. I roll my tent and tent poles up like a sausage and then horizontally secure them across the top of the rucksack.
Well I wonder what 'size' (number of litres) your tent, poles etc would add up to.
I was always taught to have everything 'packed' inside your pack - nothing outside to rattle, bang, or able to 'catch' or snag on anything.
If your tent, poles etc. pack into (just as an example) a 40cm x 15cm diameter 'sausage' that is equivalent to 7.1 litres.
If (for example) you have a down 'quilt' that may pack down into 5 litres, my Vango Wilderness sleeping bag packs down into 9.1 litres.
Just with those two items we have identified a 16.2 litres difference - as has been said earlier in the thread, 'bulk' (volume) can be as important as weight.[/color]
My tent is 6.75 litres, the mattress is 5.5 litres, and sleeping bag at 9.1 litres thats 21.5 litres
Add change of clothing, Poncho, woolly hat, gloves, camp-slippers, washing kit, gaiters, headlamp, radio, GPS, 5 days food*, 2 litres of water, cooking equipment, solar battery charger, large 1st aid kit assorted bits & pieces and it all mounts up in volume.
* Yes - 5 days food is excessive but because of my diabetes I need to ensure that should anything happen, I have sufficient food to maintain a reasonable diet for a couple of 'emergency days' - I cannot rely on just Mars bars and Mint cake. If I am going for 1 day/ night I would take 3 days food, if going for 3 days/nights I'd take 5 days food. My 2-Day ration box weighs in at 1.2kgs, provides 2000Kcal per day and takes up 2 litres of space.
We all make choices, and by doing things 'your way' you are happy and able to use a 48 litre bag, my choice of contents results in requiring a 65 litre pack.
I have my 25 litre pack, ready and packed for 2 day/night trips but it would not offer the comfort levels of camping I get from the 'stuff' in my 'big-bag'.