You are saying putting a cap on the level of usable gear will make a difference. I am saying you are wrong in 99% of situations.

You want to reduce the gap with an artificial barrier to a perceived success that is rooted in a variable that is the smallest component in the pie. It has been proven time and time again that the skill of a player is the most influential part of success .

By player skill in the above part I mean things that come with experience/veteran status which is pk timing, skills possessed by their opponent at assorted levels, area knowledge for chasing, escaping or gathering gear.

Something that can be seen in pretty much every game ever is that people who have put in more time to learn the nuances are more successful than people who pick it up on their first day.