The PRO Turnix Gel is a sturdily-built saddle and great for long distance comfort. It's a little bit heavy though, while the price seems a little high.
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When I pick up the Turnix, two things are immediately obvious: firstly that it’s well-built, and secondly that it comes at the expense of weight.
Strong 7mm rails in steel (as opposed to aluminium or carbon) and that gel padding are the obvious culprits, but while the base looks quite slinky and gives the saddle a refined shape, it's glassfibre and fairly thick with it.
Add to all this the accessory mount built into the rail sockets – there to accept PRO's own camera mount, mudguard and CO2 kit holder – and the overall mass ends up pretty high at 300g.
The upside of all this mass is comfort. The gel is good at reducing trail buzz, and over longer rides it's especially notable. The steel rails offer some flex and, coupled with the central cutaway that reduces pressure on sensitive bits of undercarriage, create a perch that's well suited for long days out.
If there's any water around at all you'll want waterproof shorts however long you're riding, however, as full cutaways are a sure fire way of getting a wet rear. Some sort of (lightweight) material to stop this would be such a bonus, as getting soaked right out the door from the first puddle is a plain annoying.
The slightly curved shape gives you support and helps keep you planted when pedalling, and the fabric is slightly textured for decent grip. The rear shaping is good, and caused no issues with snagging shorts when hanging off the back.
The paint on the rails wore through within the first ride, though at least the alignment marks largely survived intact. The overall look is very understated in all black, with just some subtle embossed graphics.
The Turnix Gel is definitely more suited to (perhaps gentler and more upright) riders seeking comfort, or who may prefer the feel of gel and the extra padding. Whilst I found it comfortable enough, it wasn't actually any more comfy for me on longer rides than a non-gel, firmer one. I would happily forego the gel for a lower weight, as the high weight is a little frustrating, especially as its not particularly economical in price.