Body Glove

Body Glove International, LLC
Subsidiary
Industry Sporting Goods
Founded 1953
Founder Bill Meistrell & Robert Meistrell
Headquarters Redondo Beach, California, U.S.
Key people

Robert Meistrell, CEO

Russell Lesser, President
Number of employees
 51 (2007)
Parent Dive N' Surf Corporation (Private company)
Website Body Glove

Body Glove International, LLC is a surf/skateboard/watersports brand started in the United States. Body Glove was founded in 1953 by twin brothers Bill and Bob Meistrell. The brothers are often credited for inventing the first practical wetsuit in the early 1950s in the back of their Redondo Beach, California surf shop, Dive N' Surf. From those wetsuits Body Glove branched out into other product categories: they now make wetsuits, swimsuits, clothing, shoes, life vests, sunglasses, wakeboards, towables, backpacks, phone cases, and snorkeling equipment.

History

Body Glove was started by identical twins in Missouri, Bob and Bill Meistrell. Moving to Manhattan Beach in California in 1944, they became interested in surfing, and were one of the first to put fiberglass on the nose of their surfboards to protect the foam filled plywood boards. In 1953, they found the insulation used in the back of refrigerators, neoprene, worked well for the first practical wet suits. Bob and Bill borrowed $1800 from their mother and each bought one third of the local sports shop called Dive N' Surf.

The Meistrells designed and tailored their own brand of wetsuits. In the beginning the wetsuits were named Thermocline. The Meistrells didn't think this was a great name so they hired a marketing consultant, Duke Boyd. Duke asked about the characteristics of the suits and Billy said, "They fit like a glove," so Duke came up with the name Body Glove.

They were among the very first crop of South Bay lifeguards.

The company's headquarters is in Redondo Beach, California.[1]

Founders Bill and Bob Meistrell outside of Dive N' Surf

Sponsorship

The company's pro surfers include

Body Glove sponsors pro wake boarders Rusty Malinoski, Harley Clifford, Bob Soven, Shelby Kantar and Jeff McKee.

Body Glove photos

References

  1. ↑ Retrieved from http://cbs2.com/topstories/local_story_274164015.html on 2007-03-28
  2. ↑ "Bruce Irons". Volcom - Youth Against Establishment - Team - Surf. VOLCOM, Inc. 2011. Retrieved 15 May 2011.

External links

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