Chamois: foam or gel?

[nifty950]

I'm somewhat of a noob...I've been riding seriously for about a year and a half. I used to think that gel chamois must be better than foam, because it's gel, right? Well, my gel shorts are getting a little worn, and cycling friends have told me that Hincapie is the way to go. I can't help but notice that there don't seem to be any gel options, even though they're pretty expensive. In my head, expensive must equal good. I've noticed that other expensive brands don't mention anything about gel, so I'm assuming they must be foam too.

Am I misguided thinking that gel is better? Or is it personal preference?

[emily_in_nc]

I prefer foam. The last time I tried gel (quite a few years ago), I didn't like it. I can't remember if I had chafing or exactly what the problem was, but it didn't work for me.

[malkin]

Apart from basic hygiene, isn't just about everything affiliated with that particular region a personal preference?

[nscrbug]

Not 100% positive on this, but I think some of the Novara line (sold at REI stores) still use a gel chamois pad...and they are reasonably priced, too. Can't comment on how good they are, as I've never worn any of them.