We bear our weight on our ischial tuberosities or "sit bones" and need to measure the distance between these to determine our ideal saddle width and this is not hard to do.

By sitting on a piece of corrugated cardboard in light clothes (or no clothes) these tuberosities will leave intents and the distance between these is your sit span.

I own a lot of bicycles and a good number of saddles that have a commonality bin that they match my butt and tend to be quite firm to provide proper support and match the bicycles they are used on.

My Brooks Imperial is my touring saddle and after a serious back injury it was the first thing I could sit on without extreme pain, I also have a Terry men's touring saddle on my second touring bike and it too has a cutout and is fabulous for all day riding.

About half of my saddles are classic leather like Brooks, Wrights, Ideale, and Lycette, while many others are modern saddles that are also leather (like the Terry).

Finding the right saddle for your riding style and needs is one of the most important keys to enjoying your ride and what works for one may not work for another.

I used to ride 10,000 miles a year and did the majority of that riding on an Ideale touring saddle and a Wright's Leather saddle... I never had any issues with pain or discomfort over any distance.