Are Seat Savers For Sissies?

In the first installment of our series "Are you a Sissy?", we looked at mounting blocks. Now we turn our attention to seat savers, also known as seat covers, pads, or cushions.

Many hard core western riders, would answer a definite "YES!" to the question "Are you a sissy if you use a seat saver?" But I take a slightly more tolerant view. Seat savers have their place, but you have to understand what they can and can't do, and why they've become so popular.

With the explosion of lower-end production saddles on the market, many folks are finding that low cost saddles deliver an uncomfortable ride (along with a host of other problems). Creating a quality ground seat takes skill and can't be done cheaply. So cheap saddles usually have cheap ground seats and, therefore, an uncomfortable ride. 

Some folks reach for a nice, big padded, fluffy seat saver to solve the problem. Unfortunately seat savers won't offer much relief to a badly constructed ground seat. They can, however, offer some minor relief, especially for some pressure points. If that's what you're looking for, then trying a seat saver makes sense.

The best solution, however, is a well constructed ground seat. A saddle that has one will be comfortable without any additional padding. Now, keep in mind that any rider needs to put some miles in the saddle to get their bum into riding shape. There's no getting around the "new rider" soreness. But once you've gotten into rider shape, your saddle should be comfortable to ride for miles and miles.

Seat Savers are also used by some to protect their seat from the elements. This is especially the case for those with suede seats (as opposed to rough out), which doesn't handle rain very well. But, I view covering your seat a bit like like the folks who cover their furniture in plastic to protect it. Who are they saving it for? A saddle is designed to be used.

So, unlike some, I won't call you a sissy if you use a seat saver. I just'll remind you that the relief provided is minimal and I'd prefer to spend my money on a better saddle.