G'Day Australia & Kia Ora New Zealand: The Waka Glide is Arriving!

The wait is over for our friends down under! We're thrilled to announce that the revolutionary Waka Glide folding foil board is now available in Australia and New Zealand – just in time for your summer season.

After overwhelming demand from riders across the Asia-Pacific region, we've expanded our global reach to bring the world's first folding foil board to Australia and New Zealand. Whether you're chasing swells along the Gold Coast, exploring New Zealand's pristine coastlines, or planning your next adventure across the Tasman, the Waka Glide is ready to transform how you travel with your gear.

Great News for Yachties and Boaties

The Waka Glide solves a challenge that sailors and boat owners know all too well – traditional foil boards are awkward to store and can be a hazard on deck. With our folding technology, your board can be safely stowed below deck, in a locker, or tucked away in tight spaces. No more boards sliding around in rough conditions or taking up precious deck real estate. Cruise to your favorite anchorage, unfold, and foil – it's that simple.

Our containers are headed to Melbourne and Auckland now, and we expect to start shipping to customers in the third week of January. With local warehouses in both cities, Australian and New Zealand riders will enjoy fast delivery, local currency checkout, and all-inclusive pricing with GST included – no surprise fees when your board arrives.

USA Update: Your Boards Are On the Way

For our North American customers, your boards are on the way! We'll be shipping in a few weeks as the container reaches port and clears customs.

Tariff Update: We've Got You Covered

As many of you know, import tariffs on goods from Thailand increased to 19% earlier this year. We want you to know that we've made a corporate decision to absorb this cost increase – we are not raising prices on our boards.

For all pre-order customers, we honor the price at which you purchased, regardless of any future tariff changes. That's the WAKA commitment to our community.

New Authorized Retailers & Demo Centers

We're thrilled to announce that three of North America's most respected watersports retailers are now carrying the Waka Glide! Even better – they're all authorized Demo Centers with boards available for you to try before you buy.

If you're on the fence about sizing or just want to experience the fold for yourself, reach out to schedule a demo session!

Industry First: Meet Viento – Our Expert AI Assistant

WAKA continues to lead the way in innovation – not just in board design, but in how we support our community.

We're proud to introduce Viento – the watersports industry's first expert AI assistant! This isn't just a basic chatbot – Viento is super smart on all things WAKA and can:

• Check your orders and shipping status – get real-time updates on your Waka Glide
• Find your perfect board – tell it your weight, skill level, where you ride, and what disciplines you're into (or want to try, like parawinging!) and it'll laser in on the right size for you
• Recommend compatible foils – get expert suggestions on foil setups that work beautifully with your Waka Glide
• Answer any product question – technical specs, travel tips, maintenance advice, you name it

Just as we revolutionized foil board portability with our folding technology, we're now revolutionizing customer support with AI. Whether you're a seasoned pro or a newcomer trying to figure out your ideal setup, Viento delivers expert-level guidance – 24/7, instantly.

Give Viento a try at waka.surf – look for the chat icon in the bottom right corner and ask away!

Viento is like having a foiling expert in your pocket... except this one never gets tired, never gets salty, and definitely won't steal your downwinder. 😄

We Break Boards, So You Don't Have To

Peace of mind, engineered in.

Just like the automotive industry crash-tests vehicles to ensure passenger safety, WAKA has implemented rigorous break testing as part of our manufacturing process. We deliberately sacrifice production boards to verify they meet our stringent design and mechanical requirements.

Our latest testing confirms the Waka Glide withstands over 1,000 lbs of downward force at the fold joint before failure. This simulates the extreme loads experienced during a massive impact on the water – whether it's a hard landing, an unexpected crash, or pushing your limits in challenging conditions.

And the hinge itself? It's rated for over 1 million fold cycles without degradation. That's not a typo – the aerospace-grade carbon-kevlar living hinge will outlast the board itself.

Why does this matter?

This level of destructive testing simply isn't standard in the industry. Most board manufacturers don't go to these lengths. But at WAKA, we believe that if you're trusting our folding technology to perform when it counts, we need to prove it can handle far more than you'll ever throw at it.

It's another example of WAKA going the extra mile – combining innovation with the rigorous engineering standards that give you confidence every time you unfold your board.

The Momentum Continues

2025 has been an incredible year for WAKA:

• 🏅 Dual winner at 2025 FIT Sport Design Awards (Innovation + Watersports)
• 📰 Featured by The Inertia as Top 5 Innovation at AWSI 2025
• ⭐ MACkiteboarding's review: "So good you forget it folds"
• 💪 Enhanced fastening system with 900+ lbs load capacity
• 🌍 Global reach across North America, Europe, Asia, and now Australia & New Zealand!

Join the Revolution

The Waka Glide represents more than just a new product – it's a fundamental shift in how we think about foil board design. Revolutionary portability without performance compromise. And now, riders across Australia and New Zealand can experience it for themselves.

Ready to fold and go? Visit waka.surf to learn more.

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Questions? Email us at info@waka.surf

From all of us at WAKA, happy holidays and see you on the water – wherever that may be! 🌊