This is true. I was a new player in February and was able to hit 28/29 with vendor gear. But I started in VoG normal because that's where I could get good weapons and the Ascendant Materials to level them. I didn't attempt hard until I was comfortable with the raid and had maxed out a couple good weapons for VoG (Vision of Confluence and Ice Breaker). VoG normal can get enough materials for unleveled vendor gear fully maxed (to level 31) in two runs as opposed to endless farming of daily story missions and public events.