Gear is not the most important thing you can have, but a certain amount of gear is a necessary thing. Think of it like this–showing up a a gunfight without at least one piece of gear is going to be really embarrassing.
The thing about gear is that there is so much of it, and the selection if it is an intensely personal thing. Body sizes and shapes, preferences born of long experience and training, illogical desires and wants and carefully considered choices all can figure into the gear we have.
At one point I had a gazillion gear manufacturers bookmarked, but I got tired of having several thousand bookmarks and I cleaned house. But I lost a lot there, because gear is important. I should have figured out a better way. As I find gear manufacturers with what appears to be good gear, they going over on the left in the Gear listings. If I buy some of it and use it, there will eventually be a review. Some places I’ll link have already had things reviewed, so use the search feature if you want to see them.
If anyone is silly enough to send me something to review, I’ll tell you that, but I doubt that’s going to be happening.
Enjoy. But remember, gear is not the most important thing. That thing between your ears is.