More metal is more expensive.
How important is a dropper post. I use mine constantly throughout every ride and I would not own a trail bike hard tail or full suspension without one. Only really concerned with durability and leverage. If youre happy with the lever great.
A dropper post is naturally going to have a lot more material and mechanical parts than a standard post. I will not even bother to justify any of it as I have heard every argument against them for years. You can fit a narrower post into a wider frame using a shim a thin sleeve of aluminium or plastic for example a 309 mm dropper post into a 316 mm frame.
A dropper post helps with your center of gravity as well as not having a seat post at your backside when things get steep which is more likely to send you over the bars. Keeping all of these things in mind will help you to pick the perfect dropper seat post for you. A dropper post on a road bike for instance cannot add value to your ride.
A Guide to Choosing the right Dropper Post. Most droppers work through cable actuation although there are a handful of electronicwireless posts. A dropper post is much important especially if you are short or you have short legs.
Nowadays people around the world are using dropper posts to make their riding more comfortable and stable. Do whatever turns you on. Using a dropper post requires some skills and fitness level than your riding ability.
Enduro riders need to be able to pedal hard over long distances and varied terrain but they also need to clear very technical terrain so they get the most use out of a dropper post. There is otherwise no reason you would use one. You might consider installing a dropper post on a gravel bike if you traverse MTB trails where using a dropper post would improve your ride.