So < 9 persons and < 50 bits of kit* involved? Frankly, I wouldn't even bother with any kind of software** and just get a big whiteboard.
The real issue anyway is who's in charge of keeping track of the equipment, and how they can make the rest of the team give them the information they need to do it. Software won't really help with that, (unless the kit itself is so advanced that it knows where it is and where it is supposed to be). That is to say, guys that are somehow unable to share information like that verbally or by other means won't enter it into any kind of software either.
Anyway, this could be done in Outlook (or similar). Any piece of equipment that needs to be tracked is entered as a contact. It's easy to add a few user defined fields for specifics. It's a good way to schelude things. You set a date and place as if you'd want to plan a meeting, and instead of inviting people you "invite" the bits oxf equipment from the contacts. That way you also have a little list that can be shared, used for invoicing, what have you.
Alternatively, there are a couple of open source programs meant to manage collections of stuff (books, DVDs, whatwver) that could be used, maybe with a little tweaking. It's usually some sort of database anyway that allows a couple of 'user defined' fields. A bit clumsy perhaps, but it'll do the job, as long as someone enters the data...
* Kit that has to be moved between the locations.
** Well, that's a blatant lie. I'd probably sit down and cobble something together in Access or something. Anybody still remember SuperBase? *nostalgic sigh*
Biting the hand that feeds IT
