstrong front wing on your own board.

For: anyone on an older setup

Upgrade your tail

One of the cheapest changes you can make, and often one of the most noticeable. Speed, carving and stability all shift.

For: riders after a cheap win

Upgrade your mast

Already on Armstrong? Feel what a different mast does without changing anything else.

For: Armstrong riders

Upgrade your wing

Try a current Armstrong XPS on the board and foil you already know.

For: wingers

Discover parawing

The newest way to get downwind. Come and see what it is about.

For: the curious

Foil Drive

How could a Foil Drive add to what you already do? More sessions, flat days, downwind runs with an easy way back.

For: any foiler

Already own a Foil Drive?

Come and feel the difference in the newer gear, and pick up setup tips to get more out of what you have.

For: current Foil Drive owners

The exact demo fleet is confirmed closer to the day. Tell us on the sign-up form what you want to try and we will do our best to have it there.

03Why one change at a time?

Swap your board, foil and wing all at once and you will feel different. You just will not know why.

  • You learn what actually works. Change one thing and the difference is clear. That is how you avoid spending money on the wrong upgrade.
  • More people get on the water. When you bring your own board and we supply the foil, one full demo setup is not tied up by one person.
  • Less to get used to. Familiar gear plus one new part means you are riding properly in minutes, not fighting a whole new setup.

Once you have felt that one change, you can try the next one.

04Demo or lesson: which is for me?

Demos are for people who can already foil. If you are still learning, a lesson gets you there faster.

Demo

You can already get up and ride. You are testing gear, not learning to foil.

A Foil Drive demo is around 15 minutes

Lesson

New to foiling, or not riding on your own yet. We teach you properly rather than hand you demo gear and hope.

Lesson times announced soon

Know someone who keeps talking about learning?

Most people at the demo already foil. If you have a mate who has been saying "I should try that" for two summers, send them this page. A lesson is the right first step, and we can sort out a beginner setup after.

05Existing customers get first pick

If you have bought from us before, you get first chance to book. Then the rest of our list. Then everyone.

  1. First

    Underground customers. We contact you directly and hold time for you.

  2. Next

    Everyone on our list. Remaining spots open up.

  3. Then

    Everyone else. Whatever is left goes public.

Why? If you are seriously looking at a particular mast or board, it should not be out on the water with someone who is just having a play when you arrive. Sign up early and tell us what you want to try.

06What to bring: your demo checklist

Tick these off before you head down. Screenshot it, or print it.

07Looking after the demo gear

The demo fleet belongs to Underground. Treat it like your own and everyone gets more time on the water.

  • Damage policy. Normal scuffs are part of foiling. Real damage to a wing, foil or board is charged as set out in the damage policy on the sign-up form. You agree to it when you sign up.
  • Return gear on time when people are waiting. Your time on a piece of gear may be capped on busy days so everyone gets a go.
  • Tell us about any knock straight away. We would rather fix a small ding before the next person goes out.
  • Ask us to adjust it. Footstraps, mast position, setup. Our crew will sort it in seconds, that is what they are there for.
08After your demo

The demo is the start, not the end. You will leave knowing your next step.

  1. On the beach

    Tell us how it felt. What changed, what surprised you, what you would do next.

  2. Before you go

    We book a follow-up. A short phone or video chat the following week, at a time that suits you. No chasing, no forgetting.

  3. The next week

    Your Ride Better plan. What to change, why it suits you, and what it costs. Pre-orders on upcoming gear where we can take them.

  4. Through summer

    Progression sessions. Wing and Foil Drive sessions to keep you improving. Dates announced soon.

Ready to buy on the day? We can build your setup with you on the spot.

09Questions people ask
  • Who runs the tour? Underground, the surf and foil shop in Orewa. Armstrong Foils and Foil Drive are with us as partner brands.
  • Do I need to ride Armstrong already? No. Bring whatever you ride. Comparing against what you know is the whole point.
  • How long do I get? Long enough to feel the change. A Foil Drive demo is around 15 minutes. On busy days we cap time on each item so everyone gets a go.
  • Can I demo more than one thing? Yes, one at a time. Try one change, come back, tell us how it went, then try the next.
  • I am not on the list yet. Can I just turn up? You can, but people who signed up are booked first. .
  • What if the weather is bad? We move the spot, switch the focus, or reschedule, and we message everyone on the list.

Change one thing. Ride better.

Sign up now and tell us what you want to try. Underground customers get first pick, then the list, then everyone. We have been at 306 Hibiscus Coast Highway, Orewa, since 1997, and our customers have given us 4.9 stars from 247 Google reviews.