billandkaren-
While you wait to hear from people who own and have modified Equinoxes, I'll give the summary.
The plug-and-play Hopkins solution is a great one. It's quick to install and may be easily removed when the car is no longer used as a toad. The brake relay may not be required (Review the "Is a Relay Required" section
at this link, and call Hopkins to confirm); if it is you'll probably find the installation is not too complicated.
The added-bulb solution is simple. It doesn't touch the existing car wiring. Challenges include having the space to add bulbs to the light housings and the possibility that their locations in the housings may not give the most light.
Both methods, along with the third popular option (diodes), have their advocates.