Suitable group gear can make a huge difference in paddling trips when things don’t work out as planned.  I like performing a group gear check prior to setting shuttle and often bring the major items in my car in case others don’t have them.  Group gear can be a tad bulky or heavy so it’s best to spread the load around.  Also, this helps to avoid single points of failure.  Many group items are very trip type dependent, you would bring very different gear for creeking versus large rivers, same goes for day trips versus extended trips.