This comes across to me as either your friends can't be bothered to put on/get lower item gear or they don't want to.
Thus you came to the forums to force them or change the system cause getting lower gear is too much effort.

If SE ever decides to sync the content, I won't cry about it. But the reason shouldn't be because you don't feel like working with the current one.
Why do none of these threads ever suggest it as an optional feature?
That way, you and your friends can enjoy it while not making everyone play like you. It's a decent suggestion once you add that one word - OPTIONAL.