As a former head coach and current AD our school is going to provide equipment that is of good quality. That is just good business because what if you're stud catcher is poor? You not going to play him because he can't afford new equipment? Of course not. Nobody on here knows more than me how expensive costs run on funding athletics and when you're $40K in the hole (yeah that's what I inherited) you have to really cut some corners. But never on equipment that is required or is safety related - which catcher's gear is. You can get about 4 years out of a good set of gear if you take care of it.
All that being said if a kid wants to go out and buy his own stuff - more power to him. Doesn't hurt my feelings and that gets us another year out of the set of gear we bought as a school. But it will conform to what our team looks like or black to be neutral so they can use it over the summer on that team. If we are red and yellow my catcher will not wear yellow and purple just because that's what his summer team is or those are his favorite colors.