Originally Posted by
Metieval
My question is how much wheel is needed for bikepacking or light touring on gravel? I (for whatever reason) had in my head that 28 was enough.
What size tires will you be using? A larger tire at lower pressure would likely provide extra shock protection for the entire wheel, including the spokes.
Also, a well-built wheel with properly-tensioned spokes is good protection. Spokes can break because the spoke tension is too high - but a more likely scenario IMO is that the spoke is tensioned too low and may even reach a state of compression as the wheel rotates thereby fatiguing the spoke to the point of failure.
I wouldn't shy away from properly-built 28 spoke wheels as long as I could repair them myself on the road.