For me, finding the perfect saddle is just as difficult as finding that holy grail of a good fitting sports bra.
Boobs and bums come in all different shapes, sizes and symmetries, so finding that “one” saddle to comfortably see me through a ride has become my sole quest for comfort.
A little bit of sore saddle bum is expected after a long day trail blazing through the mountains, but when I found I was being left sitting on one side of my bum-cheek for a few days, I decided to go in search for a new MTB saddle.
Your hands, feet and bum are the three main contact points between you and your bike. It’s important to make sure these points are taken care of with proper support from you, and your bike components.
Since you’re not likely to be sitting down for long periods, a MTB saddle doesn’t generally need to be that padded. It does need to be fairly narrow so you can quickly get behind it for those downhill sections, but remain wide enough for your sit bones to be supported.