If you spend enough time driving New Zealand’s coastline, you start to notice something pretty quickly — surf shops aren’t just shops here. They’re meeting points, weather check-ins, repair stations, caffeine stops, and the place where half the local surf gossip gets exchanged before the tide even turns.
From the cold, heavy water of Dunedin to the world-class, peeling left-handers of Raglan, each surf town has its own rhythm — and usually at the centre of it, there’s a surf shop quietly holding it all together. Some are big and polished, stocked with global brands and clean displays. Others are sandy-floor, salt-air spaces where wetsuits dry on the back wall and someone’s shaping foam in the back room.
This guide pulls together the surf shops that actually matter across Aotearoa — not just the retail chains, but the coastal institutions, the small-town heroes, and the places that still feel like surfing is more lifestyle than industry.
Whether you’re chasing boards, wetsuits, advice, or just trying to figure out where the next swell is hitting, these are the spots that keep New Zealand’s surf culture moving.
Auckland
The Surfboard Warehouse
Address: 164 Khyber Pass Road, Grafton, Auckland 1021
Phone: +64 9 888 0473
Town: Auckland
Great for surfboards, wetsuits, and accessories.
Ultimate Surf & Skate
Address: 4/192 Wairau Road, Glenfield, Auckland 0627
Phone: +64 9 476 7000
Town: Auckland
Strong surf and skate community focus.
Underground Surf & Skate
Address: 306 Hibiscus Coast Highway, Orewa 0931
Phone: +64 9 427 9552
Town: Orewa
Well-known local surf store north of Auckland.
Backdoor
Phone: 09 489 4637
Town: Auckland
One of New Zealand’s iconic surf retailers since the late 1980s.
Backdoor Westfield
Westfield St Lukes, 80 Saint Lukes Road, Mount Albert, Auckland 1025
Phone: +64 9 218 9974
Backdoor Pukekohe
The Zone, 14 Subway Road, Pukekohe 2120
Phone: +64 9 239 2061
Freeride Surf & Skate
Address: 5 Vitasovich Avenue, Henderson, Waitakere City 0614
Phone: +64 9 835 9275
Town: Auckland
Popular West Auckland surf/skate shop.
North Beach Sylvia Park
Sylvia Park, Mount Wellington, Auckland 1060
Phone: +64 9 573 1113
Town: Auckland North Beach Albany
North Beach
61 Silverdale Street, Silverdale 0932
Phone: +64 9 426 6993
Town: Silverdale / Auckland region
North Beach Albany Mega Centre
Albany Mega Centre, Auckland 0632
Phone: +64 9 415 0331
Town: Auckland North Beach Silverdale
Hyper Ride — Penrose
Address: 100 Hugo Johnston Drive, Penrose, Auckland 1061
Phone: 0800 855 788
Town: Auckland
Large surf, SUP, wake and wetsuit warehouse with a massive range of gear and fast nationwide shipping.
SUP Centre — Newmarket
Address: 20 Melrose Street, Newmarket, Auckland 1023
Phone: +64 9 520 3366
Town: Auckland
A premium surf, SUP and foil specialist store with performance gear and high-end board selection.
Lion Rock Surf Shop — Piha
Address: Piha Store, Piha Road, Piha 0772, Auckland
Phone: +64 9 812 8433
Town: Auckland (Piha)
A true beachside surf shop located right at Piha, offering boards, wetsuits, rentals and surf accessories directly at the break.
Chances Surf NZ — St Heliers
Address: 33–39 St Heliers Bay Road, St Heliers, Auckland 1071
Phone: +64 9 575 9700
Town: Auckland
Surf and streetwear retail chain with multiple NZ stores, offering surf apparel, swimwear and accessories.
Boardertown — Auckland CBD
Address: 102 Cuba Street, Te Aro, Auckland 6011
Phone: +64 9 800 428 696
Town: Auckland
Skate and surf lifestyle retailer offering surf-inspired apparel, footwear and accessories.
Board Factory — Auckland CBD
Address: 35 Cuba Street, Te Aro, Auckland 6011
Phone: +64 4 473 5689
Town: Auckland
Board sports store covering skate, snow and surf lifestyle gear in central Auckland.
Northland (Far North Surf Region)
Blue Revolution — Whangārei
Address: 52 The Strand, Whangārei 0110
Phone: +64 9 430 0501
Town: Whangārei
One of Northland’s key surf and skate retailers, supporting the local surf and beach lifestyle.
Rebel Surf — Whangārei
Address: 3 James Street, Whangārei 0110
Phone: +64 9 438 7740
Town: Whangārei
Long-running surf and lifestyle store serving the local surf community and nearby east coast beaches.
Jon Matich Surfwear — Dargaville
Address: 97 Victoria Street, Dargaville 0310
Phone: +64 9 439 8380
Town: Dargaville
Independent surfwear store with deep local heritage in the Kaipara region.
Mount Maunganui / Tauranga
Mount Surf Shop
Address: 98 Maunganui Road, Mount Maunganui 3116
Phone: +64 7 575 9133
Town: Mount Maunganui
Classic Mount surf culture combined with coffee and apparel.
Backdoor
Address: 24 Pacific Avenue, Mount Maunganui 3116
Phone: 07 575 7831
Town: Mount Maunganui
North Beach Mt Maunganui
105 Maunganui Road, Mount Maunganui 3116
Phone: +64 7 574 0024
Town: Mount Maunganui
North Beach Fraser Cove
Fraser Cove Shopping Centre, 229–243 Fraser Street, Tauranga South, Tauranga 3112
Phone: +64 7 571 0212
Town: Tauranga
North Beach The Crossing
Tauranga Crossing, Tauriko, Tauranga 3110
Phone: +64 7 282 9820
Town: Tauranga
Rip Curl Mt Maunganui
138 Maunganui Road, Mount Maunganui 3116
Phone: 075721352
Town: Mount Maunganui
Assault Boardriding Centre
Address: 2A/12 Hocking Street, Mount Maunganui 3116
Phone: 027 245 7540
Town: Mount Maunganui
Waikato Surf Region
Backdoor — Hamilton
Address: Arcadia Building, Worley Place, Hamilton 3204
Phone: +64 7 839 0368
Town: Hamilton
Major surf and skate retail store serving the wider Waikato region.
Surf & Gear — Hamilton
Address: Centreplace, Hamilton Central 3204
Phone: +64 7 838 1426
Town: Hamilton
Surf and skate lifestyle store with wetsuits, boards, and accessories.
North Beach — Hamilton (The Base)
Address: The Base Retail Park, Corner Te Rapa Road & Wairere Drive, Te Rapa, Hamilton 3200
Phone: +64 7 849 2460
Town: Hamilton
A major nationwide surf and lifestyle retailer located in Hamilton’s largest shopping hub, offering surf, skate, footwear, wetsuits, and accessories from leading global brands.
Raglan
Raglan Surf Emporium
Address: 3 Wainui Road, Raglan 3225 Phone: +64 7 282 0018
Town: Raglan
A core Raglan surf shop with strong local reputation and rentals.
Raglan Surf Company
Address: 7 Wainui Road, Raglan 3225, New Zealand
Phone: +64 7 825 8988
Town: Raglan
Family-owned surf shop and home of Hughes Surfboards, offering surfboards, wetsuits, surf rentals, repairs, lessons, and locally inspired apparel.
Coromandel / Whangamatā
Saltwater Surf Shop
Address: 505B Port Road, Whangamatā 3620
Phone: +64 7 865 8666
Town: Whangamatā
Boutique-style surf shop near one of NZ’s best beach towns.
Whangamata Surf Shop
Address: 634 Port Road, Whangamatā 3620
Phone: +64 7 865 8252
Town: Whangamatā
Established surf retailer in the Coromandel surf scene.
Chances Surf NZ
Address: 601 Port Road, Whangamatā 3620, New Zealand
Phone: +64 7 865 8863
Town: Whangamatā
A popular Kiwi-owned surf lifestyle retailer with strong surf, skate, and beach culture presence in Whangamatā. Stocks major surf brands and apparel.
Assault Boardriding Centre
Address: 2A/12 Hocking Street, Mount Maunganui 3116, New Zealand
Phone: +64 27 245 7540
Town: Mount Maunganui
One of the Bay of Plenty’s most established boardriding stores, operating since 1982 with deep roots in surfing, kiteboarding, SUP, wing foiling, and surf instruction.
Gisborne
New Wave NZ Surfboards
Address: 189 Awapuni Road, Awapuni, Gisborne 4010
Phone: +64 21 073 2076
Town: Gisborne
Surfboards and local surf expertise on the East Coast.
Blitz Surf Shop
Address: 34 Wainui Road, Inner Kaiti, Gisborne 4010
Phone: +64 6 868 4428
One of NZ’s most iconic independent surf shops and the second oldest established surf shop in New Zealand, operating since 1983.
Sequence Surf Shop
Address: 279 Gladstone Road, Gisborne 4010
Phone: +64 6 868 9591
Locally owned surf, skate, and snow retailer with surf hardware, wetsuits, rentals, and apparel.
The Boardroom
Address: 661 Wainui Road, Wainui Beach, Gisborne 4010
Phone: +64 27 225 7708
Smaller Wainui Beach surf-focused store close to one of NZ’s best surf beaches.
Taranaki
Vertigo Surf
Address: 2 Tasman Parade, Ōakura 4314
Phone: +64 6 752 7363
Town: Ōakura
Strong local surf community presence near New Plymouth breaks.
Dreamtime Surf
Address: 2 Tasman Parade, Ōakura 4314
Phone: +64 6 752 7363
Town: Ōakura
A classic “real surf shop” with strong local roots. Dreamtime combines surfboards, wetsuits, rentals, repairs, and apparel — plus coffee and a strong community vibe. It’s a key stop along Surf Highway 45.
Seasons Surf & Skate — New Plymouth / Warea
Address: 49 Leach Street, New Plymouth + Warea workshop
Phone: +64 6 759 4609
Town: New Plymouth / Warea
A locally owned surf and skate store with surfboards, wetsuits, accessories, and custom shaping/repairs. Strong focus on board building and hands-on surf culture.
Crystal Cylinder
Address: 109 Devon Street West, New Plymouth 4310
Town: New Plymouth
A curated coastal lifestyle store combining surfboards, surf-inspired fashion, and café culture. It blends surf retail, art, and New Zealand coastal design into a premium showroom experience.
Wellington
Real Surf
Address: 5/56 Kingsford Smith Street, Lyall Bay, Wellington 6022
Phone: +64 4 387 8798
Town: Wellington
One of Wellington’s best-known core surf stores.
Backdoor — Wellington Airport Retail Park
Address: Airport Retail Park, 2 George Bolt Street, Rongotai, Wellington 6022
Phone: +64 4 473 3371
Town: Wellington
A major nationwide surf, skate, and streetwear retailer with a strong presence in the capital.
Shapers Inc. — Wellington Central
Address: 2/13/15 Adelaide Road, Mount Cook, Wellington 6021
Town: Wellington
Core surf shop and surfboard-focused retailer supporting performance surfing, boards, and gear.
Boardertown — Wellington CBD
Address: 102 Cuba Street, Te Aro, Wellington 6011
Phone: +64 800 428 696
Town: Wellington
Skate and board sports retailer with surf-inspired apparel and accessories.
Fusion Skate — Cuba Street
Address: Ground Floor, 89 Cuba Street, Te Aro, Wellington 6011
Phone: +64 4 801 8310
Town: Wellington
Lifestyle skate and surf-inspired clothing store with strong youth culture influence.
Christchurch
Exit Surf Shop
Address: 1020 Ferry Road, Ferrymead, Christchurch 8023
Phone: +64 3 384 2813
Town: Christchurch
Well-reviewed independent surf retailer.
Boardertown
Address: 79 Lichfield Street, Christchurch Central City, Christchurch 8011
Phone: +64 3 930 0410
Town: Christchurch
One of NZ’s best-known board sports retailers with surf, skate, snow, footwear, and streetwear.
Backdoor
Address: 3/1105 Ferry Road, Woolston, Christchurch 8023
Phone: +64 3 925 9486
Town: Christchurch
Part of the nationwide Backdoor chain with strong surf and youth culture presence.
North Beach Christchurch
Address: Mid City Centre, 1/663 Colombo Street, Christchurch 8011
Phone: +64 3 366 3580
Town: Christchurch
Major nationwide surf retailer stocking leading global surf brands.
Snow and Surf
Address: 85 Tuam Street, Christchurch Central City, Christchurch 8011
Phone: +64 3 366 7351
Town: Christchurch
Long-running Canterbury board sports store covering surf, snow, skate, and outdoor lifestyle gear.
Kaikōura
Kaikōura Marine & Surf
Address: 7 West End, Kaikōura 7300
Phone: +64 3 319 5362
Town: Kaikōura
Local surf and marine lifestyle store supporting Kaikōura’s cold-water surf and coastal tourism scene, with gear for surfing, fishing, and ocean activities.
Kaikōura Boardriders / Surf Hire & Retail (seasonal operations vary)
Address: Beachfront area, Kaikōura Peninsula
Phone: Varies (tourism-based operators)
Town: Kaikōura
Small surf hire and retail setups operating around the main surf beaches, serving travellers and local surfers depending on swell season.
Dunedin
Boardrush Surf Shop
Address: 65 St Andrew Street, Dunedin Central 9016
Phone: +64 3 477 0577
Town: Dunedin
One of Dunedin’s main surf and skate retailers, supporting local surfers, wetsuits, boards, and cold-water surf essentials.
Hang Ten Surf Shop
Address: Meridian Mall, 267 George Street, Dunedin 9016
Phone: +64 3 477 8000
Town: Dunedin
Surf and lifestyle retail store inside Dunedin’s main shopping area, offering surf apparel, wetsuits, and beachwear.
West Coast
Surf Fevah
Address: 153 Palmerston Street, Westport 7825
Phone: +64 21 022 15919
Town:
Legendary West Coast surf shop with strong local following.
