I live in Southern California where the weather is geared for paddle boarding all year long. I own several hard-top epoxy boards, mostly 7-foot boards. I paddle at least 4 days a week in the harbor for several years now. I’m always inviting my friends to come out and paddle with me but strapping and hauling a couple of boards on my little compact car was getting frustrating. I looked at different options and my husband recommended that I investigate getting an inflatable. I wanted to get something that was reliable, easy to assemble, with a reasonable price point. Pretty much I wanted a bang for the buck!As a super fan of epoxy and carbon fiber boards, I was determined to find flaws and dislike the ISUP, but after launching it and taking it for a spin, I love it! First, it arrived quickly in a nice compact box. After unwrapping it, I read the instructions which were easy enough to understand and follow. I was so eager to pump it up with the hand pump which took me 20 minutes.I had a specific question after I had pumped it up and immediately sent an email to the seller and they replied immediately with an answer to rest assure that my concern was not a problem at all. I wanted to make sure that the ISUP did not leak so I left it inflated for 2 days underneath a patio (out of the sun). To my surprise, it lost only a little bit of air (5 psi) the day I decided to use it for the first time.I just threw it on top of my car and strapped it to my roof racks so that I did not have to deal with the pumping at the launch site since I already had it inflated. Just my luck, the day I went out it was windy. I parked a block away. Normally with the winds, my other hard boards would be slightly heavier and difficult to carry, but not with this ISUP. It was light enough to carry with no issues. I launched off on my knees and began to stand. Upon standing up I noticed it was not as stable side to side unlike my hard-top board (so those of you who are beginners will have to go through a learning curve to find your balance) but once I got my bearings, I stood up and took off quickly. It glided smoothly and stayed straight through the course. The turning radius on this ISUP was a lot more challenging due to the size and took a lot of effort on my part to crank it make a hard right or left turn. I was able to paddle at a fast speed and stop the board quickly to a halt. This was the first SUP I could lay down flat on my stomach and enjoy just floating. The board never submerged keeping me dry while laying on top of it. Then I flipped myself over and sat up with my legs fully extended out. I was highly impressed that I could keep paddling it like a kayak. It was easy to just continue to stay straight without veering to a particular side. Then I purposely fell off the board and practiced getting back onto the board. The first time was not as easy as I thought it would be because it is a wider and higher (thicker) board than I am used to. After a couple of practices by holding onto the latch in the middle of the board, then pulling myself back up without tipping over the board was simple. I followed a few boats that past by with lingering waves and the board handled it well and I did not feel unstable while rocking and rolling over the waves.When I paddled my board back to the launch site, I saw a father with two young (age 3-5) girls on a similar but different brand ISUP. After telling him it was my first ISUP, we agreed to switched boards so that I could compare. I noticed immediately that his ISUP was noticeably narrower, shorter, and heavier than mine. His daughters both liked the fact mine was wider and felt more stable for them. He admitted that he paid twice as much as mine with the same items in the kit. I could not help but felt like I had scored on my new board!Here are other highlights:It is lightweight – 25 lbs length of a medium-size car like a Nissan Versa. The toughest part of stand up paddle boarding for beginners is after a long paddle session is carrying a heavy hard top board back to the car, which this one is not an issue.You can easily convert it into a kayak after purchasing a separate seat.A bungee system to store gear or towels.Non-slip surface with thick grade material (not easily punctured from a dog with long nails).Durable material with hard use from excess amounts of the paddle scraping the sides of the board or children jumping on it or dinging it against hard surfaces.Comes with instruction and a carry bag that fits all the items (leash, pump, paddle, patch kit, board) for easy compact storage and travel (the length of it is comparable to my medium size 30lb dog).Inflates in less than 20 minutes, deflated in less than 5 minutes.Here are the cons:The hand pump is not for the unhealthy. It might kick your butt as it did mine (a workout before a workout) Just take your time, don’t rush, and you’ll be fine. The last 5 psi will be challenging but keep going until you reach 15 psi otherwise the board will not keep you stable and not recommended to pump higher than that. It took me 20 minutes to inflate (I’m in my mid 40’s) but other reviewers say it took them less time.Must dry everything off well before repacking it back into the carry bag to prevent mold.Helpful Hints:The paddle stick needs to be screwed tighter before 1st use to prevent the handle from moving or twisting while paddling. Also, make sure that the blade of the paddle is facing forward while paddling.When launching off stand on your knees in the middle of the board (where the handle is located) with your knees shoulder-width apart. Then slowly stand up with your feet hip-width apart. Just practice standing up and down a few times before taking off far. Looking straight forward versus downwards helps with your balance.Always rinse your ISUP and paddle with fresh water after each use. Pat dry completely before folding and repacking in case. Do not leave it sitting in the sun for long periods.Remove the grey foam that is covering the little fins and attach the large fin before launching. Then remember to remove the large fin before repacking the board.Watch some YouTube Videos to see proper techniques on paddling – it will truly save you from falling and paddling, especially paddling against the wind. Also understand that LARGE MOVING WATER VEHICLE has the right of way, not SUPs, please allow them to pass you before you continue your path.Conclusion:This ISUP is great for a beginner to start practicing in calm conditions before moving up to a shorter faster board. As far as taking it out into the ocean, you could if you have great balance not recommended as a true beginner for sure. It is definitely not for surfing waves but can ride very small ones.I’m so glad that I bought this ISUP. It will be a great addition to my SUP family for visiting friends and family. The price is so worth the value.