I have had quite a bit of use on this board now and love it!! I’ve ridden plenty of other sizes from 8’5” to 12’6”, and have really enjoyed boards from 10 foot and below in the surf. I notice that this board has really good paddling speed and direction stability, making it easy to take off on small waves. With the single concave under the nose you can stand right up near the front when paddling early onto waves, also great for nose riding (not that I’ve experienced much of that!). This board carries really good speed on the wave, is short enough you can pump it, nice and loose and shifts rail to rail smoothly/easily. Anything longer I find feels a bit big and slow on the wave.
The starboard 8’5” I’ve used are definitely a bit looser, but I find I prefer this board for the extra paddling ability. I still enjoy taking it out on the flat water and even on the river for a cruise. I weigh just under 70kg and definitely notice it is not quite as stable as a 30”wide board, but find you adjust quickly. My interest is mainly in getting time in the waves, making the most of small local Perth conditions, but I also reckon this board would be great for paddling out to some reefs like Lano – something I hope to do soon!
This board also works well for lightweight sub 70kg riders getting into the sport, especially if you have to consider storage space – it fits nicely inside the Commodore wagon! 
