Since you've mentioned bar tape I'll assume you're talking about drop bars.
I do most of my riding with my hands on the break lever hoods, so padded bar tape isn't all that important to me. I also wear padded gloves. As far as comfort goes, remember that your hands adsorb a lot of road shock and vibrations, so anything to diminish that ( larger tires for example ) will go along way to make your life in the saddle a lot more comfortable.