First off I agree with the "you didn't write it down, you don't have it" discipline.    

For most games I run, we have gone to equipment cards.  I make them using a business card template in a word processor and print them on cardstock.  They just have minimal info name, price, weight. (Ok some gear gets a little flavor text.)  The empty space on the card is a little bit important.

Show me the card, or give me the item happens a lot in our games.  No one blinks.

This has improved some game dynamics....

* Using cards (or other tokens) for gear "feels" more natural.

* The cards can be transformed - a tent pole can be made into a sharpened stake (and not magically converted back to a tent pole the next time you play.)

* There is lot less pencil accounting during the game.  A lot less huffing a puffing at fixing the character sheets.  (Faster game. More story.)

* Consumables get consumed.  Ration cards get turned in as they are used.  That 50 foot rope turns into a 40 foot rope when 10 feet gets cut off to tie up prisoners.

* Damaged or worn gear is easily noted. (I use markers - a red dot for damage - a black dot over the red when the gear is repaired.)

* The players have a stronger tendency to actually check their gear before a mission.  Worn out gear gets replaced (driving the game economy.)

* Trading equipment is trivial and clean.  No accidental gear cloning when a player "forgets" to strike out gear he gave away.

* Team cohesion/coordination tends to go up as players take on logical task assignments before heading out (For example the sniper is NOT the guy also carrying the lock pick gear.  Also player tend to say things like "What do you mean you don't have Night Vision?? Here take this one."  Ah, teamwork. )

* Players can customize the cards - I found this note on an item card "Jim loaned this to me - I should give it back" followed by "when hell freezes over" in a different pen.

* Players can use the card to aid Role-Playing - another note "Swiped this from the pawn shop." The player started adding this kind of note after his character got busted for trying to sell stuff "TO" the guy he stole it from.

* A card can actually be dropped at a location to be picked up later.  "Where did we put the wheelbarrow the albino had?"  If the players cannot get back to that location - they simply left the gear behind. (And the dropped cards can be a reminder that something was left behind.)

* If a player looses stuff just take the cards.  Similarly if the player looses the card - the character looses the item too. (There is sill some discipline required.)

* I don't have to spend much time policing my players paperwork.  I also don't have to take custody of the character sheets.

* You will actually spend less time dealing with gear in-game.  (And when you do it will be a lot less disruptive to the story than everyone gabbing pencils.)

You can use cards for other role-playing props as well.  A key to the vault.  A map.  A scrap of paper with the passcode on it.  A thing that seems unimportant at the time - but will be a an important clue later. All can be seamlessly integrated.  If you know that the party will need a bit of gear in the session you can slip it into their stack of cards - and create a "lucky you happened to have that gear" moment.  (Some times players forget they have a ships locker.)

If you take the card route, here are a couple of tips.

The cards are temporary and disposable.  Write on them, mess them up.  Loose them.  Find them again.  You WRITE ON THEM.  Have players WRITE ON THEM.  Even player that don't regularly take notes might write something interesting/useful on an item card. 

Give your players a way to store cards that is consistent and separate.  A pocket folder for each player, boxes, envelopes, really anything - just have a lot of them.  I bought a bunch of colorful hard-shell wallets at the dollar store - cheap and good for holding business card sized cards.  They make handy ships lockers too.

Try to treat the item cards as if they were actual objects.  When the players get back from a mission and dump their loot in the ready room or ship's common.  Use that at the game table, dump the cards on the table and let the players sort the stuff out.  If a player is carrying too many cards it is obvious.  If a player opens his box of 100's of items, start counting how long it takes him to find the one he needs - apply that time to his character in game.  Hording becomes a self-correcting problem.

You don't have to put all the details on the card - especially on "found" or "recovered" items.  Sometimes you want a "What is that thing?" moment.  Valuable or worthless someone is going to have to figure it out.  (Players need to exercise non-combat skills once in a while.) 

Have some blank cards handy.  You don't have to preprint everything - hand written cards work OK - just be sure you can read the writing. (Either write them yourself or have a trusted player write them all the time - don't tempt players to make fake cards.  Unfortunately, I have seen it in game-store pickup games.)

Stick to cards for physical items that players can hold and use.  Avoid cards for major property - ships, real-estate, ground vehicles, contracts, banks accounts, etc.  Money cards are a bit troublesome - I have stacks of Star Wars credits - counting and making change was a bit tiresome.  (It turned out that a money purse or wallet was a better card item - especially when one of the characters is a pickpocket.)

Just like money - don't make bullet cards - you would have too many.  Maybe a card for a magazine - mark the rounds remaining on the card.  Create THAT scene: 3 bad guys, 2 bullets, but someone dropped a mag in the middle of the corridor.  Sure - it is a trope - but it is a good one.

There are a lot of ways to use item cards or other props to make the game more fun.  Go ahead a try something.

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