Zero padding for me, chamois liner works well. I agree it's more about conditioning and technique than clothing.

One minor complaint about padded shorts was that I had to wear those shorts every time I rode, or I'd notice the minute change in saddle height. My butt never gets sore, but my knees and ankles are pretty sensitive to that.

This sounds like discussions about footwear in hiking forums. The perfect shoe for one person feels like the box it came in for another.