Perhaps the most striking feature about the Tioga Spyder Outland saddle is its seemingly odd design; it is certainly more unconventional than the usual saddle, but positively not less comfortable. For one, no sensible saddle maker strives for discomfort, and, to have something released into the market suggests a breakthrough in design. Could that be the case for this particular saddle? Understanding Tioga’s philosophy behind its design helps shed light on its rationale. Key to it is its belief that padding actually has a limited and inefficient impact on shock absorption. This is down to the understanding that most paddings become compressed when a load is applied. With that in mind, Tioga’s solution to this is to design a dual-material shell with a webbed structure, which has been proven to be more comfortable and forgiving on bumps. Upon testing, it felt similar to having a mini suspension right underneath.