Got my 473rl about 1.5 years ago and took it for 25 shorter and longer trips (incl. overnight) on lakes and rivers in Switzerland. Setup is easy and fast and the kayak is stable but at the same time reasonably sleek and streamlined. With skeg, I am impressed with the tracking and without I gain maneuverability. It feels at home on gentle rivers and on lakes when not too windy. It's not intended for whitewater and I indeed found class 2 the upper limit because of the hard-nose bow and the limited self-bailing, Im sure that the material can handle it though. For one person, it is a bit challenging to carry everything but handling on the water is ok and the flexibility to take a passenger is great. The backpack could be further developed, esp. for use with public transport: straps and clips quality, handles at the side, a bigger side pocket or an option to attach paddles. Overall, I am very happy and impressed with the kayak and looking forward to many trips this summer and to new waters with an Explorer 420x.