Xcel

Ed D'Ascoli founded Xcel in 1982, working from the bedroom of his home in Sunset Beach. D'Ascoli has never lacked inspiration and the opportunity to create and connect high-performance products with the athletes who requested them was irresistible. Xcel's overwhelming attention to product development will become the hallmark of the brand. The development of wetsuits in Hawaii was natural for D'Ascoli, having grown up sailing the cold Atlantic shores of New Jersey. While the temperate waters of Hawaii rarely require more than 2mm of neoprene, Sunset Beach and other North Shore spots are incredibly challenging and require world-class products for maximum performance. Drawing on his enthusiasm and experience of him in helping establish Victory Wetsuits (Japan) as an international brand, D 'Ascoli quickly laid the foundation for a wetsuit company that would revolutionize the industry and push the cutting edge of materials development. and design. After breaking into the surf market, Xcel spearheaded its rapid growth in expanding its offerings and found a wider audience across the ocean. Today surfing, diving, UV protection, paddle and wake come together to form the core of the Xcel brand charm. In 1990, D'Ascoli moved Xcel from Sunset Beach to its current headquarters in Haleiwa. Shortly thereafter, to better serve Xcel dealers on the mainland, the brand opened a warehouse in California. This west coast location facilitated Xcel's entry into the recreational diving market. Using successful features and extensive product knowledge for its surf and military wetsuits, Xcel quickly raised the bar for wetsuit design. Xcel's reputation for exceptional product quality is the clear result of a constant dedication to research, development and design innovation. With products that range from tropical waters to freezing polo waters and for every sex, the Xcel brand emphasizes performance: maximum stretch and durability, seam-sealed construction and a fit that always feels like it was made on measure. Xcel has been named "Wetsuit of the Year" by the Surf Industry Manufacturers Association (SIMA) and her industry peers four times (2007, 2008, 2010, 2020).