Snowshoes! One of my favorite topics, mention firearms, Jeeps, or snowshoes and my ears will prick right up LOL.
There are 2 main criteria for choosing snowshoes - your weight, and the type of terrain you'll be traveling. The type of snow is a minor 3rd criterion, mainly because most places get different types of snow throughout the year and because the snow on the ground changes as well.
As a general rule, the more you and your gear weigh the bigger the snowshoes you'll require. I'm a fatass who weighs around 310 all dressed and with my day pack, and I use 36" models for the most flotation. Currently I'm using
Louis Garneau Blizzard II 1036, and have shamelessly linked a review I wrote for these on trailspace.com (I get nothing out of this besides perhaps reviewer reputation points.) In the past I've used Tubbs Wilderness and Tubbs Mountaineers, both also in 36" size. I like the Garneaus better than the Tubbs mainly because of the BOA binding Garneau uses (which Tubbs also uses on some models now.) The Blizzard IIs and Mountaineers are tube-framed backcountry snowshoes outstanding in looser snow because of their enormous surface area, but weaker on steeper pitches with more packed, icy snow because of their limited traction. Tube-framed snowshoes tend to have toe crampons and heel crampons and that's it.
Toe crampons
Heel crampons
Now those 7 big spades do dig deeply into hard, crusty snow, and the V-shaped heel crampon does a pretty good job of locking the rear of the snowshoe in place, but they can only do so much. Traverses are a weakness of any tube-framed snowshoe, and this is where the traction-frame snowshoe comes in.
I use 2 models of traction-frame snowshoes, both in 30" models:
MSR Lightning Ascent and
GV Snowshoes Mountain Extreme. Both of these use a bent & riveted piece of aluminum flat stock for their frames, with teeth cut into the bottom and toothed crossbars for extra traction. They both have toe crampons as well.
Traction frames, on MSRs (showing toe crampons, too.)
And GVs
GV toe crampons.
You can also see the toothed crossbars, 3 on the MSRs and 2 on the GVs. Looking at these it's not hard to see why this style of snowshoe is preferred for hard-packed, icy snow, steep ascents and descents, and especially traverses - anywhere the frames touch the ground, you have traction. On steep terrain one or two good stamps will firmly set the toe crampons and traction bars and let you lever yourself upward or provide reliable braking on descents. The 'shoes are narrower for their length than most tube-framed snowshoes, being 8" wide when 30" tube-frames are generally 9" wide. This makes them more maneuverable among the rocks often found in steep terrain, and also makes them easier to weave in and out of trees and brush. They obviously offer less flotation than my 36" tube-frames, but in all but the lightest, most fluffy powder I don't find that much of a problem as it also means I have less snowshoe to lift OUT of the snow. These 2 pairs of 30" traction-framed snowshoes are my go-to 'shoes probably 90% of the time.
Something that both rolling terrain and steep terrain snowshoes generally have is heel lifters. These are wire supports for your heels that you can raise when the going gets steep; they allow your feet to remain in a more level position when compared to the angle of the slope, they rotate the toes downward so the toe crampons are in a position to bite in more deeply, and they allow the heels to place more weight on the heel crampons or traction bars. If hills are in your future, I recommend buying models with heel lifters. Your calves will thank you.
My thoughts on plastic snowshoes - MSR Denali, Evo, and Revo, Louis Garneau Everest, Tubbs FLEX, etc. I have 3 pairs but have never used them, I bought them to use as loaners after my Tubbs Mountaineers came back bent due to someone bridging some kind of gap. Plastic snowshoes are as indestructible as a thing can be. They are noisy, CLACKing on every step on anything but soft powder. They're generally smaller than aluminum snowshoes, and are meant for severe service in severe terrain. I'm going to have to give my 27" Garneau Everests a try sometime, probably on my next outing that involves a steep hill without soft powder.
MSR Denali Evo Ascent, showing steel traction rails, aggressive toe crampons, and molded-in braking bars. You can also see how the bindings are pretty much overkill as far as security, which is common on backcountry snowshoes.
Something else the pic shows is an MSR exclusive - add-on flotation tails. These allow you to use a smaller snowshoe, and increase its surface area for softer snow or heavier loads. I have a set for my Lightning Ascents, and while they do work they also put you in a bit of a nose-down attitude on rolling terrain. I suspect that when climbing that's not the case, but I've never needed to try them out on an ascent.
Touring or day-hiking snowshoes are intended for less severe terrain, but still have many of the features of backcountry 'shoes. Heel lifters are very common, and bindings may not be bombproof like those on backcountry models but they're still very substantial. They are generally quicker to get in and out of. The
Tubbs Wilderness and
MSR Revo Explore are good examples of touring snowshoes.
The remaining type of snowshoe is trail-walking. These generally have limited traction, meant for groomed or heavily-used trails, and bindings that emphasize speed over security. Like the others, they come in aluminum and plastic models. The
Tubbs Frontier,
Atlas 10-series, and, for tweens & smaller teens, the
MSR Shift. Don't let the "youth" category fool you, the MSR Shift is a beast of a snowshoe and really belongs in the "backcountry" category, built just as ruggedly as adult models like the Denali Evo Ascent. IMO the only drawback to the Shift is the lack of a heel lift, but I'm playing around with installing them on a pair.