One caveat on the gel - it gets freakin'-blister-your-azz-hot when sitting in the sun. Might not matter 11 months outta the year in Gump-land, though!

 

Me thinx that would be 12 months, this year, Poco.
We had frost and freeze warnings out last nite. WTH???? And she's li'l "COOL" 'round the fringes, this mornin'.

 

Try these guys. I've bought from them and the product and service are both good.

www.foamorder.com

 

Memory foam comes in different grades. You will want hospital grade memory foam which I think is 10lb. If you google "10lb memory foam" you will find some.

 

LOL, it also gets cold when left on the bike in cool weather!

The AirRider gel pad I have says the gel can be cooled in the fridge for hot weather, and warmed up in the microwave for cold weather, and will hold the temperature difference for several hours. I've never tried it, but I now know better than to leave it on the bike in either the hot sun or in the garage in cold weather!

Here's their link. My pad is about 7 years old, the foam part of it is long disintegrated, but the gel pad is still very useable, but it will stick to itself if it gets folded over inside the case.

http://www.airrider.com/store/category.php?cat=8

I did a SaddleSore 1000 Iron Butt ride last summer, using the gel pad on top of my Road Zep seat, and had absolutely no problem with a sore azz.

 

I heard an Ad that said it was "NASA space age technology".....
a call to Kennedy Space Center would be a start.

 

Went to Walmart last night, nothing.

Looks like the way to go is going to be to purchase a twin sized topper and cut it. Finding the 10lb foam is pretty difficult so far. The heaviest I've seen is the 5lb.

 

NASA certified? Do you get a jar of Tang with it?

 

The memory foam that is used in bedding isn't designed to be sat on, it is designed for your weight to be distributed over a large area and I certainly never would recommend using it for any type of seating.

The foam we use is specifically designed to be sat on with direct pressure on it, it won't collapse. The harder you push on it the firmer it will get where the mattress memory foam you can push your hand right through it.

As far as Memory foam versus Gel pads. This has been a mission of mine since I started working on motorcycle seats. I have upholstered for 25 years, cars, trucks, boats, furniture and of course motorcycles and have worked for some of the best known upholstered furniture companies. Never once did I ever see or hear of gel pads being used in any of these applications. Most gel pads range from 1/4 to 1/2" thick and are pretty firm if not hard. Well, after starting MCC 5 years ago I would have 10-20 calls a week for gel pads, I didn't like them and didn't care for them so for the first 2 years I didn't and wouldn't offer them. I worked on a seat with a gel pad that the guy wanted it removed, turns out it was a ProPad after doing some research. I liked this pad, it was the best I had ever seen so I called the guy up and told him that it wasn't the pad but the way the seat was shaped. Whoever installed it just took the cover off and laid it on top the stock seat and put the cover back on. I reshaped the seat and counter sunk the gel pad into the remaining factory foam. The guy was very happy with the results and we ended up doing his dad, uncle and two brother's seats the same way. Well, a year later I met a guy in New Hampshire that makes medical gel pads and started talking to him and we developed a new gel pad which not many people have heard of but I liked them better than the propads so we started selling our pads. To make this long story shorter, I am sure you have all seen the "Pitch men" on TV and the one that caught my eye was Impact Gel. I met these guys at Thunder Beach and was totally blown away by these pads. They have similar characteristics as memory foam does but its a gel type substance. When I got back home from the rally I called them and we talked and now I am the National installer of them. Best damn gel pads I have ever seen. I am sure you have seen Billy Mays smash his hand with a Hammer in between the pad on the TV and his hand came out unscathed. Before I ever called them I tried this with our pads and I couldn't barely hit my hand or I would have broke it, the Impact gel I can put it over my hand and beat the living crap out of it and my hand is just fine. So I can say that Gel pads are not created equal and the best out there are the Impact Gel pads.

Sorry for the long winded post, I get a little carried away talking about memory foam and gel pads sometimes

 

Allen,

Very good post. So what's your impressions then, do you think the impact gel is going to be the more popular material of choice instead of memory foam?