I've been tinkering with various VR solutions for a few years now, mostly OSVR (including an elaborate setup using Vive trackers and base stations and open source software cobbling it all together).
When you get a hacked-together solution working it's pretty magical from a technical standpoint, but as soon as you actually want to DO something in VR, the hassle of getting it all configured just right (and then breaking the next time SteamVR updates) makes it feel like it's not worth it.
I picked up a Dell branded Mixed Reality headset earlier this year for around $199 (similar Mixed Reality headsets are on sale near that same price point right now)... and it just works.
Since most of us here on this forum are already probably in the 'build it yourself'/hack it together camp, all these alternative solutions look really attractive, but when it comes to actually USING it, VR is so exhilarating that it's really worth it to just have an out-of-the-box working product.