Yeah, I wasn't so much into MERP either, for much the same reason. It's also why I stick to 2nd ed, because RMSS made a bunch of simplifications I didn't love in MERP (but that were still better overall!)
Even though it's not particularly easy to use, I really like the "wiki" feel of 2nd ed with its various companions. Nothing quite fits, because it's all made by different people with different priorities, but it's close enough that you can pick and choose your system with...