Originally Posted by
ThermionicScott
The bike I use for winter riding sports the same B17 year-round.
Ditto.
Originally Posted by
erig007
^ If you can wear the same saddle year-round without increasing shaffing it means that you live in a place where you don't need much layering in winter or your B17 nose is not wide enough part of the year
Since the OP live in Alaska, we can assume that the OP will wear some thick layers during winter. So unless it is a noseless saddle, a year-round saddle doesn't apply well to the OP situation unless there is something that i don't know that could make it works well.
I've been riding on a B-17 year round for two years now, and it's worked wonderfully for me. The leather doesn't lose any spring in the cold, and I've ridden it in temps down to -30ºF, for up to an hour. As to layering, I personally never wear more than two layers down low, although I certainly can't vouch for other Alaskans; anyway, chafing has never come up, and nose width seems adequate for all seasons, as I've never really thought about it.
FWIW, my wife has a gel Serfas saddle that she rides year round (thing is so squishy, it's softer than my couch), and she says she's never noticed it hardening in the cold, but she thinks that it's because her behind is so hot.