When I spend the weekend at a music festivals there are a few essentials that I really can’t do without. The first of these is my Vango tent, although there are cheaper brands of tent I have found that they are less wind resistant than the more expensive ones and, as we all know, festivals can have quite unpredictable weather so it’s better to be safe than sorry. In addition to this, my tent is dark blue – I have found this to be the perfect colour for keeping out the early morning light, after all who wants to be woken up early when they’ve been dancing all night? Also, if you have the space in your rucksack, I have found that a tent flag is invaluable in helping you to relocate your tent on the way back to camp.
Another essential is my tarpaulin groundsheet which I put under my tent. Although it can be quite noisy to walk on I have found that it’s fantastic at stopping the dampness from the ground seeping upwards. Although some tents come with in-built groundsheets, I would definitely recommend investing in a separate one as some of them are of poor quality and allow moisture in. Even if your groundsheet works perfectly doubling it up with a separate groundsheet helps to keep the base of the tent much warmer, a feature that you’ll really appreciate when you’re tucked up in your sleeping bag.
In addition to the extra groundsheet I also take a cheap, inflatable airbed with me, this serves as an extra layer between me and the floor, providing extra comfort and warmth. An inflatable pillow is also worth investing in as it can be purchased relatively cheaply and as it’s inflatable it also means it doesn’t take up too much room in my rucksack – travelling light is a key priority when attending a festival. I also take a lightweight sleeping bag with me, although some people opt for a high tog sleeping bag, personally I go for the cheapest and lightest I can find as it’s always possible to slip some extra clothes on during a really cold night and I also find that, unless you are prepared to spend a lot of money, many of the warmer sleeping bags can be quite bulky.
Rather than taking a camping stove with me, I buy a couple of disposable barbeques and take them with me to cook on. These are much cheap and lighter than camping stoves and in my opinion they do the job just as well. Obviously it’s important to remember to take matches or a couple of lighters with you, as well as a tin opener, a cheap pan or a suitable cooking pot.
When attending festivals, I always try to take quite a few layers of clothes with me. These include a couple of pairs of combat trousers, a few t-shirts and a few cotton tops. These can all be worn overnight if your sleeping bag isn’t very warm. As these types of clothes soak up water quite easily I always make sure that I take a hooded waterproof jacket and a pair of wellies. Sun cream, sunglasses and a sun hat are the other essentials I always pack as the British weather can be unpredictable.
Overall, it’s important to be sensible when considering what to take to a festival. While you don’t want to take too little and have to do without, you also don’t want to take too much and overload yourself. The things that you take to festivals are always at risk of being ruined, lost or even stolen so it’s important not to spend too much when purchasing them. Pack lightly, check you have everything you need and make sure you have clothes that are adaptable to all weathers and you are sure to have a great time.
