Originally Posted by cyccommute

Not just spokes but the proper spokes. There is a huge advantage in going from a 2.0mm straight spoke to a 2.0/1.8/2.0mm butted spoke and an even larger advantage with going to a 2.3/1.8/2.0 butted spoke...aka a triple butted spoke. There's about a 30% increase in strength when going from the straight spoke to the triple butted spoke. Eric Hjertberg says it's like adding 10 spokes to the wheel. I'm not sure I would go that far but it does significantly reduce broken spokes on bikes that carry heavy loads.

As a rider who weighs more than ryder101 does and puts more weight on the bike to tour, I can attest to the strength of triple butted spokes. I broke spoke regularly up until 2005 when I moved to all triple butted spokes. I haven't broken spokes since then. I tour both on- and off-road. Off-road puts much greater demand on the spokes especially when loaded. Broken spokes have just stopped being an issue.