Gear to me doesn't overly matter. Granted some operations are a fail if you are not at least decently geared, nut in my opinion this is where guilds can really shine, as well as a good friends list. You, your guildies and friends should be able to get together and grind these operations out. Sure you may die a lot, but how else will you get your gear. I've done this within my guilds and with friends; it's been a blast! Vent or another voip app is your friend. I can't tell you how funny it is to hear your drunken tank or bonging healer on an open vox mic while you are plowing into a boss.
Sadly, so many people just want to grind their little heart's content in pugs and what to be elitist gear snobs. It is the nature of the MMO:
1) Someone always has to have the bigger E-Pean.
2) Healers are always to blame.
3) DPS always pulls aggro from the Tanks.
4)Tanks are only meat shields with big egos.
I'm sure this is law written somewhere.