Ed D’Ascoli founded Xcel in 1982, working from the bedroom of his Sunset Beach house. D’Ascoli found no shortage of inspiration from the world-class performances on display at his doorstep; and the opportunity to create and to connect high-performance products with the athletes who demanded them was irresistible. Xcel’s passionate focus on product development would become the defining characteristic of the brand.

Xcel has been voted Surf Industry Manufacturer’s Association (SIMA) “Wetsuit of the Year” by its industry peers three times (2007, 2008, 2010).