HIM shorts with some padding?

[Tri Girl]

Give your butt some credit, as it IS probably more durable than you think.
I've ridden 100 miles in my tri shorts with no discomfort. I wear them all the time (running, riding, even swimming). I put on the one "real" bike shorts I have with all the padding the other day because all my tri shorts were dirty and my bits were more uncomfortable than in the thinner shorts. I think your body adjusts to the conditions you put it under, and that if you'll wear your tri shorts on all your training rides, your lower half will be more than ready come race day. Just my thoughts.

[Wahine]

I'll add my vote to going out and training in your tri shorts. I've done 100 plus miles in mine and like Tri Girl I am uncomfortable with more padding now.

[skinny_kitty]

I read somewhere a while back that the more you have going for you under your butt, the more you're in for a painful ride. The wider the seat, the more padding you have, etc., the more it's going to hurt.

I always pooh-poohed this advice, I loved having extra gel everywhere, and then I got into triathlons and somehow ended up trading in shorts with more and more padding for those that had less and less. And my saddle got smaller. Suddenly, I realized that all of that anticipation over what could have been was over nothing.

Now I ride in LG tri shorts that have just a little shammy and even on century rides, I'm fine. I never, ever would have thought it possible...