"Hearst Magazines and Yahoo may earn commission or revenue on some items through these links." Almost all wetsuits are made from neoprene, a soft, synthetic-rubber material that uses closed air cells ...

Introduced in the early 1950s, wetsuits flopped among surfers, who saw the uncomfortable rubber skins as more suitable for wimps than wave riders. Enter Bill Meistrell, a dive-shop owner who used a ...