Yeah, Matt, I hear ya. I got so bad for me, that I started not bringing the items people were screwing up. And if I did bring it, I would keep it hidden until I needed it. I felt stingy about it, but they were mine, and they were tools that I intended to have for a lifetime. Which is pathetic...not to mention the fact that I bought these items intending too use them extensively out in the field or campsite. Also, like you, I always was the one that was willing to help in any way I could.<br><br>I recall a float trip about two years back, there was a group of my friends that were going to get back to camp before us, so I lent them my Windmill Lighter, some Sparklite tinder, my Busse Combat 9, and my Maglite...intending for them to start dinner and make us a nice campfire, etc. When I got back, the Windmill was lost in the mud somewhere, they used all the tinder for ONE small fire that was out by the time I got there. My precious Busse, for some reason, was driven in the rock/dirt patch where the cars were parked. And my Maglite was used to drive tent stakes in the ground. My friends had no clue that they were using a $250 knife to chop wood, practice their ninja skills, and see how far they can pry it into a rock/mud driveway. It's pretty funny now that I think about it, but I was pissed at the time. Most everyone was drunk, so I decided to keep my woes to myself.<br><br>From then on, I kept dedicated "stuff" for my camping trips. And if someone wanted to borrow something...I would make sure that I was there watching and helping. Want to borrow my Busse?...here's a Becker C/U7. Want to borrow my Tektite Expedition LED Flashlight?...here's the Maglite you screwed up two years ago. Windmill lighter?...here's a Bic and some newspaper.<br><br>My friends aren't the prepared type, I guess you could say. But it's cool, as long as everything gets done and everyone comes back in one piece, they can use whatever they want of mine...except the Busse, the Tektite, the Coleman Stove, the Amber Bock, the Captain Morgan, the good steaks, the Lender's Premium Bagels, the colby cheese, and the...........<br><br>Seriously though, my friends know for a fact that I will always lend a helping hand whenever possible, and give them the tools and knowledge to do it themselves if they want. I'm sure yours feel the same way. As a matter of fact, I was the one who had to wise up and realize that if they knew how much I valued my stuff, they wouldn't have acted so carelessly with them in the first place.<br><br><br>John McIntire

John, <br><br>like my old man used to say you CAN borrow everything of mine EXCEPT for my gun, wife and a fountain pen. <br><br>Matt

I don't have much extra equippment. What I need I have and what I have I need. When I select companions for an adventure I try to select individuals who will not become a burden. I don't want to be out in the field when I discover that my companion took a child's sleep-over bag on a winter camp with no sleeping pad. (as an extreme example) I select my adventure companions as carefully as I select my gear. If I am in a situation where an emergency arises I expect that I will likely be the only one with any preparations for example at work or on the road during commute. If I find myself hunting with someone who doesn't have a gun I don't lend mine unless it was prearranged that I would be teaching. Otherwise I presume that the fact that he doesn't have one indicates that he doesn't know how to use one. If I am camping with someone who has an axe some chopping needs to be done I will let him chop rather than try to chop with my Bushman knife. (Though the bushman has been all I have needed since I don't look to lumber when I camp and I cook with white gas rather than wood.) <br><br>In anycase when I find myself with someone who doesn't have the tools I have I am always willing to help out by doing the chore rather than loaning a tool to someone who is not qualified to be using the tool. If someone knows why to have a fixed blade knife with them then they will learn how to treat it. If they don't know why they need one they will probably not have learned how to treat or even use one properly. The result could be an emergency caused by drawing the knife towards the body rather than shaving the wood with a push stroke. Such emergencies will tax the supplies of bandages and strength of the friendships at least. Damage to the knife is my secondary concern. <br><br>I was recently camping with some relatives who don't camp often. I arrived first and set a minimalist camp since they would be bringing a boat for ferrying supplies. Their idea of a camp fire was a roaring bon-fire. This is a fun thing to do and I didn't see any harm since there was a steady drizzle all weekend. OTOH the park ranger had a problem with it. I brought a can of gas for my coleman stove and my companions immediately presumed that it was for throwing cups stuffed with gas soaked paper-towels on the fire. We were not drinking and we are all over 30. Point is my relatives were not aware of any of the dangers involved. I wouldn't trust them with a mini-bic much less my windmill. You can choose your gear and you can choose your friends but you can't choose your relatives. Guess what, With a full boatload of supplies one of them brought a summer weight bag without sleeping pad for an October camp in the white mountains (I had brought a spare ECWS cotton/down surplus bag which he ended up using as a sleeping pad), neither brought any knife, one didn't bring any flashlight at all, one had no means of fire-start and the other only book paper matches, both brought only cotton clothing even their jackets were cotton, no rain gear and only sneakers. One did think to bring his boat and his fiddle. Both the boat and fiddle proved helpful though for different reasons. His boat hadn't been started for several months and he couldn't get it to work reliably (spent most of one of the days accomplishing a tune up and removing the water from his fuel (stuff which should have been done before storing it not just before using it. That is the care he takes with a 2000.00$ boat I am certainly not going to loan him my gear. <br><br>I comfortably wore wool with a rain hat and a goretex parka and gortex lined boots. I kept my leatherman in it's sheath unless it was in my hand. I kept my bushman in my pack except when I was liberating a little bit of tinder from the pines, When something needed cutting I was always there with my leatherman and I did the cutting. The leatherman was not in the hands of the relatives once. I did all of the cooking on my coleman and my whisperlight (carried only for the espresso machine which I brought) I put out the fire when it was time to go. <br><br><br>When I am in presence of the underprepared I treat the situation as though in the presence of children and I take care of them. I take responsibility to use my gear, training and preparations to ensure that a good time is had by all. To expect someone else, who is already suspect due to being underprepared, to take that responsibility or any part of it is folly.<br><br>My relatives never once thought I was haughty or stingy they were rather grateful for my level of preparation and helpfulness. By the end of the weekend they were asking for a list of gear that they might want to put together in order to be better prepared for next adventure - I never once made a comment about their lack of preparations - we discussed things a bit and I don't know if they will actually acquire any gear or not but I do know that they will not have the opportunity to ruin mine.

Hahahahahah.........right on Matt! He sounds like a brilliant man.<br><br>John McIntire

When I was in the cadets a lot of kids (13/15 years of age) were all under prepared for 1/2 nights sleeping in the forrest so I always lended them a hand (when I knew what to do when they still had to learn it) but I hardly let them use my equippment because you know what the majority is like. Wanting to touch it, show it to their mates and then oh sorry I broke it. <br>Esspecially with my platipus they all wanted to drink from it-sorry but not a chance. <br>I have been in an "emergency" with the cadets on a weekend when one had mild hyperthermia (I had just read a book about the condition so I knew more thasn the accompaniying instructor!) and I made him a brew, let him use my spare clothes and I headed back off with him to base. Once the situation arises (or to prevent it from arising) I am prepared to do my bit. <br><br>Talking about my SAK champ, right now its on my side. although I love and have the money to buy a Leatherman I dont want to do it because I know that the champ will end up lying in the drawer. The leatherman taking the space on my hip instead. I dont want to let that happen after steady service of 4 years and spending £30 on it (second hand with 2 pouches)<br><br>reinhardt

i'm a volunteer at a co0untryside park and one of the other volunteers wanted to use it - in my reluctants i said yes (he's 15 but a bit of a fool) and i was panicking with the fact that it wasn't on my belt!!!! I couldn't believe i was panicking!!!!!!!! he wasn't doing anything daft i was just nervous-i can't believe it!lol

Sometimes we rush to buy the latest gear and retire faithfull equipment. I often wonder how Oetzi would react to simple strike anywhere matches and a $9 Mora knife. "It's not so much the machine, but the man in it"- Ritter Manfred Von Richtofen