I give this boat a 9 out of 10 based on a fair consideration of how much it cost. I might give it a 1 out of 10 if I were comparing it to an expensive canoe, but that would be an unfair comparison. If you expect a $500 canoe to be as easy to lift onto your car as a carbon-fiber boat, or as fast to paddle, you're unreasonable. You get more than you pay for when you buy a Ram-X. I've paddled mine mostly on rivers for over 10 years, hit plenty of rocks and Class I - III rapids, and it has held up well. The biggest problem has been in high winds on flatwater without a companion, which allowed the wind to lift the bow and spin it, but I don't consider that a major flaw, just something to keep in mind.
Verdict: If you want a canoe for rivers and you find a good deal on a used Ram-X, and you don't need (or can't afford) a more expensive boat, buy the Ram-X. If you want a boat just for flatwater, you might want to buy something else, but remember that you can't hit many rocks (which is part of paddling many rivers) with aluminum boats without damaging them.
