Hideously gigantic 29er wheels combined with climbing steep mountains is wreaking havoc on my drive train. I'm getting chain suck and shark fins too soon. Is there anything I can do about it? I'm already waxing my chain frequently. I suppose larger ring and cog combinations would lessen the wear. Obviously steel rings are called for. Is there anything else I can do? Are triples better than 1x? Is 8 speed better than 11 speed? Is there any consensus on ideal gearing for the steeps?

22-30-42 x 14-40 custom cassette, 9 speed

I used a 94 bcd crankset so I could run the 30t but it's too soft (6061). The 22t alloy granny is even worse.