Does everyone agree that a larger pan size is better?

No

I thought the same thing last year, so I bought #3 pans for #2 traps. I started having more misses and got several toes. As per advice, mostly from Hal, I switched all the pans back this year the way they were supposed to be. No toes this year. If it ain't broke-- don't fix it.

Ron

I used 1.75 traps on land for years. I switched most of the pans for smaller 1.5 pans or cut the stock ones down some. They worked well for me and have produced good catches on fox and coyotes as well as a few other animals. I see no advantage in going larger on the pans.

I personaly wouldn't recommend larger than factory pans IF the pan gets hit by the upward movement of the levers......you may be able to add a down pan stop to mitigate that, adjust the stop so the pan drops enough to trigger the trap but doesn't allow the levers to contact the pan. That is if you really think you need a larger pan footprint.

I bought a dozen of the x brand large pans for some #2s to try out on my water line for coon and mink. But before any body says omg yull get chewing and foot damage they were used on drowning sets only and never had a problem. The pans from x brand outdoors has cut outs for the levers. Before I got them I used to make bigger pans out of thin metal and bolt them to the regular pan. I also cut out the area for the levers too tho. They work great on long spring traps too. Yu can get a huge kill area on a number 3 double lonspgring. I know some guys are gunna disagree with me but in my own personal experience ive had good luck with them. I plan on putting them on my k9 and cat traps as well.

Some guys swear by them...

I would probably swear at them.

Mike

After 150 years of trap manufacture, if larger pans were a good idea, traps would come equipped that way.

Bad idea.

Hal

Still have a couple fox traps I got years ago with cut down pans; I've seen pans removed completely in the theory that when the trigger was stepped on the the critter was in exactly the right place.
Big pan invites toe or toenail catch, imo.