i have the old style wood ones with yellow nylon cord for webbing,the real thing from a "gas station/everything store in Canada.i found i can get around just fine with them in everything but new,deep, light,powder snow. i sink my 200 lbs up to my knees.
i use one ski pole for balance in wooded areas when i'm crossing over logs or going down hills.on open frozen lake i can just about run in them.i use a flat rubber gizmo with a boot hole in it rather than the traditional leather straps and it works better than anything i have tried.
my wife is lighter and smaller and had both the wood and the new aluminum ones with the metal "claw" under the foot for traction.she like those and uses the same rubber binding.
my are the oval "bear paws" and are easy to walk in as they are short compared to the longer style with the tail in the back.
the long ones were made for open country and the bear paws for working around in the woods.i have gone out on winter hikes with a back pack and made a hot lunch over a camp stove and all that.a tip is to take along a sleeping mat like you use in a tent for a warmer place to sit.