Yes, the smurfing is ruining the game.
Replace "why is everything so expensive in this game" with "why is everything so expensive in life." It just is what it is. Be grateful that Apex skins are not a necessity in life like, say, groceries or rent.
Curious: How many of the matches in your six hour run involved hot drops and how many involved cold drops? When you yourself got jump master did you choose hot or cold drops? I ask because it sounds like a lot of early eliminations based on running out of basic supplies that are readily available... to anyone except a hot dropper. If you hot drop you're asking luck to help you out. If you cold drop you're relying a lot more on your own skill and preparedness. So maybe it's time to reassess tactics?