I remember spending a decent amount of time on getting ilvl 80 gear back in january. Just recently decided to start playing again...
It is great you want check back here again! Hope you got here again not only because the free login time event.

...noticed there is a full set of ilvl 90 gear easily obtainable through a couple of hours of hunting.
When any MMO progresses, it generally makes old gear more easily available, and makes old hard-to-do duties, less hard to do. You checked back after more than half year, you had to expect things like this.

Today i90 is a starting gear and i110 is the gear you have to work for, The Wall is no more, Pharos Sirius has been nerfed, and T1-T5 have echo.

...i enjoy gearing my character with the endgame gear because it feels accomplished...
After logging off and returning after almost one year, you really cannot think your gear is still top-notch. Want feel good? Go full i110, in game the people who have that is few, despite some player in forums says about how i110 is easy.