If you've collected enough gear... There is no next best thing. It's just the same thing you have again, but with a new attack rating and maybe even a new name... There isn't really enough variety to hold by your argument. We have some new perks now.... Doesn't change the stats being the same and the weapons behaving the same way. Seems silly that there's even a block on infusing old gear. Doesn't make sense for the sake of the story, not that infusion is discussed in the game. New option pops up on otherwise identical weapons, but it isn't on old weapons... So must use new weapon. Good mechanic. :P