O'Neill (brand)
Encyclopedia
O'Neill is an American surfboard, surfwear and equipment brand that was started in San Francisco, California
, but soon moved down the coast to Santa Cruz
. Some credit the company with having invented the modern wetsuit
. They now also make clothing and their clothing division is headquartered in Irvine, California
with their surf division still in Santa Cruz.
In 1996 O'Neill set up the O'Neill Sea Odyssey
, a free, ocean-based program to educate young people about the marine environment
.
In Europe, O'Neill is based in Warmond
, Netherlands
.
opened the first surf shop in a garage on the Great Highway in San Francisco, CA. a sand dune away from his favorite bodysurfing break. While Dale Velzy, Hobie Alter and others had shops down south, they only sold boards. There O'Neill sold his first wetsuits, a few vests he made from gluing together pieces of closed cell foam. From the garage he expanded the average surfer's playground to include locations from Steamer Lane
to J-Bay
, and from Antarctica to reef breaks off the coast of Iceland.
Since then, O'Neill has made countless improvements to the design and quality of the wetsuit. From the introduction of the zigzag stitch to the names he originated which became generic, (i.e. spring suit, long john, short john, etc.).
O'Neill's son Pat was a pioneer in developing the leash, affectionately known as the "kook cord" back then. Using materials such as nylon lines, suction cups and surgical tubing, Pat found ways to prevent his board from crashing into the cliffs and breaking in half. While testing a leash, founder Jack O'Neill lost an eye and now has to wear an eyepatch.
The O'Neill brand now branches out to many products. Wetsuits, surfboard
s, boardbags, swimsuit
s, clothing, and shoes are some of the products on which O'Neill prints their logo.
O'Neill has teamed up with Royal Philips Electronics to produce in-ear headphones.
San Francisco, California
San Francisco , officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the financial, cultural, and transportation center of the San Francisco Bay Area, a region of 7.15 million people which includes San Jose and Oakland...
, but soon moved down the coast to Santa Cruz
Santa Cruz, California
Santa Cruz is the county seat and largest city of Santa Cruz County, California in the US. As of the 2010 U.S. Census, Santa Cruz had a total population of 59,946...
. Some credit the company with having invented the modern wetsuit
Wetsuit
A wetsuit is a garment, usually made of foamed neoprene, which is worn by surfers, divers, windsurfers, canoeists, and others engaged in water sports, providing thermal insulation, abrasion resistance and buoyancy. The insulation properties depend on bubbles of gas enclosed within the material,...
. They now also make clothing and their clothing division is headquartered in Irvine, California
Irvine, California
Irvine is a suburban incorporated city in Orange County, California, United States. It is a planned city, mainly developed by the Irvine Company since the 1960s. Formally incorporated on December 28, 1971, the city has a population of 212,375 as of the 2010 census. However, the California...
with their surf division still in Santa Cruz.
In 1996 O'Neill set up the O'Neill Sea Odyssey
O'Neill Sea Odyssey
O'Neill Sea Odyssey is a non-profit organization located in Santa Cruz, California . It was founded in 1996 by wet suit innovator Jack O'Neill and provides students with hands-on lessons on marine habitat and the relationship between the oceans and the environment.The program provides a free...
, a free, ocean-based program to educate young people about the marine environment
Oceanography
Oceanography , also called oceanology or marine science, is the branch of Earth science that studies the ocean...
.
In Europe, O'Neill is based in Warmond
Warmond
Warmond is a village and former municipality in the western Netherlands, north of Leiden in the province of South Holland. The municipality covered an area of 14.42 km² of which 4.42 km² is water, and had a population of 4,977 in 2004. Together with Sassenheim and Voorhout, it became...
, Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
.
History
In 1952 Jack O'NeillJack O'Neill (businessman)
Jack O'Neill is an American businessman, often credited with the invention of the wetsuit. In 1952 he opened one of California's first surf shops in a garage on the Great Highway in San Francisco, close to his favorite bodysurfing break, which lead to the establishment of a company that deals in...
opened the first surf shop in a garage on the Great Highway in San Francisco, CA. a sand dune away from his favorite bodysurfing break. While Dale Velzy, Hobie Alter and others had shops down south, they only sold boards. There O'Neill sold his first wetsuits, a few vests he made from gluing together pieces of closed cell foam. From the garage he expanded the average surfer's playground to include locations from Steamer Lane
Steamer Lane
Steamer Lane is a famous surfing location in Santa Cruz, California. It is just off a point on the side of cliffs in the West Cliff residential area near downtown Santa Cruz, providing easy access and a good vantage point for viewing. The Santa Cruz Surfing Museum is housed in a lighthouse there....
to J-Bay
Jeffreys Bay
Jeffreys Bay is a town located in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa. The town is situated just off the N2 Highway, about an hour's drive southwest of Port Elizabeth.- History :...
, and from Antarctica to reef breaks off the coast of Iceland.
Since then, O'Neill has made countless improvements to the design and quality of the wetsuit. From the introduction of the zigzag stitch to the names he originated which became generic, (i.e. spring suit, long john, short john, etc.).
O'Neill's son Pat was a pioneer in developing the leash, affectionately known as the "kook cord" back then. Using materials such as nylon lines, suction cups and surgical tubing, Pat found ways to prevent his board from crashing into the cliffs and breaking in half. While testing a leash, founder Jack O'Neill lost an eye and now has to wear an eyepatch.
The O'Neill brand now branches out to many products. Wetsuits, surfboard
Surfboard
A surfboard is an elongated platform used in the sport of surfing. Surfboards are relatively light, but are strong enough to support an individual standing on them while riding a breaking wave...
s, boardbags, swimsuit
Swimsuit
A swimsuit, bathing suit, or swimming costume is an item of clothing designed to be worn by men, women or children while they are engaging in a water-based activity or water sports, such as swimming, water polo, diving, surfing, water skiing, or during activities in the sun, such as sun bathing.A...
s, clothing, and shoes are some of the products on which O'Neill prints their logo.
O'Neill has teamed up with Royal Philips Electronics to produce in-ear headphones.