BIC Sport

Becomes TAHE

TAHE is a brand born from the union of BIC Sport and Tahe Outdoors, two legendary companies famous for decades of commitment to water sports. BIC Sport’s board sport culture, manufacturing expertise and focus on family fun is now combined with Tahe Outdoors dedication to exploration and craftsmanship. The result is a brand dedicated to Endless Play Time on the water with family and friends of every skill level. It’s with this spirit that TAHE begins, building on a legendary foundation of European manufacturing and exploration, environmentally friendly production processes, quality products at an affordable price and investment in innovation and development with an eye to the next generation of water sports lovers.

"TAHE embraces the core values of BIC Sport and Tahe Outdoors while building a new legacy around the idea of Endless Play Time. We all dream of the endless summer, of fun and adventure with family and friends that is timeless and makes us truly feel alive. This is what we search for, and hope to find, each time we venture out on the water."

BIC Sport built its image on the pursuit of fun, living the Hawaiian dream and searching for the perfect wave. This passion inspired development of the best-selling windsurf boards on the planet. After numerous windsurf world championships BIC Sport expanded into other water sports; surfing, kayaking, junior sailing and most recently stand up paddle boarding. Countless successes in each of these sports made BIC Sport THE benchmark water sports brand for beginners and enthusiasts alike. This “open-to-everyone” strategy also drove the
approach to sports development with the launch of two inclusive ‘one class’ racing divisions for young sailors. Fleets of Techno 293 windsurf boards and O’pen Skiff dinghies are now found in over 60 countries worldwide. These innovative concepts have shaken up the sailing world with fun new competitive classes that are both dynamic and open to all.

In the late 1980s, far from the coconut palm beaches of Hawaii, Tahe Outdoors built its own legend conquering the cold, inhospitable seas of northern Europe. A group of hard-core sportsmen created a range of high-performance, super-tough kayaks so they could attempt extreme expeditions into the harsh, frozen landscapes of the great white north. “TAHE” means ”the will to succeed” in Estonian. An appropriate core value for the creators of this Estonian company, supported in its early days by the Finnish Kayak Federation. Two brands were created from this business (ad)venture : Zegul and Tahe Marine. Their products have been the platform for legendary expeditions to some of the most remote locations on the planet.

Retaining our manufacturing in France is not simply a gimmick or a question of pride, it’s also the best means of ensuring quality control and offering something different from other manufacturers’ products that are almost all made in Asia.

Our industrial site, where all TAHE rigid products are made, features a manufacturing process that is unique in the world. It enables us to exploit three different types of thermoformed technology in one location : hollow-body thermoforming, polystyrene core thermoforming, and blown extrusion, options that are not available to any other manufacturer on the planet.

These three production options mean we can consistently manufacture tough, light-weight, quality products that are excellent value for money, essential elements for delivering maximum fun whatever your skill level. It’s our continuous investment in high performance machines that enables us to compete with other products almost exclusively “made in Asia”.

"Respect for the environment is one of TAHE’s guiding  principles, building on a 40-year commitment to sustainable manufacturing at our factory in Vannes, France. And that commitment extends beyond the factory with an environmental policy that applies at every level: social, employment, supply chain, manufacturing,
recycling and energy efficiency."

• Polystyrene blanks: Zero waste internal production
• Polymer/ASA slabs: Zero waste internal production
• Aluminium Molds: 30 km
• Injection Molded Fins: 25 km
• Accessories, Parts, etc.: 80 km
• Glass & Carbon Molded Fins: 100 km
• Stickers: 100 km & 700km
• Plastics: Eastern Europe - 1000 km
• EVA Foam Pads: Eastern Europe - 1000 km

Tahe Outdoors France is the proud owner of an industrial tool that is unique in the world, capable of three different manufacturing techniques: thermoforming, thermoforming around a polystyrene core, and blow moulding/blown extrusion.

Tahe Outdoors France is the only manufacturer in the world to have these three manufacturing techniques available on one production site. This enables us to produce six different product types with consistency, quality and faithfulness to the original design, every time.

2&10- Thermoformed plastic skin (ASA).  / 3 - 50g/m2 Fiberglass wrap. / 4&8 - 200g/m2 Woven Fiberglass. / 5 - 200g/m2 Woven Fiberglass Reinforcement Patch in standing area. / 6 - 200g/m2 Woven Fiberglass Rail Reinforcement. / 7 - Molded, Watertight EPS Foam Core. / 9 - 50g/m2 Fiberglass wrap.

ACE-TEC Technology

Thermoforming around a Polystyrene Core
• Molded, light weight and watertight 15 kg/m3 EPS Foam Core.
• Fiberglass reinforcement for improved stiffness and
performance.
• ASA Polymer outer skin for unmatched durability and impact
resistance.
• Embossed EVA foam pad for maximum comfort.
• Molded external inserts – no penetrations through outer shell
and maximum strength.

Products using this technique:
Designated Windsurf and SUP boards

1- Deck pad.
2- Rugged Polyethylene Outer Shell.
3- Molded, Watertight EPS Foam Core.
4- Polyethylene outer shell.

TOUGH-TEC Technology

Thermoforming around a Polystyrene Core
• Molded, Watertight EPS Foam Core for structural integrity
and stiffness.
• Extremely tough outer polyethylene skin for extreme
impact resistance.
• Embossed EVA foam pad for maximum comfort.
• Molded external inserts – no penetrations through outer
shell and maximum strength.

Products using this technique:
Designated Windsurf and SUP boards

1- Polyethylene Outer Shell.
2- Polyurethane Foam Inner Core.
3- Polyethylene Outer Shell.

DURA-TEC Technology

Blow Molding / Blown Extrusion
• Used exclusively for surfboards that are built to last.
• Closed cell PU inner core for structural integrity and
board stiffness.
• Strong blow-moulded outer PE skin for ding resistance,
long-term durability.
• Molded external fin inserts - no penetrations through outer
shell and maximum strength.

Products using this technique:
DURA-TEC Surfboards

TWIN SHEET Technology

Super Solid Build Quality
• The deck and hull sections are formed and sealed together
in one single operation = incredibly durable. The join line is
invisible and 100% secure.
• TST is creating a product that is lighter, stronger and
smoother finished than rotomoulding.
• Our polyethylene is anti-UV treated and highly resistant
to knocks and scratching = exceptional durability.
• Molded external fin inserts = no penetrations through outer
shell and maximum strength.

Products using this technique:
Kayaks, O'pen Skiff, Dinghies

1- Deck Pad. / 2&3- Inner and outer PVC layer reinforcement along the rail.
4- Single layer PVC. / 5&8- PVC stringer patch.
6- High Density Dropstitch 4”75 or 6” thickness. / 7- Bottom stringer.

SUP-AIR Technology

Key Features
• Board thickness varied according to intended function.
BREEZE Performer 10’6 with 4”3/4 thickness for thinner
rails and better surfing, improved stability due to lower center
of gravity. All other boards with 6” thickness for
maximum stiffness.
• Ultra-light construction = easy to carry
• Reinforcements along the rails give the board very efficient
protection against abrasion.
• BREEZE Boards : Top & Bottom Stringer improves
stiffness vs. traditional inflatables.
• Twin Stiffening Stringers on SUP-YAK models.

Products using this technique:
Beach & Breeze Inflatable SUP

1- Leash plug / 2- Soft deck and rails / 3- 2 x 6oz Fiberglass layers + epoxy
4- EPS foam core / 5- Soft plastic fins / 6- Soft foam layer
7- Hard slick bottom / 8- Wood or composite stringers

PAINT / SOFTBOARDS Technology

Key Features
• Fiberglass & epoxy reinforced core = durability and
enhanced product lifetime.
• Soft IXPE foam top/rails and soft fins = comfort and
user-friendly performance.
• Durable protective deck layer = protects graphics.
• Soft, user-friendly fins with performance shapes =
safety and performance.

Products using this technique:
PAINT Surfboards

1- Side air chambers made of Drop Stitch material.
2- Bottom floor made of Drop Stitch material.
3- Reinforced PVC skin on the hull.

DROP STITCH SSL Technology | High Pressure (HP)

Key Features
• Drop Stitch SSL (SelyTec Single Layer) technology.
• High quality PVC specially treated to resist UV deterioration
with an excellent resistance to the folding and unfolding :
superior strength and rigidity, much lighter weight.
• High-resistance fabrics with perfect water-tightness:
avoids any risk of water infiltration.
• The panels are assembled using “Advanced SelyTech V2”
exclusive glue: sealing and holding power with resistance
to water and high temperature.

Products using this technique:
Inflatable FULL HP Kayaks

1- Nylon skin with highly resistant PU coating.
2- PVC bladder.
3- Heavy duty abrasion-resistant hull skin.

INFLATABLE LP KAYAKS Technology | Low Pressure (LP) 

Key Features
• 3-Chamber Construction for rigidity, stability and safety.
• Durable outer nylon shell with UV resistant coating.
• Replaceable Internal PVC Air Bladders.
• Rugged Tarpaulin hull for durability.
• Fast and Easy inflation / deflation.

Products using this technique:
Inflatable LP Kayaks