One of the North Island’s bigger surfing industry players, has rolled into Mount Maunganui to take over two local surf shops. Backdoor, which already has five other stores in the top half of the North Island, has opened at 24 Pacific Ave, in the cavernous former dance hall that was occupied by Assault Boardriders.
If snowboarding is part of your winter plans, check out the opening specials such as a Burton Snowboard and Binding package for $599. There are specials on winter wetsuits.
While Assault perhaps tried to cover too much with a range that spanned clothing, windsurfing, surfing, kite surfing, etc, Backdoor is strong on the ‘hardware side.’ Hardware Manager Cale Tolley says they stock around 150 surfboards and another 150 snowboards, for example. The store also stocks loads of skateboards, fins, and other accessories. It doesn’t sell windsurfing or kite surfing gear (see below).
Backdoor’s surfboard brands include JS Surfboards from the Gold Coast, and Spider Surfboards made in South Africa. Learners are catered for with Ocean & Earth Soft Tops. Clothing brands include the popular Volcom, and the store stocks N.M.D. bodyboards, wakeboards and big name wetsuit brands including Billabong and O’Neill.
Backdoor has also taken over the long-running Island Style surf shop, which will no doubt be re-branded some time soon, with some similar opening specials on offer.
Backdoor may be a new outfit, but the helpful staff are the same, but take a little wander round the store at 24 Pacific Ave, Mt Maunganui (the old Assault shop) or phone ‘em on 07- 575 7831.
Mobile Kiteboarding Centre
Glen and Wendy Bright, who ran Assault for more than 20 years, have hit the road with a mobile kite surfing operation. They run a mobile show room and trailer loaded up with kites boards and accessories.
This extraordinary rig, known as the Assault Kiteboarding Centre, even hauls a 5m inflatable teaching and support boat. The Brights have specialist school kites and boards, along with demo models of North , Naish, Slingshot, Airush, Liquid Force and Underground. Rental is $100 an hour (including instruction and equipment).
Their instructors are all IKO ( International Kiteboarding Organisation) qualified and experienced kiteboarders. The pair say that being mobile ‘allows AKC to be at the beach when and where the wind and tides are best - maximizing all opportunities.’ The Assault windsurfing school will continue to operate as usual through the same booking system.
AKCs contacts are by email: info@assault.co.nz , mobile phone or txt 027 2457540.
