I suppose the first question is what Tire, what rim? Also, were all the tires "tubless ready"? What kind of flat did you get that a tube couldn't fix?
Type of sealant doesn't matter that much in my experience. I am not an expert on Tire beads and rims but I know there are some combos that shouldn't be used as there is risk of having the Tire blow off the rim like your wife had happen.
As for fixing flats on the trail, you need to get a plug kit. I have used two different ones and the only hole you wouldn't be able to fix would be a fairly large tear, which a tube would likely not fix well either. You would need a boot. Check out dynaplug or get a one up kit with a Tire plugging attachment. Lastly, I use a heavier Tire than I would with a tube. Although the tube is not by definition part of the structural integrity of the Tire it does do more than you think so to make up for the loss of the tube I use a more robust Tire.