Yeah, he could very well be wrong. You're dealing with a high stress situation. If he handled her in a chauvinistic manner, he deserves the smack down.

Say my wife needs a flashlight. I ALWAYS have one. She knows this and depends on it. If I give mine to her, but tell her she should be better prepared next time, she'll be angrier than a wet hornet, and I deserve to get stung.

If I give her my light, but I simply say, here use mine, then all is well.

In these cases, gear is important. But not ALL important. Context is also important. What you say and how you say it is also important. If you act Holier Than Thou, then you should get your butt kicked.

-- Craig