Brand Spotlight
Atan
A true “hidden champion” – ATAN boots have been handcrafted by a French family-owned company since 1983 and have achieved cult status worldwide. Instead of a conventional sole construction, the booties are based on a lined neoprene sock that is dipped in latex up to 24 times. This unique manufacturing process delivers unparalleled comfort and a perfect, foot-hugging fit for maximum board feel without cold spots. Water sports athletes of all disciplines swear by ATAN boots – whether kitesurfers, windsurfers, foilers, or surfers. One thing matters above all: surfing year-round.
The company ATAN was founded in 1983 in the heart of the Ardèche mountains. Since then, this family-run business has been manufacturing neoprene boots with latex soles in France, entirely by hand and using purely traditional craftsmanship. The latex used is 100% natural. This small family company follows its own path and proves that there is another way of doing things: sustainable, family-oriented, and with regional production. Since last year, ATAN has even begun expanding into more distant markets such as the USA and Australia.
These are quite possibly the best surf booties in the world ?! Otherwise, why would so many professional and highly dedicated water sports athletes have been relying on ATAN for decades? It’s certainly not due to advertising budgets or social media reach — there really isn’t any. Lisa Kloster, professional windsurfer and currently ranked third in the world, is a loyal heavy user and has since become an official brand ambassador. Beyond Lisa, there are many other well-known athletes from a wide range of disciplines who act as quiet, under-the-radar ambassadors. You’ll find ATAN boots all across Europe — in modern foiling and traditional wind sports alike, in wave pools, or at the most remote secret spots, from the Lofoten Islands to everywhere in between. (Photo: PWA)
The Incas were already making soles from this material over 3,000 years ago. Natural latex from trees (Hevea brasiliensis) is a renewable raw material with high sustainability potential, as it is biodegradable and requires less energy than synthetic rubber, and trees bind CO2 . No other rubber offers comparable mechanical properties in terms of flexibility, grip and resistance.
