The Daily Froth X Matuse
Brands we dig, that you should too!
There’s a few feelings in a surfer’s life that roar in pleasure; waking up to offshore winds, the smell of a new surfboard, and the point of focus for this slice of literary surf journalism, the feeling of sliding into the smoothest of #geoprene wetsuits. What’s this? You’ve only heard of neoprene? Step into my office and lend me your curiosity comrade and I’ll weave you a story about a backyard brand that’s making the dreamiest suits to pee in!
First and foremost, let me kick off this rant about my wetsuit provider by saying that I am no team rider, brand ambassador, or exclusively dating an employee. So you know this is an honest, from the heart reporting.
When it comes to wetsuits, there is a plethora of gimmicks, and exaggerated claims of durability and stretchiness, however Matuse doesn’t have to strive too far from their formula. A family brand that started here in San Diego back in 2005, the father son duo, ( John B. Campbell and John V. Campbell) set out to “create a company dedicated to great design, provocative thinking and making the Rolls Royce of wetsuits.” And that they did. By being an exclusive provider of “geoprene,” a limestone based fabric that is 30% warmer and 30% lighter and lasts longer than any suit we’ve tested, they have quickly become the most premium wetsuit manufacturers on the market.
I did a bit of digging and found this quote in an article on Stab Magazine:
“The Hoplite 432 was the first full suit that put us on the map. In addition to the limestone geoprene, the Hoplite’s “Farmer John Floodgate” and its “Hidden Chamber Technology” introduced new technologies and designs to a wetsuit market that was somewhat stagnant at the time. To date, we’ve never trumpeted technology for the sake of technology. For us to incorporate new designs or innovations, we only do so if we’re absolutely certain that it will make the suit better. Wetsuits, particularly the premium variety, are similar to parachutes in the sense that they must work properly. To this extent, we are very proud of our latest release, The Scipio. It is named after one of Rome’s greatest generals and it utilizes a next-level version of Geoprene that we call “blackZERO.” This material literally reflects the body’s heat back inside the suit — while also taking on no additional water. Without question, the 3mm Scipio is the lightest and warmest suit on the market — pound for pound” – John V Campbell.
Since we are talking wetsuits in the warmer months, there’s a few products by Matuse who’s praise I would love to sing.
The “2103” is a 2mm wetsuit top that is a must have for the summer months in San Diego. This jacket is 98% water impenetrable and boasts a titanium coating that assures longevity. Because the “2103’s” zipper is located on the front of the wetsuit, it is breezy to get in and out of, couple that feature with Matuse’s ultra-silky geoprene, you are going to want to wear this number to the next summer block party.
The current suit that I’ve been wearing is the Tumo Short Sleeve Full suit. Because I’m in the water upwards to 40 hours a week, I need a wetsuit that will keep me warm in the morning, but can transition into the afternoon. The Tumo Short Sleeve Full does just that as a 2 millimeters in thickness it’s light enough to be conducive to high intensity movement, but warm enough that I don’t think twice about going for a dip before sunrise.
Check out this video of some local heros getting down in Geoprene…