Originally Posted by
noglider
Yes! It's a good thing you asked. Nowadays, people want padding. Seems to me that it makes more sense to put padding in the seat if you need it. It also seems to me that the market demands padded shorts because so many misconstrued what the chamois was there for in the first place.
If the padding adds comfort for you, that's fine, but if you need it, then you'll need padded shorts every time you ride, no? Remember that you can condition your butt, with practice, to require little or no padding in your shorts OR on your saddle.
I have a few different pair (pairs?) from different manufacturers with different thicknesses and, from the padding perspective, I don't feel the difference so it isn't for padding that I need it. However, they not only have different thicknesses but also different widths.
Given that the sweat produced in the region is primarily central, I wonder why manufacturers haven't produced any that are similar in shape to some women's menstrual pads. Without "padding" for seasoned butts, chamois "with wings" may be sufficient for people who only need sweat absorption.