Id only buy an expensive saddle if there was a good return policy. You are looking at the most critical issue on the bike, fit-wise, No saddle of any price, reputation or quality level is guaranteed to work for your butt.

Good shops are starting to get on board with letting you ride a saddle for long enough to know, then bringing it back for another or store credit if it doesn't pan out. I am a fan of looking at cheaper saddles of a manufacturer's line as often the basic shape doens't change much as the quality goes up. It is the shape (and getting that shape exactly where yhou need it on the bike) that is the key to saddle comfort. Once you have that $50 saddle that works and is dialed in, you can blow a future paycheck on that really nice top-of-the-line model and relegate this one to a box for your future beater.

I speak from experience. I used to race and loved a very common Italian racing seat but when I hit my 40s, it stopped working. I went to a bike shop and bought one of the new seats with full length groove. Last year's cheapest model; on sale for $39.99. Put it on my best bike, It was a breakthrough. Later I bought a high end one from the same company and put the cheapie on my winter bike where it stayed until I had worn through the cover, 10 years and 17,ooo miles later.

Ben