Yeah, I've been using Thermarests for years, and in general here in the SE there is not much to worry about when setting up camp. I just happened across this "Holly Tree" situation when I was checking the levelness of the ground. I usually put down my ground cloth (1 mil plastic just to keep dirt off my tent), and then lay on it real quick to see how the ground feels. When I did that all the dead leaves on the ground stabbed me in the back. I believe they would go right through the 1 mil plastic and my sil-nylon tent floor (Double Rainbow). So that was my main concern.

I'm probably just being paranoid as I am sure the Thermarests are not any more durable than the POE. I guess it is just a perception thing as the POE is a 2.5" thick air matress and the Prolite 4 (the TR I was using) is only 1" thick. The thinner pad just "seems" more durable.