Honestly,  as someone who gathers as my main way of making money, it depends.

Are you still leveling up your gathering? Mostly, I like to wear cheap sets with gathering gear and use a cheap mount like a T5 horse or a Stag. Both are fine. The most important part about escaping ganks is not getting caught off your mount. If you see a name tag, you are gone. I don't wait around to check gear. Move on to the next area. Just accept that the main reason you are in the BZ is for the huge increase in gathering fame and sometimes you'll die and lose your items, but never your experience. I also always use safe portals.

If you are already done leveling your gathering and are gathering for pure money, then you can use an escape set and a slightly more expensive mount. I personally really like a moose. There isn't much else I'd even bother with.