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@danwentskiing
My recipe for strong polo wheels (in order of importance)
1) wheelcovers - spreads the load of impacts, I've seen shitty 70s single-wall rims last ages when they've had covers
2) strong rim - double wall, welded join, high-grade aluminium, deeper v sections mean higher tensions are possible.
3) no-dish - equalised tension is especially important for sideways impacts. Wider center-to-flange measurements on your hubs help, but I don't know by how much.
4)use 26" if possible.
5)more spokes - my 32h wheels with all of the above have lasted way longer than my 48h, but all things being equal, more spokes are better.
Hand building is usually better than machine building, but it depends on the hands and the machines. Also, I think a lot of people have different definitions of a strong wheel. I think a wheel is weak if it buckles more than 1-2mm and won't respond to truing, but some people I know think a wheel is strong if it goes 1-2cm out of true but doesn't collapse for a year or so.