Rip Curl vs Xcel:Which is more popular?
In September 2026, Rip Curl had more branded searches than Xcel among wetsuit brands in New Zealand. Rip Curl had about 5,780 branded searches, while Xcel had 70. Rip Curl made up 42.6% 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 Rip Curl and Xcel appeared in all five answers. Rip Curl was mentioned before Xcel in every answer.
Who do people search for more?
Rip Curl, about 83 searches for every 1 for Xcel
Who does AI mention more?
Both are mentioned in every answer we collected.
Who does AI recommend more?
Rip Curl, named ahead of Xcel in every answer
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Top wetsuit brands in ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews
In three ChatGPT questions and two Google AI Overviews, both Rip Curl and Xcel showed up in all five answers. Rip Curl was listed before Xcel in every answer.
Most recommended by AI
Brands get a higher ranking if they are mentioned earlier in the answers.
- Rip Curl1st
O'Neill2nd
Xcel3rd
Billabong4th- Seventhwave4th
Roxy6th
Quiksilver7th
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
Asked ChatGPT
“Which wetsuit brand should I buy in New Zealand?”
Asked ChatGPT
“What are the best wetsuit brands in New Zealand?”
Asked ChatGPT
“What's the best wetsuit brand in New Zealand for cold water surfing?”
Searched Google, AI Overview
“women's wetsuit nz”
Searched Google, AI Overview
“wetsuit brands”
Brands are shown in the order each answer named them. The survey took place in New Zealand on October 21, 2026.
Is Rip Curl or Xcel more popular in search?
This chart shows how often people search Google for Rip Curl 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.
Share of searches by month for Rip Curl, Xcel. The figures are in the table below the chart.
View monthly share of searches table
| Month | Billabong | Rip Curl | O'Neill | Quiksilver | Roxy | Seventhwave | Cressi | Xcel |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 2025 | 37.5% | 46% | 4.8% | 4.6% | 2.6% | 2.1% | 1.8% | 0.59% |
| Nov 2025 | 38.3% | 46.2% | 4% | 3.9% | 3.1% | 2.1% | 1.7% | 0.74% |
| Dec 2025 | 35.1% | 49.2% | 4.1% | 3.5% | 2.7% | 2.7% | 2% | 0.64% |
| Jan 2026 | 36.3% | 47.2% | 5% | 3.4% | 2.6% | 2.6% | 2.1% | 0.77% |
| Feb 2026 | 37.5% | 44.6% | 5.8% | 4.3% | 2.5% | 2.5% | 1.7% | 1.1% |
| Mar 2026 | 37.7% | 45.7% | 5.8% | 4.1% | 1.7% | 2.5% | 1.1% | 1.4% |
| Apr 2026 | 41.8% | 42.4% | 5.5% | 3.7% | 1.6% | 2.9% | 0.74% | 1.6% |
| May 2026 | 41.3% | 40.4% | 6.3% | 4.5% | 1.8% | 2.7% | 1.2% | 1.8% |
| Jun 2026 | 36.5% | 45.2% | 6.9% | 4.9% | 2% | 2.4% | 1.1% | 1% |
| Jul 2026 | 37% | 44.6% | 6.9% | 4.7% | 2.4% | 2.4% | 1.1% | 0.84% |
| Aug 2026 | 41.6% | 40.5% | 6.2% | 4.5% | 2.7% | 2.2% | 1.5% | 0.77% |
| Sep 2026 | 43.2% | 42.6% | 5.4% | 3.1% | 2.4% | 1.5% | 1.3% | 0.52% |
How has the Rip Curl and Xcel comparison changed over the last 12 months?
3 findings
- Rip Curl was ahead of Xcel in every measured month of the 12 months ending September 2026.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Rip Curl’s share of searches among wetsuit brands in New Zealand moved from 46% to 42.6%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 7K to 5.8K.
- 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
In September 2026, Rip Curl gained share of searches among wetsuit brands in New Zealand, from 40.5% to 42.6%.
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?
9 search terms
Brandwave collects information about searches that people make online using Rip Curl’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.
Other head-to-heads among wetsuit brands
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