For me, the thing I wish we could do, is like mods, sell back useless pieces of gear for credits.
At least that gives us something back for all the useless gear accumulated.
I don't need 567 pieces of gear "xxx". Even if you get 'xxx' credits per piece of gear (something simple like; G1 = 10 credits, G2=20 credits, etc.) it would at least address a resource that is always in need.
Drop rates for gear, is tough but understandable. I do wish, however challenge gear actually addressed the gear you need. IE: Agility Challenge at tier 5 should be any assortment of gear needed for agility gear for players at the level required by the challenge and the corresponding gear level OR HIGHER. The 'or higher' part is the real key. It should reward based on the team you are fielding, hence why it needs to be an assortment.
If that can't happen, then just increase tier levels per challenge to award based on player gear level. (IE: a new TIER 6 provides G7, a new TIER 7, provides G8 pieces to craft G8 gear.)
Or some iteration of this. Just so the challenges actually provide useful pieces of gear.