Gel pads can either be an entire pad that is essentially a “bladder” holding a gel, or the pad can have gel contained within channels in the pad. Traditional “chamois” pads are made of material. They do not contain any liquids or gels. The original leather chamois were made of a single piece of leather sewn directly into the short. There was no padding under the leather chamois at all. The primary function of the leather chamois was to prevent chaffing (friction caused by the cyclist sliding back and forth on the seat as they pedaled). The more modern cycling pads are made of an antibacterial synthetic leather chamois covering foam, polypropylene, or other breathable wicking pad material. Modern chamois prevent the propagation of bacteria, eliminate chaffing, wick moisture, and offer padding depending on the thickness of the material that is used underneath the breathable top layer of fabric.

The number one consideration when comparing a gel pad, with a more traditional pad, is breathability. The material used to contain the gel is essentially waterproof, and not breathable. Pads that do not wick moisture and breath, get sweaty and wet. A wet crotch is not only uncomfortable, it can increase the chance of bacterial infections, and skin irritations. To overcome the issue of breathability many manufacturers using gel pads have synthetic wicking fabrics over the top of the gel pad, and/or they create appropriately placed channels within in the pad, and/or they make perforations in the pad; all designed to increase airflow and breathability. While the padding provided by a gel pad can be very comfortable, some people find the perforations in gel pads to be irritating, and would opt to put the gel pad on their seat rather than in their short against their skin.

Depending on the manufacturer, both gel pads and traditional pads come in varying sizes and thicknesses. That is why it is important for each individual cyclist to try on shorts before purchasing them. For best results, take your bike into the store when trying on shorts because the type of saddle that you have on your bike, and it’s adjustment, will effect the comfort of your short. For example- if you have a gel pad on your bike seat, you may not want to purchase a short with a heavily padded chamois- you would have to much padding between you and your bike. On the flip side, if you have a very hard saddle on your bike, you may wish to purchase a gel seat cover and a short with a lighter pad, or no seat cover, and a bike short with a thicker chamois. It is all a matter of personal preference and the set up of your bike.

The major difference between a lower price point short, and a higher end short is in the fabrics that are used in the garments, and the design and construction of the pad in the bike short.

Higher end shorts tend to be made of technical fabrics that are designed to wick moisture and breathe. Most higher end shorts have a four- way stretch fabric rather than a two-way stretch fabric. A 4-way stretch fabric allows the short to fit a wider range of body types better than a two way stretch fabric.

Most pads in lower price point shorts tend to be simple in design- a single piece of synthetic leather, or polyester, over a single pice of foam or fleece. Higher end cycling pads have a more complicated pad design. The thickness of the pad may vary. Materials may vary throughout the pad. These variations are all designed to try and offer the cyclist optimum comfort and breathability.