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When I started backpacking I was just a poor kid going with my Boyscout group. I used a WWII rucksack, carried canned food, and had a crappy $5 BSA mess kit. I had cheap boots and always got blisters. I still had tons of fun.
It's worth pointing out that good gear will last you decades if you take care of it, so it's one hobby where spending extra can actually make sense. I just finished replacing my last piece of equipment with ultralight gear last year. Now my whole setup is UL. It definitely makes trips more enjoyable, especially now that I'm middle aged. But I see young people drooling over some lightweight tent that costs a bajillion dollars, and I'm like "dude, you'll get better performance from eating fewer cheeseburgers". LOL
You're right that you can make some pretty sweet equipment if you're willing to learn about it and take the time to craft it. I made a lot of gear substitutions when I was first getting into UL, like using aluminum instead of titanium, and stuff like that, but I never did make any of my own gear. That always intimidated me, so I'd just be really strict about what went into my pack to keep the weight down, until I had enough legit gear to splurge my weight allowance for something like a camp chair.