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The Badfish MVP 9.0 board is designed as a heavy-duty, river surfing board with a ton of buoyancy and fast turning ability. Its short length (9'0") combined with a wide stance (35") and some serious thickness (6") mean the board will carry riders up to 300lbs and show very little strain in the water. The single fin (box fin adapter) is versatile enough to grip in the water without sacrificing quick turn ability. It may be a little too loose (we've nicknamed ours the "Squirrel" because of its nature) for some, but it doesn't disappoint when you get into swirling eddies that would throw you off other boards.

Construction is very good. The fiberglass coating is tough when you inevitably hit a rock in those shallow creeks while running rapids. The deck pad is soft enough for barefoot, while still giving good traction - I especially like the kicktail (the raised section near the end of the board) for quick turns while surfing, dodging rocks or buoy turning. The LiftSUP handle in the center of the board is curious: Its a handle that slides up and out of the well for you to grip - many complain it gets stuck with sand (it does), but you can remedy this with Vaseline before venturing out. And I question any board that doesn't come with some sort of netting on the front for stowing gear, but at least this board has hooks built in so you can attach your own bungee system without having to glue things down.

Personally, I wouldn't mind the option for a tri-fin set up, but the single fin will do. Weight is a little on the heavy side, somewhere around 35lbs, and it's girth can make it a little tough to carry under the arm, but it is by no means unwieldy. You'll be happy for all these things when you get into a situation where a lighter board means you'll be swimming!

I use the board on a wide variety of water types with no major complaints. I was initially hesitant because I wasn't sure how it would handle on flat water (being designed as a river surfer, I was worried it might flounder a bit), but outside of a bit of wobble, its a solid platform. I've used it on flat lakes to roaring rivers to wind-chopped bays and even surfed it on the Outer Banks during Hurricane Jose, and have never questioned the purchase!

If you're in need of a strong board for heavy conditions, or even if you just want a short but super maneuverable on leisurely paddles, the Badfish MVP 9.0 will definitely become a go-to board in your quiver!