Patagonia today announced a completely redesigned Regulator Wetsuit collection, marking the most significant evolution of the line in years and the latest chapter in the company’s two-decade effort to rethink how wetsuits are made.
Rather than making incremental changes, Patagonia revisited nearly every aspect of the Regulator collection, drawing on athlete feedback, scientific research, repair insights and extensive field testing to improve warmth, mobility, fit and durability. The result is a wetsuit system engineered around how surfers move and lose heat in the water, while continuing Patagonia’s longstanding effort to move the surf industry away from conventional neoprene materials.
At the center of the redesign is science-informed thickness mapping. Using heat-loss research alongside field testing, Patagonia remapped the density and distribution of insulation throughout each wetsuit, placing warmth where the body needs it most while reducing unnecessary bulk in areas where greater mobility is critical. The approach is designed to deliver thermal performance without sacrificing flexibility or freedom of movement.
The collection also introduces a completely revised fit, with every suit re-patterned to improve comfort, flexibility, and range of motion. Women’s wetsuits transition from numerical to alpha sizing, bringing the collection more closely in line with Patagonia’s apparel sizing. A new U-Zip entry system is designed to make the suits easier to change in and out of while creating a secure fit that helps minimize water flushing in cold conditions.
Materials have evolved alongside the construction of the suits. The Regulator collection remains neoprene-free, using natural rubber sourced from FSC®-certified Hevea trees. For 2026, Patagonia has expanded its use of NetPlus® recycled nylon made from discarded fishing nets, bringing NetPlus solution-dyed fabrics to both the interior and exterior of the wetsuits for the first time in the line. The collection also incorporates reclaimed carbon black and Fair Trade Certified™ manufacturing.
The redesign builds on more than 20 years of Patagonia questioning the environmental cost of conventional wetsuit materials. After entering the wetsuit category in 2005, the company began searching for alternatives to petroleum- and limestone-based neoprene, eventually working with Yulex® to develop plant-based rubber solutions. In 2016, Patagonia transitioned its wetsuit line entirely away from neoprene, adopting FSC-certified natural rubber from Hevea trees and sharing the technology with the broader surf industry.
“Our work increasingly goes beyond what goes into a wetsuit to how long it can stay in use,” said Hub Hubbard, Patagonia’s product line manager for surf apparel and wetsuits. “At our wetsuit forge in Ventura, we learn from every repair and every used suit we examine. That helps us identify any recurring failure points, improve construction, and explore solutions for wetsuits that have reached the end of their usable life. The 2026 Regulator collection brings those years of material innovation, repair knowledge, athlete input and testing together in a wetsuit designed for surfers who spend long days in cold water and expect warmth, durability, and flexibility without abandoning environmental responsibility.”
Patagonia’s new Regulator Wetsuits are available for men and women in hooded and non- hooded versions for water temperatures ranging from 38° F to 65° F (3° C to 18° C) – with thicknesses from 3/2mm to 6/5mm. Also new this year are updated booties, gloves, and hoods. Backed by their Ironclad Guarantee, Patagonia offers free repairs for their wetsuits at their Wetsuit Repair Forge in Ventura, CA, fixing tears, holes, zipper issues, and seam damage. For suits at the end of their usable life, Patagonia provides a take-back program that recycles retired natural rubber wetsuits and reclaims carbon black for new products.
About Patagonia
We’re in business to save our home planet. Founded by Yvon Chouinard in 1973, Patagonia is an outdoor apparel company based in Ventura, California. As a certified B Corporation and a founding member of 1% for the Planet, the company is recognized internationally for its product quality and environmental activism, as well as its contributions of more than $240 million to environmental organizations. Its unique ownership structure reflects that Earth is its only shareholder: Profits not reinvested back into the business are paid to Holdfast Collective to protect the planet.
