Selle Italia SLR Boost 3D Kit Carbonio Superflow saddle

Selle Italia's saddles have some of the longest names on the market and with this new 3D-printed model it's got even longer. The SLR Boost 3D Kit Carbonio Superflow may be a mouthful to say, but it is light, comfortable and well made. But boy, is it expensive!

Looking to replace your saddle? Then check out our best road bike saddles buyer's guide.

This is one extremely comfortable saddle. The 3D-printed mesh styled upper is firm enough to give you good support, but there is just enough compression to take out minimal undulations in the road without it feeling like it is sapping performance, and the flex in the 'wings' of the shell allows your legs to flow through the entire pedalling stroke without hindrance.

They keep you seated when riding across rough sections on the road too.

Benefits over a traditional foam or gel saddle upper are noticeable, as this model has small variations in the 3D-printed pattern in different positions across the saddle, which results in greater firmness in some areas, and a bit more give in others. It's as though the ride has been tuned specifically to be supportive where it needs to be, and softer for comfort elsewhere.

A large central cutout helps with pressure management and it's good to see that Selle Italia has made sure that the upper is firm enough around the edges so it doesn't sag into the opening. The upper is also tough, so isn't going to scuff easily when you lean your bike against a wall.

While there is flexibility from the shell, the carbon fibre rails aren't giving anything away in terms of stiffness. They are 10mm tall with flattish sides, but their width means they should still fit the majority of seatposts that are designed to accept 7mm tubular rails. You just need to make sure you have the adjustment there.

The saddle is 248mm in length and I found plenty of room to move backwards and forwards in the saddle when riding, and I also got on well with its shape. The slightly dropped nose helps your efforts when crouched in the drops, while the rear section kicks up a bit, which allows you to push against it when getting the power out or climbing.

There are two widths on offer: 130mm or the 145mm model I tested. The narrower option has a claimed weight of 166g with the wider coming in at 171g, both with a +/- 8% tolerance. Ours weighed in at 177g on the road.cc scales, which isn't super light, but still impressive considering the thickness of the upper.

For comparison, the SLR Boost Kit Carbonio Superflow, which has a standard padded upper, weighs just 129g.

Value

The Boost 3D is lighter than the Specialized S-Works Power Mirror that Mat reviewed, if you are going full-on weight weenie, though the Spesh is a relative snip at £390. The non-S-Works version that I reviewed last year is cheaper at £290, but weighs 254g.

The Fizik Vento Argo 00 Adaptive saddle also uses 3D-printing for the upper and costs £399.99 with a claimed weight of 175g. I'm currently riding around on this one, so keep an eye out for the review.

Conclusion

If you're reading this review to help you decide on which 3D-printed saddle to fit to your bike, I'm guessing its price isn't at the top of your priorities. Saying that though, the Selle Italia does sit at the top of the costings. But purely from a performance point of view, it is a great saddle that I found very, very comfortable even when spending lots of time seated.

If the shape suits, I'd definitely recommend it.

Verdict

Even pricier than other pricey 3D printed saddles – but oh so comfortable