Snowshoes bindings range from fixed (think downhill skis) to floating (think cross country skis). All snowshoes fall somewhere in that range, some falling square in the middle. The simple way to tell which style you have is to pick up your foot and see if and how far the tail of the snowshoe falls away towards the ground. There are pros and cons to both styles.

Fixed Binding: A fixed binding gives a more natural stride, but flings snow up at the back of your legs as you walk. Obviously flinging snow can be seen as a con, but can be remedied with wearing snow pants and/or gaiters to keep the snow out of your boots. The pro is that you have much more control over the snowshoe for turning around, and lifting a leg over a downed tree or rock. Fixed bindings work well for beginners especially because you aren't as prone to trip over the snowshoe. Professional runners may also prefer fixed bindings for racing.

Floating Binding: Opposite to a fixed binding, a floating binding will not fling snow upwards. It may be easier to climb with this style because the snowshoe is naturally in position relative to the slope of the hill. However, a snowshoe that floats becomes awkward when maneuvering, backing up, or lifting a leg over something. A snowshoe with a floating binding drags in the snow as you walk, so one could argue it is more work, but I haven't seen any proof of this.

The perfect binding would be one that just falls away enough to not fling snow but not so much that it becomes awkward to walk in.