No no no, I hated equipment. It was one-time use, but it lasted long. Bubble Shields, Power Drains, Regen Fields, Trip Mines...it was all so crazy and random.
Only Equipment that didn't infuriate me at the sight of it being used was Grav Lift, and that's because I didn't see it used in front of vehicles.
In H4 and Reach I thought Armor Abilities were good and balanced. Situational, and short, though reusable. H4's Armor Abilities could be unbalanced in MP, but only if paired with a custom loadout in a manner that makes it overpowered.