Very true Ken,

Our youth group axes are plastic handled clubs with no life or quality in them at all, but they do survive from one outing to the next.

I keep my personal equipment safely hidden away but sometimes my teenage son and his buddies still find it. I cannot complain too much as I was very tough on my fathers gear at that age. After a few occurences my Dad started to write the value of an item on it in black marker (e.g. axe handles, waders, boots, rifle shells, fishing rods ...), that way if I used it I was forewarned of the replacement cost.

Not a bad idea.

Mike