An interesting thread, this. As someone below said - if it all fits on the barrow, what's the problem? That said, it ties in nicely with my own push to be as efficient as possible. 'Efficient' doesn't always equal 'minimalist' - I'm lucky enough to have the option of multiple different waters close enough for quick overnighters, and they are very different. Some swims are nice grass, some are rock-hard stones, some are wooden stands. Some venues are under-the-rod-tip traps, some are far margin or open water. My gear, permanently in the boot of the car:

FOX Flatliner bedchair with Big Snooze plus cover - very comfy, and can sleep just under the cover on a warm night.
Avid brolly - nice and light, plus pretty robust.
Leeda Profil boat seat - does the job of a bedchair buddy, and weighs ounces.
Sonik 10ft 3.25lb x2 in sleeves. The pocket on each sleeve has one heli leader, one drop off solid bag leader and a couple of backleads. The mainline just has a big loop in the end.
Sonik 8ft 2.75 x2 in sleeves. My canal rods.
Sonik xtractor net - telescopes down nice and small.
Sonik folding mat - I know, Sonik groupie, but the mat does fold nice and small and the bag has folding sling, collapsible bucket, forceps, scales, carp care kit.
Sonik rucksack - alarms, bars, banksticks, the usual, plus food bag (standard bankside meal is a tin of tuna plus a packet of quick cook rice, with one from the selection of hot sauces. Tub of porridge for breakfast). Efficient doesn't mean eating badly on the bank.
Full brew kit - because efficient also doesn't mean that I'll compromise on the pleasure of having a proper coffee in the morning before pack-up.
One or two buckets - one bucket is my 'solid bag' bucket, one is my boilie bucket. Together, they give me shedloads of options.
Small tripod and phone bracket for self takes (I still feel pretty stupid saying 'shoot' to my phone in the middle of the night!)

All in all, not the lightest set up, but comfortable, efficient and - importantly - lets me fish a variety of swims with a variety of techniques. I wonder if the drive towards minimalism limits swim choice and response to the tactical situation before you even leave the house?

In reply to Post #2
Funny guy.

Why, oh why, oh why, do so many people give so much of a toss about their acrimonious divorce/court case? Why is this so different from any other celebrity mud-slinging break up?

In reply to Post #15
I can't agree about John Harry's book; a nice record of the 'golden age' on an iconic water, but another one I struggled to finish - it just got a bit boring. It's all very subjective, I know.

Five Star Fish Mix.

Prior planning, and all that...

Balancing of work/life/fishing means that my standard session is a midweek overnighter, straight from work and straight back to work in the morning. Routine is everything for me, starting with careful loading of the car in exactly the right order to load the barrow straight from the boot, and the same in reverse the next morning. Rods made up with a big loop in the line, ready to loop-to-loop a pre-prepared solid bag (the most efficient short-session method for me). Alarms and bobbins already on the buzzer bars. Rucksack filled with the worlds' supply of little storage pouches in exactly the same order every time. Terminal tackle/leads pared down to the absolute minimum.

This has worked well on a number of CV venues, although I'm about to start on a 50-acre pond that might expose the limitations of the technique - we'll see.

I'm curious as to everyone's tips and tweaks for making midweek overnighters even more efficient. I think I've got a pretty good routine going, but I'm settled into a routine now and I'm sure there are plenty of things I've never thought of.

In reply to Post #23
Did that on Tuesday night, playing a fish at 0100. Luckily, I'd slipped into my 'night footwear' Crocs, so it all just drained away...

In reply to Post #12

Scratched and dinged banksticks are about as carpy as you can get!

Interesting views. I really want to put Yates and BB on a pedestal, but they're 'period pieces' and, while great craftsmen, not reflective of modern carp fishing.

Too many of those who orbited around Rod Hutchinson are of what Jim Gibbinson (another gifted writer with a wonderfully dry turn of phrase!) described as the 'beer and curry brigade'. Reading that stuff gets very old, very quickly.

Follow up question: most cliched phrase in a carp book. My money's on 'the rod was almost torn from my grasp...