So.... Bikepacking on a 29er or a suitabley equiped Nomad?
I suppose the best of all worlds would be a "29er" Nomad with Rohloff drivetrain and approved ratios equal to what one would get with 26in wheels!
Lacking that ideal, for the most part, the choice currently boils down to...
Larger-diameter wheels and a
derailleur drivetrain
vs.
Smaller diameter (and therefore stronger) wheels and a
Rohoff drivetrain (wrapped in a Nomad frame).
The increasing popularity of large-diameter 650 and "29in" (really 700C with fat tires) for cross-country use is due in part to the bigger wheels' easier rolling off-road. The larger wheels/tires are less apt to drop into holes and such and more easily mount small obstacles. The downside is somewhat reduced strength due to the larger wheel diameter (spoke count being equal) and the difficulty in gearing acceptably low given that same larger wheel diameter. The 12-36 cassette was developed with this in mind and -- depending on tire width/diameter -- gives 29ers gearing roughly equal to a 26in bike with an 11-32 cassette and the same chainrings.
This difference in effective gearing is something to keep in mind if a Rohloff is used, as such low-equivalent gears could push the Rohloff beyond its approved ratios.
Going the 26in-wheel route with the Nomad gives one a very robust suspension-capable hardtail frame, stronger smaller-diameter wheels, easily configured low gearing and overall gear range, and the benefit of using a low-maintenance robust Rohloff drivetrain, albeit with something less than the widest tires available for the job, but in commonly available sizes.
In some ways, it is a difficult choice because some of the benefits are mutually exclusive.
If budget were not a consideration and I had my choice, I would choose the Nomad for it's reduced maintenance, easy shift sequence, and absence of derailleurs/exposed mechs that are more prone to damage and fouling with vegetation and dirt, mud, and debris. For reliability and reduced maintenance in the back-of-beyond off-road, it would be my choice for bikepacking cross-country -- and is how I use my own Nomad on occasion. If budget were a primary concern and I didn't mind the increased vulnerability and maintenance of an exposed derailleur drivetrain, then any number of 29ers are available, some with full-suspension and even discs and do have the advantage (slight or somewhat more) of the larger-diameter wheels in cross-country terrain.
Where the term "bikepacking" comes into play as a niche pursuit or sub-genre or touring, it also increasingly means carrying loads in nonstandard ways (see:
http://www.bikepacking.net/ ) i.e. tied to the bike in the form of dry sacks, sausage rolls, and frame bags and possibly not in panniers mounted on conventional racks. For true bikepacking, the bicycle's means for readily carrying such loads can be an important consideration and factors such as the size of the main triangle opening come more into play.
I think the choice between the two really depends on what characteristics you value most for your intended use.
Best,
Dan.
