Matt you are looking for more performance in the actual book ? Are you looking for more speed and accuracy with page turning ? Or do you want it to be able to handle more severe conditions? Might I suggest looking at the basics first : lighter paper , a hard cover (kevlar is a possibility ) and a stronger binding.

If you want to really go to the extreme you might want to consider sizing. Possibly reformatting it into a smaller package with lightweight paper and a kevlar cover with a high tension binding would add portibility as well as strength.

Matt , can you be more specific as to what kind of performance you are looking for ? Are you looking at more torque , more low end or more top end ? What will the apliction be that you will be using this new performance for?