Prior to Jack O’Neill’s contributions to the world of surfing, frigid waters like those found in Northern California would stop even the most motivated surfer in their tracks. Armed with only a pair of surf trunks, there was just no way to enjoy the sport while teetering on the edge of hypothermia.

Undaunted, Jack knew there had to be a way to allow surfers to enjoy their pastime year-round, at all hours of the day, he just couldn’t figure out how to accomplish it. The answer would come in the form a floor padding that was used in aircraft manufacturing called neoprene. It provided the perfect amount of insulation necessary to keep the body warm and he started humbly in his new venture by making simple glue-together vests. That was the beginning of the wetsuit as we know it, circa 1952.

From that point on, the surf craze literally exploded, thanks to the wetsuit and also the helping hand of Hollywood whose Gidget and Beach Party movies catapulted surfing to new heights. Jack found himself the proclaimed godfather of California surfing and millions of teenagers and adults alike have worn his neoprene suits over the years, to protect from the cold California water.

O’Neill remains a highly successful family run business to this day and has expanded their line to include many forms of athletic apparel, including sportswear designed for the emerging extreme sport market. Not a bad legacy for a guy who just wanted to surf without freezing to death.