At lvl50, 60 and 70 it is easy to get an acceptable gear (actually the best-in-slot for 50-55 and 60-~65) using poetics. Both the lvl50 and 60 gear CAN last till 60/70 respectively, if augmented, even for a tank and healer...but you're likely to get a gear drop here or there to upgrade along the way. Neither requires you to set a single foot into any gear-dependent party content.

It is also possible to buy NPC stuff.

One can get high level gear for tomestones at lvl70, or at least ilvl310 from easy-to-get hunts. That gear is cheap and the Centurio Seals are much easier to come across than the lower-level seals, and gives quite decent experience on its own, too.


In other words, the problem is with people not caring to put a "decent" piece of gear even if that decent gear is basically effortless to get.