In my experience, which is 95% lake fishing for Kokanee, The Ball is the worst. Pipe is the best and doesn't seem to hang in the tree tops of Merwin. I've been known to bounce it on the bottom at Roosevelt for Walleye.
My 2nd choice is the Pancake. But I have lost a couple of those in the tree tops of Merwin.

 

I got a set of these and love them for kokanee fishing.
No Snag Downrigger Stick Weights - No Slip Stacker Release (bottomlinetackle.com)

 

I have found 11" of handicapped railing, full of lead, weighs in at 8# and seems to hang straighter at 1.2 mph. Had a hang up in a tree on Yale. It took a while, and I could feel it hitting branches as I worked to clear it. But is finally cleared... If you are into pouring your own lead, the railing is a comfortable size to handle, but like a ball will roll around a bit in the boat. A 7 incher should give you just under 6#. When you are around Oregon City, let me know and I can help pour some for you.
StreamFixer

 

I use a fish shaped one that runs really well. I run a ten pounder but when I searched on fish shaped DR weights a six pounder came up.

 

I use a fish shaped one that runs really well. I run a ten pounder but when I searched on fish shaped DR weights a six pounder came up.
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Try Four Fins for downrigger weights. They are fish shaped and coated, work great for me.

 

Sandpiper...To answer your specific question, I have played around a bit with various down-rigger weights/styles for setback a bit kokanee fishing.

My experience, your results may vary... I started kokanee fishing with a 4# uncoated ball, a basic lake troll and a kayak. WAY too much setback with 4# weight. With an aluminum boat and bigger/better riggers I tried 6# "Cannon brand" ball weights and some 6# stainless pipe style weights. The pipe weights may be no snag, but didn't have any less setback compared to same 6# weight coated ball IMO. I also thought the coated ball weights handled easier than the pipe weights, which were wiley when I tipped my riggers up attaching line to clips. I've returned to using coated coated ball weights again for kokanee. I now also run a co-worker donated 8# coated ball on one side and notice slightly less setback than the 6#, but not a lot. I have not tried the narrow fin weights and don't think I will. What I have works well for me, and I verify actual depth of my weights on sonar. Since I fish shallow, not going deeper that say 65' at Merwin, I'm no longer bothered by a bit of setback at that depth. If I were fishing 100' or deeper, as I once did in Lake Michigan, I'd use 15# weights as I did back there.

 

You can’t accurately tell what the depth of your weight is with the sonar on your boat. What it tells you is how far the weight is from your transducer. You can get deceptive readings if the weight is further out from the center of the sonar cone.

I tried out fish weights vs cannonballs at the same weight by letting out line until they hit bottom. The cannonballs had less blowback.

 

I use homemade stick weights in the lakes. I pour a 2” black PVC pipe 12” long full of lead. About 9 pounds. Don’t cry so much when losing one. I put the pipe in a small, tall box, with the bottom of the pipe sealed with masking tape. Then pour sand in to near the top. Tape keeps sand out of the pipe bottom. Melt lead in a old pot bought from thrift store. Use my crab cooker for the melt. I do wear my welding jacket and a face shield when pouring. In the Ocean I use 15# balls.

 

I've found window sash weights (stick weights) seem to have less blowback than cannonball, pancake, or fish shaped weights. Cheap too.

 

My boat has 8# ball and my brothers boat has 8# pancake and at 1.2 mph 65ft deep we can't tell much difference.