[... snip ...]
I do find myself still thinking that if I am going to change to newer systems, what actual advantage will there be for touring? and of course bringing into the equation initial costs and replacement costs [my emphasis] and how long things last compared to 8, 9, 10 stuff that most of us ride touring.
[... snip ...]
Good point. I was thinking in terms of a new build -- our current "flotilla" is still in very good shape. Still strongly leaning towards a 3x10 (based on Shimano's trekking, albeit with a smaller granny and a mix of Miche and XT sprockets). Works fine on our current builds, reasonably priced and spares will hopefully be available for the foreseeable future. But curious as to what is the word regarding 1x (which are some kind of "open box Rohloff"). From what I gather,
SRAM's NX is attractively priced, and compatible with standard hubs (or did I miss something). The range isn't that great (455% vs 650+% for a 3x10). Stumbled across Campagnolo's Ekar groupset (1x13) with a 460+ range (the best thing being that steps are very reasonable -- 8-9% -- in the mid range), but at an eye watering price that is comparable to a Rohloff and certainly not easy to fix on the road.