I toured on Alex rims and lx while weighing 275, and carrying about 40 pounds, plus food and water. Didn't even need to do a re-true. I put that down to the LBS that built the wheels. Wheelbuilding is no longer a mystery. Peter White is for people who don't know what they are doing, and need a gold standard to fall back on, but there are any number of people who can do a similar job, including first time builders. The problem is knowing what you are getting. A shop that specializes in durability, like touring, or bike couriers, should have a clue.

I really support the idea of higher count spoked rims, I just don't see the downside. But I haven't personally proven the need by breaking stuff. In this place the threads tend to bash higher spoke counts over 36, but support Rhino rims. I'd rather much lighter rims and higher spoke counts, and I would even further prefer the return to old school rims and high spoke counts. But I think for low mileage touring 36 will get her done, and 36 on 26" rims is pretty stout. My idea of low mileage is trans am, and down.