Of all the large, historical surf companies, only Body Glove is still owned by the family that founded it
by Russ Lesser
Body Glove is one of many famous surf companies formed in the ‘50s, ‘60s and ‘70s. Others include Hang Ten, OP, O’Neill, Quiksilver, Rip Curl, Billabong and Mossimo. More recently others, such as Hurley and Volcom, have become prominent. Most of these surf companies began as apparel companies and only later produced other surf products such as wetsuits.
Body Glove, O’Neill and Rip Curl are the three original surf wetsuit companies.
Fast forward to 2011. Of all the companies mentioned above, all but one have become part of a large public company (Quiksilver, Rip Curl, Billabong), been acquired by a large company (Hurley by Nike, O’Neill by Logo International, etc.), gone bankrupt (OP, Hang Ten, and many others), or partnered with a mass retailer (OP with WalMart, Hang Ten with Kohls, Mossimo with Target, etc.) Only Body Glove, from among the large surf companies with long term surf roots, is still owned and operated by the family that started it almost six decades ago.
The Meistrell brother twins, Bill and Bob, manufactured and marketed the first commercial wetsuit for surfing and diving in Redondo Beach in 1953. Their Body Glove wetsuits allowed surfers to surf year round and helped start the surfing phenomenon that has grown into a worldwide, multi-billion dollar industry.
What started out as a wetsuit company now offers the widest variety of water sports products of any company, no matter the size. Our products include wetsuits, swimsuits, surf apparel, aquatics products, life vests, body boards, casual footwear, stand-up paddleboards, sunglasses, watches and backpacks. We shortly will be offering a full line of stand up paddleboards.
Body Glove invented and patented many products, including a wide variety of orthopedic products. Throughout the years, over 60 NFL, NBA, NHL teams and every Major League Baseball team have used Body Glove orthopedic braces and ice packs.
A recent Sports One Source survey found that the Body Glove trademark is one of the top two most recognized surf brands in the country.
At first glance some products might lead one to ask, “Why is that a Body Glove product?”
A good example is our water filter program. Our company has always been very concerned about the environment, dating back to the ‘50s when we sponsored beach cleanups and began the “Keep your Ocean Blue” campaign. In the early ‘90s we developed reusable, canvas shopping bags to cut down on plastic bag use. Unfortunately, we were ahead of our time, and couldn’t give the bags away. We have also been big supporters of the Surfrider Foundation, Heal the Bay, Reef Check, and many other organizations committed to helping the environment.
So why water filters? The bottled water industry does major environmental damage. In addition to using millions of barrels of oil each year to bottle and transport the product, less than 10 percent of all plastic bottles are recycled, resulting in over 30 million tons of plastic that winds up in landfills or dumped into our precious oceans. Using a Body Glove water filter in your home or business eliminates the need to buy bottled water.
Body Glove also sells a reusable water bottle with a filter built in. The filter eliminates the need to take bottled water when you travel, even to places with signs that warn, “Do not drink the tap water,” such as Mexico and China. Our family and friends have filled up our bottles with tap water in those countries and never had a problem. We also make other products that help the environment, including an eco wetsuit, the only wetsuit with non petroleum neoprene. The eco suit neoprene is from calcium carbonate.
So what does the future hold for the surf industry and for Body Glove? Trends come and go, but people’s love for the oceans, lakes and rivers around the world will always be there. Our goal is to continue to produce new, innovative and improved products that help people enjoy their water and other active lifestyle experiences.
Our recent track record shows that we are succeeding in this goal. Our worldwide sales of Body Glove products have increased almost 50% since 2008, when the recession began.
Bill and Bob Meistrell created a company based on a dream of life in the water. Over 50 years later, the Meistrell family continues this dream by setting standards of excellence in product design, a respect for the world around them, and deep rooted values in the water sports world. We are still owned by the same family that founded the company. Our management team consists of South Bay people who have lived, surfed and dived in the area for, in most cases, their entire lives. We have no public shareholders, investment bankers, or boards of directors to report to. As a result, we are able to relate and react to the needs and wants of today’s water enthusiasts, around the world.
Russ Lesser is a CPA and president of Body Glove International. He is a former Manhattan City Councilman. ER
