Back in the late '90's in the Cascades we all started drilling 1 1/8" holes and porting our tracks. They worked fine. Then Doo began doing it. Ha. Then out here in MT I bought another XP and track had no porting. Wife and I go for a ride. Did a loop through 200yds of 3' powder and parked the ported sled on a logging road immediately after exiting the deep pow. Did the same loop with the ported track sled right along side the first sled's trench and parked it. Couldn't tell the difference in snow build-up in tunnel. As for which gets up on top easier and floats better/climbs better - there are so many variables day to day and morning to afternoon I say go with either. If you really have to float across a lot of water go with non-ported, ported does sink.