Why the hell did I bother!

[fred gordon]

I share all the above comments. It has been my experience over the years that people, by and large, have little respect for anothers prize posessions. So don't lend you will only regret it in the end. Sound a bit selfish but most of this stuff is not cheap, we all have to save hard to get the things we want. So to have some, so called, friend spoil them is a pain at the least and for them not to treat your stuff with care and consideration is outrageous. Are you sure they are friends?

 

[wanderinstar]

My son, Fishaben, lent his tent out to some "friends" for the weekend. It never came back, they left it pitched after they used it and someone else set fire to it.
Any offer to replace it? What do you think. He's learnt his lesson now.
Ian.

 

[falling rain]

I have....... and would lend my kit to only a small select group of very close friends, some of whom are members of this forum, and I trust them completely. One of those people would be Mark (Buckshot) Not trying to embarass you here Mark. As they like myself know the value of these things and know how to look after it, and respect it and return it in clean perfect condition. There are some items of my outfit that I wouldn't lend at all to anyone and the same people I'd lend certain items to, would know not to ask for the ones I wouldn't lend, as I know not to ask to borrow those same items from them. (Try making sense of that sentence after a couple of single malts ) My knife comes immediately to mind.

 

[steven andrews]

I have learnt from past experience never to lend kit out!

Me too. Neither a borrower nor lender be.

 

[nickg]

Londoners...

OI!!!

 

[baggins]

Hii Sandsnakes,
These things do happen, but just have a chat with your mates, if they had such a great time, they'll probably want to go again. Now is the time to teach them the basics of campcraft and the niceties of being leant other peoples gear. I know ignorance is no excuse in this case, but you have to bear in mind, most folks in london (sorry, generalisation) couldn't tell a sheep from a cow.
I've lost count of the number of times i've had to help greenhorns put up a tent and even set up their stove. I don't feel embarresed about telling folks to clear up their rubbish when they are breaking camp either.
If they truely are friends, tell them your gripe and offer to take them out and show them what it really is all about!

 

[Tengu]

Thats sad.

Im poorly socialised, and have few friends but I try to lend stuff, though Im very careful.

This is because so many people have helped me out.

complain...tactfully (now thats something im not capable of!)

 

[Spacemonkey]

Londoners...

OI!!!

That's why I dug a tunnel and escaped back in January to sunny WIltshire.. Ah...much better back in the sticks again where i belong...

 

[nickg]

That's why I dug a tunnel and escaped back in January to sunny WIltshire.. Ah...much better back in the sticks again where i belong...

Right - now hand back the stuff you took with you lol

 

[hawsome34]

Woaw,

Lending kit, for me is a BIG NO NO. In the forces, lent some danner boots out, went on leave returned to find them in bits. The guy used them in the gun park changing engines in APC's. Trangias with dents, holes, soot and gunk all over. Knives full of food, bit of grit and sand. Sleeping bags slepy in with boots on, and no liner???? :BlueTeamE

Now I only lend my kit to those who value its use as much as I do, and like a few others here, my mates know if they knacker it, they pay for it..... irregardless of whether they can afford to... And they are all nice enough to bring stuff back, cleaned, dried, aired and as it was when they got it from me, if not cleaner........

But thats only since they seen me go balistic when someone used a brand new opinel with a batten??? And the same guy said well you should have got a better knife.............. my come back.......... you shouldf have got a knife, and also to trot on and get me a newie...........A negative response, and visit to A & E for him got me the new knife, apology and now he is the person who brings my kit back immaculate. :yikes:

Not saying knock em out, but definately let them know how it made you feel when you saw the state of YOUR kit. How would they feel if you borrowed their Xbox and gave it back with no drawer for thedisc...

 

[Big John]

Nowdays I keep back all my old gear which I don't use anymore and if somebody wants to borrow that its fine, but I don't lend out decent stuff. Except my wife keeps borrowing my folding saw and doesn't put it back. I think she must be using it for her toe nails

Likewise (not the toe nails bit!), I have a stash of old but servicable kit for lending out. I'm an Explorer Scout leader so lending out tends to happen quite often!

There are very few people I would lend my good kit to.

 

[Zodiak]

I'm an Explorer Scout leader so lending out tends to happen quite often!.

Me too, how often do you get "I can't find my mug" or "I forgot my spoon" and lets not even start the discussion about "well there was a tea towel on the kit list"

 

[leon-1]

My son, Fishaben, lent his tent out to some "friends" for the weekend. It never came back, they left it pitched after they used it and someone else set fire to it.
Any offer to replace it? What do you think. He's learnt his lesson now.
Ian.

I lent a tent to a mate for an exped to Kenya, when it came back it had holes all over it, where he had pitched the wind carried embers from the campfire onto it. It was an accident and it could of happened to anyone (infact most of them ended up with holes in thier tents from one night).

He being a mate was up front and told me about it when he got back, when I went to get a new tent he came along, when I went to pay for it he paid instead. That's what I mean about lending kit to people that you know have respect for your kit.

I didn't ask him to, infact the mention of moneys never came up, but that's what mates do

 

[ilovemybed]

That's shocking. I hope you let them know how you felt.
You lot have got me worried now... For the duration of this thread my tent has been lent out, to 2 good old fashioned Essex Birds no less... (and before anyone jumps to their defence, I think they'd fully stand by that description!)

So. I wait with baited breath to see what condition it's in. Hopefully no stiletto holes in the ground sheet! Probably a burn mark or two from the hair straighteners though.

Still, I'm happy to lend kit to almost anyone - so long as I'm sure they know enough to use it without breaking it. If they should already have one themselves they'd get a light-hearted dig for being tight, an offer to try mine out and a pointer where to get one if they liked it.
Dirty pots and pans would be returned to the borrower until they came back clean though. That's just minging.

 

[Rod]

Tough one SandS

It's a shame that other peoples lack of respect tramples on a person's generosity and willingness to share. They obviously have little respect for themselves.

 

[rik_uk3]

Mid 70's lent out my vango force 10 mk3, to a good mate and experienced hill walker. Tent was returned no problem, went to use it several months later to find it had been packed wet and muddy and it fell apart; said good mate became good ex mate.


I only lend out stuff I can afford to loose after that. My lad is very good with kit, but if his mates want to use our gear, its only stuff I don't rely on. They want a couple of army Trangia's then its no problem, I have 6 or more of them, they want a primus varifuel, then its no way.

I would rather give stuff away than have it returned messed up.

 

[beachlover]

I only lend out stuff I can afford to loose after that. .

I have No.2 kit that others can use and that if it gets wrecked it doesn't matter. This way I can be charitable and helpful, but not get angry. That includes family.

 

[paul thomas]

May as tell you about my Buck 110 folder,it started with "Cor lets take a look at your knife" and like a fool i granted his wish upon which he started to go into a series of spasms, it took me a few seconds to realise he was fighting an imaginary foe who in the end got the better of him because the knife flew from his hand and landed on the floor with a broken point.
It never harms to think you are the only responsible person in a world of halfwits.

 

[mojofilter]

My WS woodlore had an extended stay with my best mate, who attemped to sharpen it and did some severe damage.

Sh1t happens, I value my best mate more than a knife. I know he didn't do it on purpose, and I know he felt bad about it, so Im not going to hold it against him.

I regularly loan out some of my stuff to other members of BB to play with, something once got slightly damaged. The person involved apologised and wanted to replace the said item, which I refused to let him do. Boot on the other foot, I had a loan of a GPS and it came out its case in my rucksack and the face got scratched. I was absolutely mortified and immediatly apologised and offered to replace it with a new one, but was told firmly that there was no need and to stop worrying about it.

Judging by a lot of the replies here, you would think that they had deliberatly ruined your kit, which I very much doubt was the case.


Given the choise I'd rather have my friends and a bit less kit, than loads of immaculate kit and no mates....


Oh, and if I asked someone who I considered a friend for a loan of something and they responded with "ok, buy you break it, you buy it", I'd be telling them exactly where to stick it.......

 

[Mr_Yarrow]

OI!!!

Isnt Chatham Kent though