Originally Posted by
StephenH
I think the Thompson is what I've got now. My old seatpost got corroded and stuck into place. I replaced with a Thompson. The old seatpost was circular inside and circular outside. The Thompson is circular outside and oval inside. In other words, it's stronger front-to-back than it is side-to-side. I mention this because that is a weight-saving issue that you're paying extra for, not a strength-adding feature, so I wouldn't be so sure that it's actually stronger than a cheaper thicker heavier post.
You might also look at how your seat is adjusted front-to-back, which can add some extra stress on the post.
From the "cup half full" perspective, the Thomson allows for greater strength without too much of a weight penalty. Most decent posts will be thusly designed. Cheaper posts, while maybe physically stronger (and heavier) due to their non-ovalized interiors, tend to also have inferior clamping points or mount strength, with bonded clamps that can and will fail even before the post itself does. The Thomson has one of the best clamps in the industry. It is a very strong post.