Equipment Craze

For some reason, it seems to me that our sport is in a total equipment craze. Every where I turn it's what wheel is better what boot, what bearing, what spacer, what axle, frame, helmet, etc. Ridiculous. I'm not sure if the expression has gone out the window, but the equipment doesn't make the athlete. I've seen lighter spacers, like seriously spacers weigh like what 1 gram? Is a lighter one going to effect me?
The worse is the wheels, I understand that wheels are very important. But I see people flocking to wheels before they are even released to the public. Seriously, I understand brand loyalty, but when you buy wheels to get ahead in the world you think you would buy what performs. I do not understand, flock to a wheel, buy it before anyone wears it and have a first hand experience with failure. That's what I see. I don't understand people, when you have experienced, fast people on your team that have exposure to all types of equipment and knowledge, use them. Ask them, talk to them, find out what is best for them and ask them what will be best for you. Ask your coach, do something intelligent like save some money during a recession! I wear what works for me. I will try something new if it is exposed to me. If it's a used set so be it I wont be wasting my money then. It's a simple formula to me, I wear what has been working for me until someone lets me try something that is absolutely better or until that product no longer is working.
Another thing about the wheels, there is this huge craze about rebound. Rebound of a wheel. Personally, I don't care if the wheel bounces to the sun. If it rolls and holds then that is fine with me. Rebound is a term thrown around for marketing period. What wheel bounces higher, like a four year old with bouncy balls. If a hub is smaller, the wheel bounces higher, if the hub is solid the wheel bounces higher all of these things can be manipulated in order to make people think rebound is so important. Personally, when it comes to indoor let me enlighten anyway reading this: rebound is a joke. Buy a wheel with the best rebound and when it comes to nationals you will regret it. See, nationals is always performed on what is considered a floating floor. What that means is that the floor is not technically on the ground. (realize that there is always about a 2 inch step up from the check-in area to the floor) So if your wheel rolls the best because of rebound all year long, then you go to a floating floor and you will realize that your wheel feels SLOW. Bounce a wheel that normally has high rebound on a floating floor, it will not bounce nearly as high. Buy a wheel because it holds at great speed and rolls decently. Holding is the major concern, if every wheel holds for you then look at roll. Avoid the rebound.