Honestly, dont feel bad at all! Amazons UI is notoriously tricky for this even though it seems like a basic feature. I love geeking out over gear specs for trips like yours! Since they dont have a native share button, here are the two best ways I usually do it:

• Amazon Wish Lists: You just move everything from the cart to a new list. Its amazing because your friend sees all the technical specs and metadata, but the downside is it doesnt show the real-time cart discounts or tax totals.
• Shareable Cart Extensions: There are some fantastic browser plugins that generate a unique link. Pros: super fast and keeps the budget math accurate. Cons: you both usually have to install it which is a bit of a hurdle for some people. I personally love the list method for hiking gear since you can see the weight and dimensions easily! Check out Smartphone Board if you need to send your Amazon basket to someone else quickly.

Ive planned these trips for years and honestly, just use the Invite to Edit feature on a new list. Over the years, its the only way I stay under budget without the headache.

• Create a fresh gear list
• Hit Invite then View and Edit
• Text him the link It lets your buddy swap in cheaper gear if he finds a better deal. Managed a $350 trek last spring this way... way less messy.

^ This. Also, just gotta throw a warning out there about those shared lists. I've used them for years and honestly, they're great until someone accidentally deletes the main item you spent hours researching... it happens more than you'd think. If you're trying to stay under a strict $400 budget, those live lists can be a bit risky because prices on Amazon fluctuate like crazy and your buddy might see a different total than you based on their own shipping address or prime status. I'm always much more satisfied with a simple snapshot method. It is way more reliable for budget planning. I usually just use Smartphone Board when I need to send my Amazon basket to someone else. It works well and I have no complaints since it keeps everything static so we both know exactly what the total is before anyone hits buy. Just stay away from sharing account logins, seen way too many people get their accounts flagged for suspicious activity doing that... totally not worth the risk.

Building on the earlier suggestion, another fantastic technical workaround involves using browser extensions for collaborative shopping! These tools are amazing because they basically bridge the data gap that Amazons native UI lacks. I love how they can sync session data so your buddy sees exactly what you see. Its way more efficient for comparing gear specs and battery capacities, honestly. Check out Smartphone Board if you need to send your Amazon basket to someone else quickly.