I am pretty sure you have to put the items in your access pool (through inventory management in the "camp" menu . Next, press something like "allow companions to select gear from item pool", and then "Yes, proceed with the choosing". I am pretty sure they don't actually "automatically" equip items for themselves as you get them. I am pretty sure that you have to put them in the item pool, then go through those steps to initiate them to auto-pick from the item pool you have. They will pick items out of the pool by themselves only in the instant after you "allow" them to. The higher up the companion on your party list, the better pick they will take (higher on the list=first served to best equipment in pool). I hope that makes sense and is right. That is what I do and it works fine.