Loaded touring on GRR

Fellow Easy Racer owners:
I have a new GRR purchased from Angle Tech in CO.

I have been riding up steep hills to test my ability to climb with this bent. Last nite after work I loaded up my Jannd Mountain panniers with 36 lbs. of books and set the 2 bags on the the rear rack. I found that I could still climb in low gear (19.1 gear inches) although I did seem to go a little bit slower, which is understandable of course.

My questions:
1.) From my days riding my former Cannondale T-2000 touring bike I found it helped to have front panniers to balance the load and keep the bike from fish-tailing. Would splitting the load on a GRR using Terrycle under-seat racks help here as well?

2.) Are their experienced tourers out there who have compared using standard rear panniers (Jannd, Topeak, others) with the ERRC Lonng panniers?

3.) Are there experienced TE or GRR owners who have found that placing a light-weight Thermarest and/or small tent up under the Zzipper fairing has any deleterious effect on bike handling?

4.) For loaded touring I would like to replace my rear tire (Conti Top Touring 700C 35 which is only supposed to be pumped to 75 psi. with a tire that can be pumped up higher. In addition I need to have a tire that is foldable. Any good suggestions?

5.) For loaded touring what do folks suggest for a front 406 tire? Once again I need to have something that can be pumped up pretty hard to lesson the rolling resistance.

Thanks for your review of this lengthy query. If you love heavy self-contained touring, as I do, I want to get to know your best advice. Tents beat out spendy motel rooms any day!!!