Ok everytime we are outdoors I bring my regular items. I have my large Sog gov't, Sebenza, Wave, headlamp, etc, etc... My girlfiend and friends always borrow my equipment for camp chores and little jobs. Yes I get my equipment back so that's not the issue but the condition of the equipment has a lot to be desired. I'm not what you would call a neatness freak. But if you get back your Sebenza all dipped in the peanut butter that it won't even close, or Wave working better than ever due to bacon and butter grease, or my lighter empty since it's easier to light the fire with jet set to the max it becomes a little concern to me. I can get pissed at my friends and tell them to get their own or not lend them any stuff. But a love one? Am I being to uptight or am I right? Any opinions? For years I've been know as the guy who is always prepared. If my swiming trunks had belt loops I would probably swim with my leatherman. I don't won't to turn around and say: "no you can't use my leatherman to open the can". I'm always there to give a helping hand. I strongly believe that by doing good deeds I compensate for all the bad stuff I do as well, so I'm not going to pass you when you need help. I understand that not everyone can afford gear or is not interested in survival/cmamping. I'm just trying not to come off as snotty selfish New Yorker. Please help...<br><br>Matt

For your loved one, set her up with her own gear. As for your friends, well ... why don't you make a list for them along with the vendors where they can buy it from. Do this a few weeks ahead of any scheduled trips. You could even set up a weekend as a "survivor" weekend where you volunteer to teach and practice skills. The list then becomes a prerequisite supply list for the weekend.

When I lend equipment to others, I make perfectly clear that I want it back in perfect condition. I won´t lend equipment to people who don´t respect that. So far people respected this. I think that it´s not asking too much, if you demand that people treat your equipment with respect. After all good equipment is expensive.<br>After I told my friend what it means to me if she doesn´t clean my equipment before she gives it back, she understood why she should clean it. I´m sure you could give her examples of things, that you do (or don´t do) because you respect her. That worked for me. Girlfriends don´t come with a manual, so I can´t give you a guarantee that it´ll work with yours. ;-)

we did this with scouts and it worked really well-they had to have some basic items<br><br>a basic penknife<br>a small roll of duck tape<br>a small sewing kit-needle + thread+ a few buttons<br>a few yardes of electricians tape<br>a whistle<br>a few "bandaids"-for the americans!lol<br>and 5 yards of para cord<br><br>And we did a camp made PSK's and lived like we were in a survival situation only thing was food + water were abundent!!!<br><br>We used alsorts of things we could find and stuff i bought for the PSK's<br><br>Good fun!

Matt, I had similar problems with some friends of mine. My wife knows better because right up front she learned that my stuff was not to be messed with unless she could guarantee that I'd get it back in good working order. I said it with a smile and a kiss so she took it in a good way. Otherwise she'd have put a knot in my head, lol. Anyway, I told them that since they couldn't return my tools in like condition as when they received them, that they couldn't borrow them anymore. Instead of them going out and buying what they needed, or bringing thier own stuff from home, they simply stopped going camping with us. To this day I don't think they've spent any time in the woods and this took place years ago. I suppose that I could have put some equipment together for them, but I'm of the thinking that if they really wanted to be there, they'd get their own gear.

The popular phrase around my house is:DAD I don't have one of those. There it goes, into my boy's kit. His is better stocked than mine. What the HECK.

Matt,<br><br>I agree with Willie. If she doesn't have the tools, help her get them; or more realistically, they make great Christmas presents. When I was dating the girl I eventually married, she had come from an urban, and even gun-hating, family. She obviously had none of the useful outdoor tools we all love. As the relationship progressed, I got her a number of useful items as presents. But as with all things start out slowly & be careful. The Field & Stream subscription was accepted, although a little quizically. The good dictionary I gave her was treated as an insult, even though she did not have one & we played a lot of word games. But anyway, things progressed sufficiently well that just before our marriage, I got her a good shotgun for her birthday, and she was quite appreciative. But don't expect miracles: even now after 18 years of marriage, my wife loves her SAK, but rarely has her Leatherman handy. I have a feeling that's what she keeps me around for.<br><br>Anyway, get your girl friend a SAK, a Leatherman, whatever. If it's a serious relationship, maybe a Sebenza. <br><br>As to the friends, why don't they have their own equipment? Maybe they do need some suggestions.<br><br>Good luck<br><br>John <br><br>

Hi there Matt,<br><br>I know exactly how you feel. I let everyone know exactly how I feel about the state of my equipment. When my father was still alive, he borrowed my power drill, which was, and still is, in mint condition. I said to him that I expect it back the way he received it. Well, when he returned it, it looked as if my poor power drill was dropped in a bag of cement. I was outraged and made him clean it. That's just the way I am. I do not generally lend out my equipment. If I did, I would make it very clear about getting it back the way they received it or else...hehehehehe.

A Canadian friend's father was a RAF Spitfire pilot during the battle of Britain. He was very meticulous about cleaning, replenishing and caring for anything borrowed. I commented on this. He told how in WW2 he took up a ship usually flown by another squadron member. He found himself on the business end of a BF-109E and returned to the field in a lorrie and an unpacked parachute. His mate was apopletic about "his" spit being destroyed. We have a throwaway society. My Grandfather's 60 y/o straight razor was never touched by anyone. Today I find my disposables walking down the hall in my cat's mouth or my nephew's spit kit. For a materialistic society, we have a poor regard for material :O(

Yes the throwaway society is what we are. Everything is made fancier and cheaper which automatically becomes more fragile. Cell phones, pagers, computers are expected to be replaced every year now. ANd it has nothing to do with technology progress. It's an economic equation in which time of use became a deciding factor in how well the items are made. Shorter the time, better for the company that will sell more equipment. <br><br>I remember when pagers first came out and I got one. It lasted me four years and it still would, except paging companies "required" you to get a new one. New units broke every year and were not as strong and abuse resistant. Now life span on the pager is 6 months. Same goes for cell phones, pdas computers. But all this is only mendatory if you want to keep up with the hype.