I don't own any shorts cut that low, but I have been thinking about ordering some. Sometimes I get really sick of the band being so high, and I will just roll it down, or shove it down, so it isn't up in my belly.

As for padding, I agree that I don't like the chamois to act as padding...more just sweat absorbtion. I have a somewhat hard saddle, though not completely rock hard.

I had some awful gel shorts once that were horrible.