A neat addition to the wetsuit collection
I have slightly creaky shoulders, so while I have chest zips, a couple of hooded wetsuits (thank you, Matuse) and even a couple of no-zips, a Matuse Dojo Open Water 4.5/2/1.5 backzip has been great for winter swims and the Tactical 4/3 Back-Zip seemed a good backup for situations where a delicate outer layer might get damaged. Boards, bodysurfing.
The Tactical design has some typical Matuse features, notably a smooth interior fabric, making getting the suit on and off easier and perhaps providing better, lighter insulation than fuzzy carpeting. There's only a few slippery-inside brands of surfing wetsuits, none of them significant clothing sellers.
The Tactical is the only back-zip I've encountered with the "farmer John floodgate", very like traditional coveralls, so you need to fit between the top and bottom, then get the shoulders under the wide straps. On first try, getting into the floodgate is trickier than with an unprotected back zip or even one with a back water barrier, or a back barrier with a hole at the top for your head. I expect it to work well with a little practice. The Dojo, by comparison, just has a 2 inch neoprene strip inside the zipper to discourage water entry. Triathletes in a hurry.
Build quality, with tidy curving taping on the inside, looks very good. It's August and I'm in Florida, so it'll take a trip north, or to California, or a wait until January to try it in the water.
The Tactical shoulder patch is a mystery. The neck/zipper/velcro-type flap area looks more complex than it is. The Farmer John bib seems to be made of its own special thin neoprene material. Hydrasilk is nice. How about a general-purpose jacket that you can wear with nothing under it on rainy days?
