Surfing originated in Hawaii, where the water is warm, but as the sport spread around the world, cold water became the bane of surfers, cutting many a session short. Surfers tried such insufficient strategies as jumping around on the beach to work up a sweat before paddling out and wearing layers of clothes, including wool sweaters soaked in water-repelling oil. Nothing worked very well until the invention of the wetsuit.
Earliest Wetsuit Idea
The earliest known idea for a wetsuit came in 1951. In a letter dated June 21 of that year, naval worker Hugh Bradner expressed his idea that if a person trapped a thin layer of water between his skin and "something," as he put it, insulation from the cold ocean would be achieved. However, Bradner never followed through by creating such an outfit, nor did he patent the design.
Surfing San Francisco
Surfer Jack O'Neill had both the idea and the motivation to construct the first wetsuit: He surfed the chilly waters of 1950s San Francisco, and after losing his job after a surf-related incident, O'Neill opened San Francisco's first surf shop. In addition to shaping boards out of balsa wood, he began playing around with ideas for garments that would keep surfers warmer. His early attempts were made with PVC and other plastics. These provided insulation but didn't work well as clothing.
Neoprene Comes on the Scene
O'Neill's big breakthrough came in 1953 when he began his experiments with neoprene, a synthetic rubber. The material was buoyant and fairly flexible, but his early unlined suits were ill-fitting and uncomfortable. Since the neoprene was sticky and fragile, surfers sprinkled their bodies with baby powder to help the wetsuits slide on and off. Later, when nylon was developed, it proved to be a perfect backing material. While Jack O'Neill and his brother Robert worked together in Northern California, Bob and Bill Meistrell of Manhattan Beach, California, also were crafting neoprene wetsuits. The Meistrells founded the popular surf brand Body Glove.
Other Innovations
Wetsuit innovation continued over the years. The 1970s saw wetsuits being lined with nylon on both sides, increasing their protection and strength, and in the 1980s, neon-colored wetsuits had their heyday. Styles and thicknesses were crafted for different conditions. A surfer in California might wear a 2-mm-thick springsuit, covering his body from the knees to the elbows, but die-hard Eastern surfers could don a 5-mm-thick fullsuit, along with neoprene hood, gloves and booties, for winter. Today's surf industry includes dozens of wetsuit makers who continue to innovate and vie for surfers' business.
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