I'd do the same as him.
There's a point where you have to trust your team. I don't bring my own fire hoses or extrication tools to the call. I expect - no I require - those things, and in my experience, we're covered for the task. If he's done the trip before, and they have Sat Phones and some provisions, why haul more crap?

You gotta have a team, a trust network and be a part of it.