So we have heard what may becoming in 1.2 and for the most part it all sounds good. But it still gives in to the opportunity for those who which to do so go and bully much lower ranks.
To this I think we should have a mixture of dark zone rank and rank zoning with gear score for good measure for example:
Dark zone 1 to 9 will be allowed to meet in the same dark zone, gear score allowing
Dark zone 10 to 19 will be allowed to meet in the same dark zone, gear score allowing
dark zone 20 to 29 will be allowed to meet in the same dark zone, gear score allowing
and so fourth till you get to 90 to 99.
Each rank still has an area of contention to battle with higher and lesser ranks but no ability to prey on much weaker players.
You've jumped in with your blinkers on and zoomed straight to gear score and gone off on one the idea is to rank zone layers as well as use there gear score. It doesn't matter if they go playing around with there gear to make the have a gear score lower than 168 or what ever they will still be locked to playing with player within the dark zone rank as well as there gear score.
eg dark zone rank 99 with a gear score of 168 runs around with players ranked 90 to 99 with a gear score of 168 or less. He / she does not have the opportunity to make it so they can go find much lower ranked players and hand them a heap of trouble making them less likely to ever return to the DZ or even the game.