trade skill for personal useFollow

I'm a new player and I am taken withthe idea of having a trade skill that I will personally use. Having the the character wear armor that he made, or having the character use combat abilities that he crafted and so on.

Despite the obvious use of it I'm not as emotionally taken with the idea of provisions as they are transient and don't really beome a part of the character.

I'm playing a guardian. For folks who've seen life at higher levels what would you find more useful (I susspect that I'll be crafting sufficiently much to deal with my own needs in the area) not having to acquire armor for yourself or not having to get combat skill upgrades? (or are the loot drops from adventuring sufficenly good that my plan is impractical. Or is the availability of raw materials needed for better crafting sufficently poor that my plan is a pipe dream?)