Originally Posted by
fishboat
Gear is a MUCH better word. Kit is a bit too cute for my taste. Gosh.. I'm so "continental" as I frequently use the word, kit. "Kit" usage came from the EU(UK)..and should have stayed there.
Gear and gears is only confused by those where English is not their first language. A non-(native) English speaker often uses "equipments" where "equipment" is the correct choice. Non-native English speakers being confused by English is normal (as are those speaking many foreign, to them, languages)
"Equipment" v. "equipments" may come from vehicle engineering. As one a dem, we might say "the vehicle is equipped with several (guess what?) equipments," then we would go on at length to mansplain them. At the same time it isn't grammatically wrong to say "the driver is provided with useful equipment of several types," for example (with or without mansplaining).
BTW just to be fair, female engineers also mansplain, when necessary.