This is my first build, so I'm no expert by any means, however my reach had led me to the downhill ski's as they're wider and will support the weight more easily on top of the snow. Per Bear's response to my original question, he's correct. I read longer ski's will distribute the weight more evenly, again helping the sled ride on top of the snow.

Now, my next issue is finding a set of downhill ski's ..... I hit 3 Play it Again Sport shops and 3 Thrift stores across 3 states last week, with no luck. I'm being told "It's too early" Hmmm...never too early to be thinking about hard water fishing.