The thickness of a kayak seat pad is a big factor in comfort. A kayak seat with a thicker pad will last longer, give more support, and have more ability to conform to the shape of your body than a thin seat will, like a lay-z-boy armchair instead of a mildly padded computer chair. You can make do in either the computer chair or the minimal seat your kayak will come with, but given the choice, the upped expense is worth it.
One thing to be aware of, with kayak seats, though, is that padding on the back of a seat isn't really necessary. Lumbar support is just as good with a low, hard plastic seat back (such as the Old Town or Necky Active Comfort System sit in kayak seats, or the Ocean Kayak Comfort Pro Seat) than it would be in a high-backed angler kayak seat such as the GTS Elite, and the padding isn't really necessary unless you're using a PFD like this.Your life vest will offer as much back padding as you need, and anything extra isn't likely to be felt through the vest. So don't be overwhelmed by the options when you're looking for an upgraded kayak seat, because where seat backs are concerned, sometimes less is more.
