Low-level monk/warrior gear

[xtraball]

Since I've been playing EQ (2000...), I've always somehow been twinked, either by friends or generous donators.
That's cool... but somehow frustrating since I'd like to play the hadcore way, making my own silk/cured/Wu's, looting my gear by myself and so on...
But what's even more frustrating is that all the gear lists, whether general or class lists, only mention high-level gear (no less that 20/25 needed to obtain, not to mention the Planes gear...).
Is there no other option than cloth armor ? Levelling for levelling in order to be able to hunt the higher level gear ? Sounds like more frustration...