Balance boards have long been used by surfers and snowboarders as an off-season training tool — a way to maintain the core stability and footwork that board sports demand when the waves or the snow aren’t cooperating. Panga Boards, a small handmade operation based in Mount Maunganui, New Zealand, has built a following by making that training tool into something people also want to display, customize, and own as an object in its own right.
The boards
Panga makes three distinct models, each suited to a different style of use and skill level.
The Surf Grip is the entry point — a classic balance board shape with a grip surface designed to mimic the feel of standing on a surfboard. It’s the most straightforward of the three for general balance training.
The Fish Tail takes its shape from the fish-style surfboard silhouette: a wider, twin-tailed outline that changes how the board responds underfoot. Buyers choose their preferred fish tail style by sending Panga the code for the shape they want when ordering.
The Cross Step Board — showcased prominently on the account’s pinned content — is designed specifically for cross-stepping practice, the longboard surf technique where the rider walks up and down the board toward the nose. It’s a more specialized piece of equipment aimed at surfers working on footwork technique. The feed shows it being used outdoors at what appear to be community surf events across New Zealand.
All three models are handmade in wood. The feed shows natural timber finishes — warm tones, visible grain — as well as stained and painted variants. The construction quality visible in the photography is consistent with small-batch, workshop-level production rather than mass manufacturing.
Custom designs
The custom design option is where it gets visually interesting. Panga offers boards with detailed artwork burned or painted directly onto the wood — a Gryffindor crest with a personalized name, colorful mushroom illustrations, and abstract surf-inspired patterns. The range of what’s been produced suggests the design team works across engraving, painting, and mixed-media surface treatments.
For custom orders, buyers send their idea or design concept via DM. Panga’s design team then sends a quote based on the complexity of the design and the required delivery timeline. More intricate work takes longer and costs more — the pricing is not fixed but negotiated per project.
How to order
The brand operates entirely through Instagram at @panga_balance_board. Every board is made to order and sold via direct message. The steps, as outlined in Panga’s “How to Order” highlight:
Surf Grip: DM to place your order. Production takes 3 days after order confirmation, plus 3–5 working days for delivery.
Fish Tail: DM with the code of the fish tail shape you want. Production takes 5 days after confirmation, plus 3–5 working days for delivery.
Custom Design: DM your idea or reference artwork. The design team sends back a quote based on design complexity and timeframe. Production takes approximately 7–14 days after confirmation, plus 3–5 working days for delivery.
No pricing is listed publicly. All quotes are generated through the DM conversation after the order details are confirmed.
Community and reach
Despite having no website, Panga has built a genuine community around the product. The feed includes footage from surf events — including a Disabled Surf Event at Piha Beach, New Zealand, in 2026 — as well as content from Chile, suggesting the boards have found an audience beyond New Zealand’s borders.
The account’s tone is consistent with a founder-led lifestyle brand: surf culture, outdoor settings, occasional humor, and a clear pride in the craft. The “How Was This Beauty Born” pinned post traces the origin story of the product — a detail that small brands with genuine origin stories tend to lean into, and that audiences tend to respond to.
For anyone interested in surf training, balance work, or simply a well-made wooden object with some personality, Panga Boards is reachable at @panga_balance_board on Instagram.
Source: Panga Boards (Instagram)
