Skip to Content

Click on a label to read posts from that part of the world.

Map of the world

Who Invented the Wet Suit

surfingA very interesting article in the LA Times examines a question that has perplexed surfing aficionados for decades: who invented the wet suit? Who woke up one day and said, let's take this neoprene stuff and make it really tight, and allow a wee bit of water to enter so that it gets warm, and people will be able to go in the water whenever and whereever they want. We'll even make it black so that people look like seals and will become tasty snacks for sharks.

Turns out that three BIG names in water sports lay claim to this invention. Bob Meistrell runs Body Glove International, of Redondo Beach, and says he's the one. Jack O'Neill is a surfing legend who has leant his name to one of the surf industry's most recognized brands. He says he's the one. And finally Hugh Bradner, a UC Berkeley physics professor and Manhattan Project scientist, who lives in La Jolla…well, he says HE's the one. 

Who to believe? Sh*t, I don't know. But it's still a good article.

Filed under: Scuba Diving, Surfing, Gear, Stories

Search Travel Deals

Gadling Features

Categories

Become our Fan on Facebook!

Featured Galleries (view all)

The Volvo Ocean Race onboard Team Abu Dhabi
Virgin Galactic's Gateway to Space
Breakfasts around the world
FoodFlags
Outrageous State Fair Foods
The world's ten most uninhabited countries
Yellowstone in pictures: 2011
Most crowded islands on earth
Burj Khalifa: The tallest building on the planet

Our Writers

Grant Martin

Editor-in-chief

RSS Feed

Don George

Features Editor

RSS Feed

View more Writers