Since the dawn of Australian snowboarding, the iconic demo day has stood the test of time one of the most loved on-hill events by riders of all ages and abilities – where reps, shop kids, punters, pros and tyre-kickers co-exist in a beautifully colourful village of 3x3m tents, banners and board racks.
Despite your local snowboard rep cursing beyond belief as he lugs his quiver up the hill at sunrise, fingers frozen and signage hanging on for dear life in the wind, demo days haven’t gone anywhere over the years, and there’s a reason why.
Rather than dropping a grand + on something based on a guess or a YouTube review, demo days let you test new gear in real mountain conditions – and in Australia, that’s as important as ever. You get to feel how a board responds under your feet, compare models side-by-side, and make a smart, informed decision about which board and binding combo actually suits your riding – on the mountain it will be spending the majority of its time.
With snowboard tech evolving faster than ever, picking the right board isn’t just as simple as choosing the one with the coolest topsheet. Shapes, flex, camber profiles, and materials can totally change how a board rides, and that’s where demo days earn their keep. They’re pretty much always free – and one of the benefits of being in the southern hemisphere is most brand will bring in next season’s boards before the rest of the world which means you’re riding shit from the future!
Here’s your cheat sheet on this year’s must-ride boards and where to find the demo villages across our resorts this year. If you’re in the area, go and slap palms with your local snowboard rep. These guys are the backbone of the snowboarding industry in Australia – and when it comes to picking the right board, they’ve done all the hard work learning the ins and outs of their quiver so you don’t have to.
Cheers to the humble demo day.
Top 2026 Boards to Try
- Burton: Counterbalance – softer flexing all-mountain work horse
- CAPiTA: Aeronaut – Arthur Longo’s all-terrain rocket with serious pop.
- Nitro: Alternator – all-terrain freestyle handles everything in and out of bounds
- Lib Tech: Mayhem Sweetfish – effortless carving and unmatched float in deep snow.
- Salomon: Assassin Pro– directional twin shape, lightweight yet explosive.
- Ride: Twinpig – volume-shifted twin for park and pow.
- K2: Sky Pilot – Sage Kotsenburg’s choice for precision and responsiveness.
- GNU: Riders Choice – trusted freestyle all-rounder.
- Arbor: El Camino – Built like a brick you-know-what, ready to launch off anything
- Korua: Café Racer – Tight turns and high speeds, a classic carving board
- Jones: Mind Expander Twin – freestyle shape with all-mountain aggression.
2025 Demo Day Calendar – Australia
Perisher, NSW – 3 Peaks Demo Tour
Wednesday 9 July & Thursday 10 July
Front Valley
Burton, CAPiTA, Arbor, Korua, Lib Tech, GNU, Nitro, Salomon
Falls Creek, VIC – 3 Peaks Demo Tour
Thursday 31 July & Friday 1 August
Slalom Plaza
Burton, CAPiTA, Arbor, Korua, Lib Tech, GNU, Nitro, Salomon
Thredbo – Burton Demo Day
Saturday 19 July and Sunday 20 July
Burton Store, Thredbo
Mt Hotham, VIC – 3 Peaks Demo Tour
Thursday 28 & Friday 29 August
Top of Village Chair
Burton, CAPiTA, Arbor, Korua, Lib Tech, GNU, Nitro, Salomon
Mt Buller, VIC – Mt Buller Demo Day
Wednesday 16 July and Thursday 17 July
TBC
Burton, CAPiTA, Ride, K2, Nitro, Jones, Rome
Smiggins, NSW – Rhythm Demo Days
Monday 21 & Tuesday 22 July
Outside The Smiggins Hotel
Burton, CAPiTA, Arbor, Korua, Lib Tech, GNU, Nitro, Salomon and more
Cardrona, NZ – NZ Demo Tour
Monday June 30 – Tuesday July 1
TBC
Burton, Arbor, Capita, Gnu, Jones, LibTech, Nidecker, Nitro
Remarkables, NZ – NZ Demo Tour
Thursday July 3 – Friday July 4
TBC
Burton, Arbor, Capita, Gnu, Jones, LibTech, Nidecker, Nitro
Mt Hutt, NZ – Boardertown Demos
Saturday July 12 and Sunday July 13
TBC
Burton, Jones, Capita, Bataleon, Arbor, Rome, Nitro, Yes
Coronet Peak, NZ – Boardertown Demos
Tuesday July 15
TBC
Burton, Jones, Capita, Bataleon, Arbor, Rome, Nitro, Yes
Cardrona, NZ – Boardertown Demos
Wednesday 16 July and Thursday 17 July
TBC
Burton, Jones, Capita, Bataleon, Arbor, Rome, Nitro, Yes
Remarkables, NZ – Boardertown Demos
Saturday 19 July Sunday 20 July
TBC
Burton, Jones, Capita, Bataleon, Arbor, Rome, Nitro, Yes
Whether you’re looking for your next daily driver or just want to ride something new for the day, snowboard demo events are your best shot at finding the right fit, without the buyer’s remorse.
