I mostly use Microtex needles for piecing (80/12) and for quilting (90/14). However, one of my quilting friends was talking about Schmetz's Super Universal needle and how good it was for going thru heavy fabrics. I've been using them for bag making and quilting for about 6 months now and I really like them. They do seem to slide right thru many layers of fabric.
https://www.schmetzneedles.com/produ...achine-needles