In 1963 Tim Heyland was working in the Brazilian rainforest collecting snake venom. Based on the coast, Tim saw surfable waves breaking on the beaches. Using a locally milled timber planks, Tim fashioned a basic surfboard and frequently surfed the beaches around Guaruja. Returning to the UK a few years later Tim joined forces with Dave Aldrich-Smith and began making some of the UK’s first foam and
fibreglass boards, blowing their own foam to supply UK demand. Starting in South Wales, they re-located to North Devon in 1968 making surfboards for the UK and European markets. Dave’s technical understanding coupled with Tim’s competitive surfing successes and shaping ability made a formidable team. Following ventures to Hawaii and California, in 1969 they secured the licenses to produce Californian brands such as Gordon and Smith, Bing and Weber alongside their own Tiki surfboards. With the development of neoprene and wetsuits Tiki produced some of the UK’s first specialised surfing wetsuits in 1972. Throughout the 80’s and 90’s Tiki developed into one of the UK’s largest surf companies with strong links across the world. Tim could be found searching out waves on early forays to the Mentawais or competing alongside other legends in the ASP masters tour. The Tiki brand continues to this day, making surfboards, wetsuits and surfing hardware, with sales around the world. Our product range includes some of the most cutting edge materials and construction processes and our Team of surfers includes multiple XXL nominated big wave, cold water chargers. We also distribute NSP and Torq surfboards throughout the UK and Ireland. Tiki remains owned and run by the 2 original founding surfers: Tim and Dave, making Tiki one of the oldest, original surf companies in the world.
