I have been using one for a number of months now, and it works very well for me. I use it mainly for pirate listening, which is often very weak-signal, and it does a good job. I have used it both with a Sony IC-7600GR and an Icom 706MKIIg.
It does pick up noise, as you would expect a longwire to do. I have seen some debate on the net about whether it must be grounded, and whether grounding makes much of a difference. I never ground mine, and the noise level is usually acceptable unless there is significant local QRM, which would probably not be affected by grounding. I have seen other opinions about this that contradict my experience, so I would guess that it depends on your local situation.
I use it as a portable antenna, and I usually just unspool it across the asphalt of a parking lot. It seems to be well-made and durable, and it has the advantage that it is all black, which makes it very stealthy, particularly in low light.