Just in from our friends at Billabong:

The first wetsuit with a built-in instantly inflatable air bladder has been invented. This outstanding new survival development was developed by big wave legend Shane Dorian, Billabong Wetsuits and Mustang Survival Corporation.

Named “Billabong V1″, the revolutionary wetsuit was designed after Dorian’s 2010 near-drowning incident, in Maverick’s, the notorious cold-water break south of San Francisco, California.

While Billabong does not currently have plans to sell the V1 to the broader market, the surfwear company is committed to make it available to all members of the big wave riding elite.

“First and foremost, we designed this thing to help save lives,” said Dorian. “I’ve had three or four really close friends die surfing in really big waves and every single one of them drowned.  And now that it’s done, now that the thing is ready to go, I’m excited to give it to all my friends who are the very best big wave surfers in the world”.