This may boil down to the difference between the minimalist trail rider approach and the more comprehensive overland traveller solution. Firstly I've never been convinced that HD tubes (which are very bulky and hard to fit) are any better that ordinary tubes. If you pick up a nail and it gets through the tyre carcass it'll pierce any tube. For trail riding I only carry a 21" ordinary duty tube as a get me home measure which would fit in a fender pack or tool tube along with tyre changing tools and puncture kit. On longer trips I have used a home made rack bolted under the bottom yoke which carries tubes and folding shovel. I have a bit of an obsession with trying to distribute weight on the bike and this rack goes a small way to getting some weight forward. The downside is that it can obscure the headlight a little. The 4" soil pipe sounds like a good idea although may be hard to fix to the bike securely.
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