BODYGLOVE Wetsuit , about 1960. The wetsuit was a milestone in the advancement of surfing as it allowed surfers to spend more time in the water and access places that were previously impossible due to the water temperature. Although there is controversy about which brand (O’NEILL or BODYGLOVE) was the pioneer in its creation – before, extremely hard diving suits made of neoprene that were not very flexible and too thick were used – it took surfing one step beyond.