I am thinking about pulling the trigger on one of these two wetsuits. Budget is not really a factor between them, but I do want to figure out what is best for me. On one hand, I know that the Helix has much love here. The Reaction is loved as well. One thing throwing me off is the reverse zipper. I really have to pull up my old zipper on my "normal" zipper wetsuit, and it seems like the reverse zipper on the Helix could be a PITA to put on unassisted. Does anyone have first-hand commentary on the Helix's reverse zipper?

Next, I have read some comments that state the penultimate wetsuit models are actually the fastest for many swimmers. I am a strong MOP swimmer-- around 1:35 /100yd in the Gulf Coast 70.3 wetsuit swim. So, would the 2nd tier Reaction be a better selection for an ordinary AOS swimmer?