Rip Curl vs Billabong: Which Makes Better Togs?

Jun 23, 2026 / Oct 5, 2026 · 6 min read · togs swimwear au ·

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Two surf brands, two very different owners

Rip Curl began with surfboards and wetsuits in Torquay; Billabong began with boardshorts on the Gold Coast. Both started on the Australian coast in the late 1960s and early 1970s, and both still sell boardshorts, bikinis and one-pieces across Australia and New Zealand. What has changed is who owns them. Rip Curl belongs to a New Zealand retail group. Billabong's brand belongs to a US licensing company.

This comparison draws on each brand's history as recorded by Wikipedia, and on what each brand's Australian website showed when we checked on 5 October 2026.

Where each brand started

Rip Curl. According to Wikipedia, Doug Warbrick and Brian Singer founded Rip Curl in 1969 in Torquay, Victoria, where it is still based. It began by making surfboards and moved into wetsuits in 1970. Its name is tied to two things surfers know well: "The Search", its long-running surf travel theme, and the Rip Curl Pro at nearby Bells Beach.

Billabong. Wikipedia records that Gordon and Rena Merchant founded Billabong on the Gold Coast in 1973. "At first, they designed and created board shorts at their home, and then sold them to local surf shops," and surfers noticed how durable they were, thanks to "Rena's triple-stitching technique." By the late 1980s, Billabong boardshorts were sold in New Zealand, Japan and South Africa.

So the two brands started from different products: Rip Curl from surfboards and wetsuits, Billabong from boardshorts.

Who owns them now

Rip Curl was sold in October 2019 to the outdoor retailer Kathmandu, and its parent today is KMD Brands, according to Wikipedia. The NZ Herald reported that "KMD Brands shuts down Rip Curl de-merger proposal as former Billabong execs fall short", so Rip Curl remains part of the group.

Billabong had a harder decade. Wikipedia records a long decline after 2008, several contested takeover attempts from 2012, and in 2018 its purchase by Boardriders, the owner of rival brand Quiksilver. Today Wikipedia lists the brand's parent as Authentic Brands Group. In February 2025, Liberated Brands, which ran Billabong's retail stores in the US, filed for bankruptcy and closed all remaining US Billabong stores, while "the ownership of the brands remains with Authentic Brands Group."

Price

Both brands sit in the same middle band. These are the prices each Australian site listed for its products on 5 October 2026, including items on sale:

Range	Rip Curl	Billabong
Women's one-pieces	$77.99 to $249.99 (30 styles; median $119.99)	$40.00 to $139.99 (84 styles; median about $98)
Men's performance boardshorts	$41.99 to $179.99 (69 styles; median $89.99)	$55.00 to $89.99 (33 styles; median $89.99)

Rip Curl's one-pieces reach higher at the top end, while men's performance boardshorts have the same typical price at both brands. Neither is a luxury label; for that end of the market, see our Seafolly vs Zimmermann comparison.

Fit and coverage guides

Both sites help you choose by fit, and Rip Curl's guide is the more detailed.

Rip Curl's swimwear guide sorts women's swimwear by support and coverage:

Support: Light support for "an A to C cup", Good support for A to C, Full support for "a C to DD cup", plus dedicated D-DD and E support ranges "specially designed to support a larger bust."
Coverage: from Bare ("Micro coverage") and Skimpy, through Cheeky and Good ("A modest fit that looks good on every body shape"), to Full coverage.

Its fit advice is practical: a bikini top "should fit comfortably snug", with no "spillage or gaping from the cup", and if bikini bottoms are "majorly sagging" in the water, "it's worth considering going a size down."

The same guide answers a few questions surfers often ask:

Fabric. Rip Curl says the best bikini fabrics are "durable, flexible and fast-drying", and that it uses "lycra, nylon, and neoprene" among others, with some bikinis made from "regenerated materials".
Under a wetsuit. "Yep, you can absolutely wear a bikini under a wetsuit." It is handy for getting the wetsuit on and off, though a bikini you have already swum in "can trap a bit of extra moisture."
Over a bikini. In the water, it suggests "a rashie for extra UV protection"; on land, a tank or overshirt.

Rip Curl also splits its women's swimwear into two groups: "Swimwear for performance", designed to keep you supported in the water, and "Swimwear for lifestyle", for long days at the beach. If you surf, the first group is the one to look at.

Billabong's swim fit guide is organised by style, such as bandeau and bralette tops, and lists D/DD versions of some tops.

Beyond the togs

The wider brand matters if you want everything from one label.

Rip Curl is a wetsuit maker first. On its blog, it says it "is proud to be a B Corporation (B Corp), after gaining certification in 2023", and that it has owned its own wetsuit factory, Onsmooth in Chiang Mai, Thailand, since 1989. The same post reports that natural rubber made up 16% of its wetsuits in FY23, 25% of product ordered for FY24 and 47% for FY25. Its wetsuit recycling programme, launched in 2020, says it has recycled over 64,000 wetsuits, turned into material such as soft-fall matting for playgrounds.

Billabong is a boardshort brand at heart, and its Australian site still leads with boardshorts in fixed-waist, elastic-waist, performance and long cuts, alongside women's bikinis, one-pieces and boardshorts.

Shipping and returns

Rip Curl Australia: free standard shipping on orders over $110, $5 online returns, and in-store returns.
Billabong Australia: free shipping and returns for members of its Billabong Crew programme.

Which should you choose?

Surfing, cold water, or a matching wetsuit: Rip Curl, a wetsuit maker with its own factory.
A larger cup size: Rip Curl, for its D-DD and E support ranges and detailed guide.
Boardshorts: either. Billabong started with them; the typical price is the same at both.
Lowest price on a one-piece: Billabong, whose range starts lower.

For most buyers, the better choice is the one whose fit guide matches your shape, not the logo. Order your usual size from each, check the fit at home against the brand's own advice, and return the one that fits worse.

Sun protection

Whichever label you choose, Cancer Council Australia's advice on sun-protective clothing applies: cover "as much skin as possible", and remember that fabric "offers less protection from UV radiation when wet." Both brands sell rash vests and full-coverage styles for long days in the water.

Where to buy

Both brands sell direct through Rip Curl Australia and Billabong Australia, and through surf shops nationwide. For when the markdowns arrive, see our guide to swimwear sale season in Australia. And if the word itself brought you here, what does togs mean explains it.