Over the years, Ryan Buell has learned that the best ideas usually start with someone saying, “You can’t do that.” From eyeballs on booties to bones on wetsuits, Buell’s fearless approach to design has helped shape not just a brand, but a culture in surfing.
Born and raised in Santa Cruz, Buell grew up in the chilly water, a junior lifeguard, an artist, and eventually a designer. After cutting his teeth at Hotline Wetsuits, he teamed up with Santa Cruz legends like Flea and Barney, creating bold, punk-rock wetsuits that stood out on the covers of surf magazines and in Mavericks contests.
That spirit of risk-taking, creativity, and local pride eventually led to Buell Wetsuits — a brand that’s stayed true to its core values while building one of the biggest surf teams in the industry. From Spider-Man suits to red, white, and black Santa Cruz pride wetsuits, Buell has always believed in making gear that’s as fun as it is functional.
Today, the company continues to carry that energy forward with a new generation of surfers like Austin Smith-Ford, proving that staying true to the story, the athletes, and the water is what keeps the brand alive.
