Thanks for the suggestions. This will be my first attempt at building my own wheels. I'm not a very heavy fella, 150lb or so. I can be pretty tough on my ride, hitting bumps, hopping over stuff, stairs. Not sure how other people are riding, but I'd rather err on the side of strength, and not get a pair of wheels that I destroy.
I've been riding 32 surly hubs, 14 gauge laced 3x, alex double walled double eyelet rims, and things seem to be holding up well. Think I'll probably stay pretty close to that setup for new wheels.
Any ideas on a durable tire?