Over my long bike touring life I went from 700c skinny road touring bikes to 26 inch mountain bikes until I found the best combination of the two styles 20 years ago in the 700x45 wheeled Bruce Gordon Rock N Road. I found that the larger diameter wheel rolled over obstacles better than the 26 inch ones due to the angle of attack with the obstruction and to roll with more momentum and speed.

I have been able to travel on almost any type of terrain with the bike loaded for self sufficient touring. That includes third world tracks and the Divide Ride. I have yet to have the dreaded wheel or tire destruction stated or implied in many previous comments.

Today's bike choices are even better with wide clearance frames fitting 700x2.4 tires or so. They allow a rigid/ unsuspended bike to handle the roughest terrain with the increased air volume rather than the complexity and vulnerability and weight of suspension systems.