I carry enough plus a very little bit more. I try not to hike where the tourists go for many reasons.

If my regular hiking companions were to not carry their share I'd accept that ONCE. And we'd have a talk. And if it didn't change we'd not be regular companions any more. That's the plus side to their not being relatives!

Once upon a time I decided to not hike anymore with a fellow who had gone on several outings with me and my other buddies but who scared me for his lack of awareness. He wasn't a full participant and couldn't save me if I needed help (couldn't even find the car when spot-checked!). He understood and later took some Sierra Club courses, worked up to Trip Leader, and then had to spend an unexpected night out. :-)

Only gear I've really loaned on the trail was in Rocky Mtn Nat'l Park when a solo individual from N. Carolina described being really confused on top of the tundra where he was doing cross-country camping zones. He'd left his compass at home. I loaned him mine because my buddy had his. (He mailed it back later)

unimogbert

I would loan stuff to my brother, but he usually out-gears me. Other than that, no I don't. Carry stuff for other people capable of carrying their own? No frakkin' way. If someone needs water bad enough for me to give it to them, then my hike just turned into a rescue.

I am all for helping someone it trouble, but if I played with the same group a lot, and the same people were always underequipped and wanting to use my stuff, I would come to the conclusion that they were using me ("I won't worry about buying one of those, OBG will let me use his again"). If we are talking about a built in air compressor I might have in my jeep or something that is one thing, but smaller, less expensive, must have stuff (eating gear, compass, knife, first aid kit {ala Jon Dorn of Backpacker Magazine}), after the second time we would be having a talk. If I can bring two of something, they can sure bring one...

I do not carry extra gear for others. When all is said and done, it is heavy enough to carry what you have for yourself. That is not to say that I could not improvise with what I had to assist others.

I did, however, have a "Guest BOB" at my house for some time. Now it has been converted into a kid's supplies BOB that an adult would carry for my kids. The guest stuff has made way for more baby clothes, wipes, diapers, and water now that I have a 2 month old in the house. It could be and still is a minimal "Guest BOB", but the guest needs to know that the primary reason for the bag is supplies for my children, which the guest obviously can't use anyway. My 2 year old has her own BOB with 1 Daltrex 2400 ration, .5liter of water, change of clothes, wistle, poncho, mylar blanket and a couple toys, but she still can't even carry it on her own. She is indeed quite skilled with a flashlight and can turn on basically any push-button flashlight and knows how to point and where not to (aka in the eyes). But back on topic-

Although I prefer and am better suited to bug-in, a bug-out situation could occur when you have company visiting, so my philosophy is that it is always best to have some supplies that they can take with them. Granted, I take a personal kit with me wherever I go, which supplements my EDC, but others do not carry around a BOB let alone have one...

My PSK and hiking -kit is made for just one person. The BOB is for 4 persons (family of 4)

The only things others have used/loaned were water, flashlights and FAK-supplies.
I always carry more of those things on my person and in kit (and for redundancy of course), so it isn't really a problem, allthough I always say that they should purchase their own gear.

Camping and bugging are slightly different things. I've gone camping and carried the biggest pack because, well, as a big husky I am the size of BOTH the two young ladies I was camping with. (And nothing immoral occured.)

Bugging is different. There have only ever been two team bug out plans I've had. One is with family, and I'm carrying a lot of the heavy stuff but my mom comes up to my shoulder and my dad has a back problem. The other was in college, with a friend who has the same hobby (points into the mass of lurkers in the peanut gallery) who would have been humping his own gear; we had the same route to the halfway point before going in opposite directions on a major route.

If it is an actual get out of dodge, I'm alone or with people I trust. If I don't trust, I might give you water (bring your own bottle) and a lit stick (NOT a lighter, sparklite, match or anything else), but that is about it unless it is a barter item.

Better luck next time!

-Blast

Well, I figured someone would read something into the statement that wasn't there. :P Should have known it would be you.

Bah! Other than extra water, what's mine is mine. Will I share? Yes. But that means getting something back. My pack is just as heavy as the next guy, but if he's under packed, why should I make my pack heavier? He can borrow my knife, drink some of my water (he can keep that), use my fork while I use my spoon, squeeze into my tent. But to carry doubles of everything isn't really practical, much less fair, IMHO. I'm not in the business of giving things away, especially on a student's budget. Maybe to my girlfriend or brother, but that's about it.

I am in two minds on this. One side of me is the hard "its mine and you cant have it" side and the other is the one where I would help out anyone if they asked me.

Such as I always carry enough in my FAK to treat a good few minor injuries. I also carry two means of shelter.

What I wont do is carry enough food for anyone else. Whenever I go out my scoff is calculated for me for the length of time I'm out.

I suppose in a life saving scenario you would share, I would hope someone would do the same for me.