: My bike shop has always claimed that gel seat or gel pad reduce numbness. Any
: thought? Anyone know a product like that for yak? Anyone tried that
: before?

Cycling and kayaking numbness are very different problems, though they're both caused by pressure on nerves (different nerves).

As an avid cyclist, I can tell you that gel saddle pads are more likely to cause numbness than to relieve it. Cycling related numbness is caused by pressure on the nerves in the perineal area. This is typically caused by a saddle that is too soft and allows the ischial tuberosities ("sit bones") to sink into the padding. This forces the rider's weight onto the surrounding soft tissues. For cycling, you want a firm saddle because you want your weight to be supported on the bones only, when in a leaned forward position.

In a kayak, your posture is quite different. You're typically upright or slightly reclined and the pressure is distributed differently. Perhaps the sciatic nerves are more exposed in this position. That said, I find the firm, but slightly flexible seat in my plastic boat to be very comfortable. Maybe I just have a hard ass from years of riding. ;-)