Q:
What is vertical gear?
A:
As I understand the term, it simply means that there is better gear out there that you have to get to beat the newer content. Better stats = stronger characters. Then when everyone gets that gear, even better stuff has to be introduced. The gear treadmill.
The complaints come from people (such as myself! Though I have not actually posted a complaint because I think this is not going to be what people think. For all we know it will only have better stats while in the Fractal) who love GW2 for -not- having a gear grind, for having a design philosophy against the grind, and feel that any such higher statted gear coming in is at least the start of vertical progression.
It’s not like the heirlooms. Those scaled to level so you could give them to your new alts to “twink” them. Ascended is billed as a tier between Exotic and Legendary and likely will have a level requirement and bind on equip.