On my commuterized mountain bike I have a Specialized Sonoma. For my LHT I just ordered a Brooks Flyer. I second the fact that you should carry a range of saddle choices.

Most newbies I would think, look at the price of the saddle as well as all the fancy add-ons and go from there (gel, padding, cut-outs, etc.), I know I did. I held off on a Brooks because of the price and how hard the leather was thinking it would not be comfortable (besides the fact I never heard of them before these forums ). I bought another leather saddle (Gyes Thames) and after the leather started to break in I understood what a lot of experienced commuters were talking about.

I would probably start off with a brand like the WTB or Specialized which is what my LBS carries. Both have a wide variety of selections for a variety of cycling types (casual, weekend warriors, racers, etc.)