On a recent ride I was using baskets, two guys were using flats and one guy 'clipless'. I know I'm not up to clipless pedals on a mountain bike - I've tried it with bad results.

I noticed that I was getting some advantage over the flats guys on the uphills once I got going. However, it was a real nuisance to get started on the uphills - trying roll the baskets and insert my foot while maintaining balance invariably got me off to a slow, shakey start. I'm considering going to flats.

I've ridden flats on rental bikes from time to time. Still have the tattoo on my shin from the studs! What pedals do people ride and why?

First, they are toe clips and straps, not baskets.

I run DMR Vaults, kind of dumb to run clipless on a DJ bike....

I gave up baskets/toe clips quite a while back. I tried clipless and had bad results. I like my Odessey pinned platforms

https://www.odysseybmx.com/catalog/pedals/

They were cheap and I thought I would wear them out pretty quickly. But @1500 miles later they are good. I wear 5.10's sticky shoes or Pearl Izumi Ride and Climbs. I haven't suffered a shin shredder, hopefully I didn't just jinx myself. I think they work really well for XC type riding.

I use platforms. Not sure which brand, just the ones it left the LBS with on it.

I just went to the pedals with flats on one side and clipless (Shimano) one the other and like them way more than I thought I would. They're great, when I want to have the free I'm good, otherwise I ride clipped in.
Recently tried a 29'er, rented one with flats and quickly remembered why clipless are my first choice. Pedaling through a section of roots, the crank hit a tall one and the foot came off the flat. So the clipless are staying on, but it's a personnal thing. Some will prefer clipless, some flats. I just like having the option on a ride.

I ride clipless for cross country trails and the DH sections on clipless. Mainly because I ride road and track too, so I had to get used to them really. I love them.
Shimano's MTB double sided pedals, although I'm going to Crank Brothers EggBeaters soon.
I know they get bad reviews, but I loved my candys and actually have the sense to maintain my equipment every once in a while.
It's also nice to be able to drop the group on climbs when they're running flats.

Freestyle pedals covered in studs. Just have to be careful.. those things are sharp.

I used to use Shimano xt's but got tired of the low speed fall overs because I couldn't get unclipped in time. I'm not a performance rider and studded platforms work very well for me. Al

I run clipped in on all my bikes

egg beaters on my fat bike and my xc/trail bike and Look Keo's on Road and track

I used to only run flats then I made the switch to clipped and haven't been able to go back ever since lol

I went from clipless to flats. Nukeproof electrons currently, which are very nice grip-wise, also pretty flat and very light. I haven't hit any rocks with them so far so can't comment on the durability.

I boughht my bike during the anodized color craze....so I ended up with this Grafton Speedtrap with titanium spindle in blue color to match the rest of the blue parts on the bike. Here is a write-up of the pedals : https://www.bikepro.com/arch_products.../agrafton.html

Egg beaters and candies people love them or they hate them.

I put my eggbeaters on my skinny tired bike. I like the reactions from the Latex Lizards who find this appalling!

Sometimes Easton Flatboy, sometimes some cheap Shimano clipless, sometimes a pair of Kore platforms if my Flatboys are on another bike and I'm too lazy to take them off.

I use egg beaters and love them, I won't use anything else.

Yeah, but where can you ride in Michigan? Isn't it like the Arctic or something?

Roflmao XD

Kona Wah-Wah flats on my mountain bike. I have nothing against clipless on MTB, just not for me...

Time ATAC; never unclipped by accident, only one time fell over clipped in, when a riding buddy cut a short corner RIGHT NEXT TO ME and fell ON ME.

Having "a bad experience" with clipless pedals is not rare -- for that matter, neither is going back to platforms after that. My daughter did it, too.

I prefer them because I can also pull UP as well as push down on the pedals (the "360 power application" some people tout is crap, been proven), and the feedback I get by being clipped in is INCREDIBLE!

Big ol' VP Bearclaws, and those plastic toe clips.

Time ATAC.

I use what came with the bike. Platforms, in most cases, toe clips 'n straps on one. I'm not suicidal, so will never use "clipless"

What does clipless have to do with being suicidal?

I tried to bail on a jump and stayed clipped in. 9 days in ICU and 90 days in the cage. I will never go clipless on fat tires again. Might just be me blaming the pedals and not my severe lack of skills.

The dog was just being sympathetic and wore a cone while I wore mine.

Kore Race II...cheap, durable, & effective.