I switched to the Aqualines about 8-9 years ago for my first set.
It was unbelievable the immense difference between the Aqualine and my 2 links spaced
chains conventional bar reinforced chains.
I've run chains on tractors since the late 50's,
I didn't have to mount them back them my father did. Back then the big double ring on
4 link spacing were the standard tire chain, the really good ones had a bar reinforced twist chain
in 4 link spacing on the same chain so you had a 2 link spaced chain with a set of double rings
then twist link bar reinforced. They had great traction in deep snow and mud but on bare frozen ground
you had to idle down in 2nd gear the ride was so rough.
When I started doing my own driveway I just used the bar reinforced 4 link spaced chains on 4x4's and tractors.
Good enough and I usually got the job done and didn't get stuck often.
Then I switched to 2 link spacing and the traction was more then doubled and the ride improved.
With my current driveway the trucks with 2 link spacing did OK you could plow down and backup
to plow down again. Even with chains all around and a loaded sander on the truck it would still chew
and hop trying to plow up the hill. The tractors with 4 link spaced chains could plow down and turn around
and drive back up if you used 3rd or 4th gear for tire speed otherwise a couple of spots would become slip
grab and go slip grab and go. I switched to 2 link spacing and then the tractors could drive back up,
but you could not stop and back up when you tried the chains would just slip and slowly dig and chew.
These were on 2wd 50-60 HP tractors with weights and loaded tires.
Then I got the first set of Aqualine studded chains, I had put a well worn set of 18.4-30 R1's on the tractor
that summer with no fill and no iron on that tractor a IH 574 so she is quite light with the back blade on I
could plow down, stop anywhere on the driveway and backup never could before. After a month of using that
set of chains and seeing what they would do, my brother on the farm ordered 3 sets for over there. Then I got
my 4wd tractor and put them on her. No one that has tried the Euro style patterned studded chains would
ever want to go back. The traction for going and stopping is simply amazing I would not hesitate to say it is a magnitude
of 5 times or more better then convention 2 or 4 link spaced or the dou-grip or H pattern chains.
The ride is almost the same as not having chains on we have no trouble traveling a few miles on paved roads between farms
with loaded feed wagons daily.
I will take my tractor over to the farm occasionally which is 3+ miles at almost max speed on bare roads,
I usually cruise around 13-15 mph on bare roads, when it has had a couple of inches of hard pack or several inches
of fresh snow I have opened her up to the 18-20 mph that she maxs out at.
So a simple and shot answer would be that there is no comparison get the Aqualine or a similar chain and don't look back
or consider the others that may kind of work. That is my opinion after owning and working most styles.