My dad has had a Brookes Saddle for about 30 years, even then he found it in a small stream, near where we lived. The stream was the dumping ground from the local Kodak plant, so polluted that a group of kids managed to set it alight once.

He still insists on using it- even after giving him a Rolls San Marco for Christmas. It's so well used that it's starting to split away from the tensioning bolts.

I guess I'm quite lucky but I have used

Rolls San Marco
Tioga Control
Selle Turbomatic
Flite Titanium

all in the last 18months with no problems.