Body Glove is one of the oldest and most influential names in surf and watersports gear, and it all started with two brothers from Missouri — Bill and Bob Meistrell. After moving to Manhattan Beach, California, in the 1940s, the Meistrells became obsessed with the ocean lifestyle. They started lifeguarding and diving, but back then, spending long hours in the chilly Pacific was brutal. Wetsuits barely existed, and the ones that did were primitive and uncomfortable. In 1953, the Meistrells helped revolutionize the scene by creating one of the first practical neoprene wetsuits, launching a company they originally called Dive N’ Surf (which is still the name of their retail shop in Redondo Beach).
Their invention changed everything. Now, surfers, divers, and watersports enthusiasts could stay in the water longer and more comfortably. The wetsuit fit “like a glove” — inspiring the name “Body Glove,” which they formally adopted as their brand. Through the 1960s and 1970s, as surfing exploded in popularity, Body Glove wetsuits became the industry standard. The company later expanded into a full lifestyle brand, offering everything from rash guards and swimwear to surfboards, life vests, and water shoes, always staying close to their roots in practical, ocean-tested design.
Body Glove’s impact on Southern California — and the world — is hard to overstate. They didn’t just make wetsuits; they helped shape the modern watersports industry. Plus, their Dive N’ Surf shop in Redondo Beach remains a landmark, serving the South Bay’s dive, surf, and beach communities for over 70 years. Even today, Body Glove remains a family-run operation at its core, staying true to the spirit of innovation, ocean adventure, and community that Bill and Bob Meistrell set in motion back in the 1950s.