Yea, I got some Simms and Orvis and Sage stuff (mostly gifts from well meaning non-fishers) but Ya know whats really a lot of fun for me? To take my 30 yr old Fenwick glass rod with the broken tip and Medalist reel with old cheap line and $15 rubber hip boots and go stand next to one of these fashion models, act like the rube and then procede to outfish them. They generally are encouraging at first, then start changing flies and casting harder, then wish you luck and leave.
The only things I won't skimp on are leaders and flies. The best hooks and leader designs, to me, are where the action is.