Brandwave

O'Neill vs Xcel:Which is more popular?

In September 2026, O'Neill had more branded searches than Xcel among wetsuit brands in New Zealand. O'Neill had about 740 branded searches, while Xcel had 70. O'Neill made up 5.4% of all wetsuit brand searches we track, and Xcel accounted for 0.52%. When we asked ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews about wetsuit brands, both O'Neill and Xcel appeared in all five answers. O'Neill was mentioned before Xcel in four out of five answers.

Among wetsuit brands in New Zealand in September 2026

Who do people search for more?

O'Neill, about 11 searches for every 1 for Xcel

O'Neill 740 searchesXcel 70 searches

Who does AI mention more?

Both are mentioned in every answer we collected.

O'Neill in 5 of 5Xcel in 5 of 5

Who does AI recommend more?

O'Neill, named ahead of Xcel in 4 of 5 answers

O'Neill first in 4Xcel first in 1

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Top wetsuit brands in ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews

In three ChatGPT questions and two Google AI Overviews, both O'Neill and Xcel showed up in all five answers. O'Neill was listed before Xcel in four of them.

Most recommended by AI

Brands get a higher ranking if they are mentioned earlier in the answers.

  1. Rip Curl1st
  2. O'Neill2nd
  3. Xcel3rd
  4. Billabong4th
  5. Seventhwave4th
  6. Roxy6th
  7. Quiksilver7th
  8. Cressi8th

Mentioned by AI

Each dot is one answer, filled in when that answer mentions the brand.

  • Rip Curl5 of 5Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 2 of 2 Google answers
  • O'Neill5 of 5Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 2 of 2 Google answers
  • Xcel5 of 5Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 2 of 2 Google answers
  • Seventhwave4 of 5Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 1 of 2 Google answers
  • Billabong2 of 5Named in 1 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 1 of 2 Google answers
  • Quiksilver1 of 5Named in 1 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 2 Google answers
  • Roxy1 of 5Named in 0 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 1 of 2 Google answers
  • Cressi1 of 5Named in 0 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 1 of 2 Google answers

See every answer about wetsuit brands

5 answers

Brands are shown in the order each answer named them. The survey took place in New Zealand on October 21, 2026.

Is O'Neill or Xcel more popular in search?

This chart shows how often people search Google for O'Neill and Xcel by name. Each line represents a brand's share of searches for all eight wetsuit brands we track, month by month, from searches in New Zealand.

O'Neill and Xcel among wetsuit brands in New Zealand, by month

Share of searches by month for O'Neill, Xcel. The figures are in the table below the chart.

View monthly share of searches table
MonthBillabongRip CurlO'NeillQuiksilverRoxySeventhwaveCressiXcel
Oct 202537.5%46%4.8%4.6%2.6%2.1%1.8%0.59%
Nov 202538.3%46.2%4%3.9%3.1%2.1%1.7%0.74%
Dec 202535.1%49.2%4.1%3.5%2.7%2.7%2%0.64%
Jan 202636.3%47.2%5%3.4%2.6%2.6%2.1%0.77%
Feb 202637.5%44.6%5.8%4.3%2.5%2.5%1.7%1.1%
Mar 202637.7%45.7%5.8%4.1%1.7%2.5%1.1%1.4%
Apr 202641.8%42.4%5.5%3.7%1.6%2.9%0.74%1.6%
May 202641.3%40.4%6.3%4.5%1.8%2.7%1.2%1.8%
Jun 202636.5%45.2%6.9%4.9%2%2.4%1.1%1%
Jul 202637%44.6%6.9%4.7%2.4%2.4%1.1%0.84%
Aug 202641.6%40.5%6.2%4.5%2.7%2.2%1.5%0.77%
Sep 202643.2%42.6%5.4%3.1%2.4%1.5%1.3%0.52%

How has the O'Neill and Xcel comparison changed over the last 12 months?

3 findings
  • O'Neill was ahead of Xcel in every measured month of the 12 months ending September 2026.
  • Across the 12 months ending September 2026, O'Neill’s share of searches among wetsuit brands in New Zealand moved from 4.8% to 5.4%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 730 to 740.
  • Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Xcel’s share of searches among wetsuit brands in New Zealand moved from 0.59% to 0.52%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 90 to 70.

How did search popularity change for New Zealand wetsuit brands in September 2026?

2 changes
  1. In September 2026, O'Neill lost share of searches among wetsuit brands in New Zealand, from 6.2% to 5.4%.

  2. Xcel’s share of searches among wetsuit brands in New Zealand has lost ground for 3 months in a row, from 1% to 0.52% in September 2026.

How are branded searches counted?

3 search terms

Brandwave collects information about searches that people make online using O'Neill’s and Xcel’s names. When viewed over time, estimated search volumes for these branded terms can be used to understand whether interest in the brands is growing, holding steady, or fading.

O'Neill

2 branded search terms

  • o neill
  • oneill surf

Xcel

1 branded search term

  • xcel wetsuit

How the Brand Demand Index is measured

Other head-to-heads among wetsuit brands

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