Inflatable sleeping pad?

[athemlock07]

I was thinking about getting a Big Agnes inflatable sleeping pad for my PCT09 thru-hike. Should I get a small foam pad for fear of puncturing the inflatable? I feel like the Big Agnes would be much more comfortable. Thoughts?

[Snap]

I combined a 3 inch Insul Mat air mattress (15 oz) and a Gossamer Gear 1/8 inch ThinLight foam pad (~2 oz) for most of my California hike. I used the foam pad during breaks and underneath the air mattress at night. I used a thicker foam pad on the snow through the Sierra's. I was very happy with this setup. I'm a side sleeper and have always had trouble getting comfortable with the thinner pads.
On colder nights I think the air mattress loses heat from the sides so a warmer pad might be needed late in the season.

Snap

[handlebar]

I carried a z-lite pad until Walker Pass, then a Thermarest 4--both full length. This setup was good for all the weather I ran into from April 4 to Sep 21.

I did have a slight problem with the Thermarest in the Sierra. I had gotten it out to sit on when cooking dinner at about 5 pm and noticed a pine needle stuck in the coated fabric of the bottom. I foolishly pulled it out without marking the spot and try as I might could find the leak until I got to Mammoth Lakes where a bathtub at Motel 6 revealed it quickly. Since it was a small hole, the thermarest took a long time to deflate, but by morning it was flat. Suprisingly, even so, it did a reasonably good job of insulation. Moral of the story, mark the leak!

[George]

On the PCT I used (and still do) a combination of three quarter length Thermarest plus a Ridgerest foam pad. Besides the extra insulation and padding, the Ridgerest protects the Thermarest. The Ridgerest pad is practically weightless, so carrying it is not an issue really. Also if you wanted a pad to sit on it's quick to deploy and of course less susceptible to damage. So if taking any kind of air filled mat, I'd also consider accompanying it with a foam pad. :)