Whether you are a festival newbie or an old hand, there are a few affordable gadgets that I think are an absolute must-have festival gadgets to make your festival experience just that little bit easier and much more pleasurable.
There are always gadgets which you see advertised or recommended for a festival, but half the time they cost a fortune, look utterly ridiculous and are not actually that useful. This guide is to make sure you take those nifty little gadgets which will turn you from ‘all the gear and no idea’ into a festival pro! Add them to your festival packing list and you will be sure to take everything you need for your next festival!
#1 – A Portable Battery Pack
Whether you are an Instagram addict, selfie king/queen, or just like to facetime your friends when ‘that song’ gets played, a power bank / Portable Battery Pack is always top of my packing list of gadgets. Having a USB charger is an invaluable piece of kit to take with you. Costing anywhere from £10-80, there are so many different ones out there to choose from depending on your needs and your budget.
My one was £25 from Amazon and does at least 4 full charges of my iPhone.
Top Tip – Put your phone on airplane mode while charging on a battery pack that way it charges quicker and uses less power from the pack!
#2 – A Wind-up Torch
Taking a torch is another thing I would recommend. Yes, you have a torch on your phone, but save your battery for the more important things! Whether you are needing to find stuff in the tent or make your way to the toilets in the middle of the night, a torch will be really helpful!
The reason I recommend a wind-up one is that you don’t need batteries which not only saves you heaps of money, it’s much easier when travelling to not have to worry about taking spare batteries. Also if your torch runs out of battery at night… how do you find the batteries to put in and see where to put them without… a torch!? Wind up torches are really cheap and great for camping! I get one with a little hook so that I can hang it from inside the tent or the portaloo too.
#3 – A Portable Speaker
It’s always nice to be able to play music in the campsite or in your tent. You can make playlists of the artists that will be at the festival and get a feel for the bands you don’t know. Having a GOOD portable speaker is essential. I refuse to do the trick of putting a phone in a cup and calling that a speaker. I want to listen to good quality sound – not tinny rubbish.
I have a UE Boom speaker. It is amazing! They are very reasonably priced and when on sale, are less than £100, they can go very loud without the sound being muffled or distorted, it has a good battery life and can be charged off a USB, it is water-resistant (which is great if a drink gets spilt or the rain catches you off guard) and it can be linked to other UE Boom speakers for more of a surround sound as well.
The only slight niggles I have are that they are a bit heavy and size-wise, could be more compact. They are the same size as a large beer can but I think the pro’s massively outweighed the cons.
#4 – Waterproof Playing Cards
These are incredible! Playing cards are great for a festival for drinking games or whatever, but one spilt drink or a drunken card shuffle, and your cards pay the price. Waterproof cards are a sure way to ensure that they won’t fall apart or get all soggy if a game of Four Kings or Beat The Dealer gets heated!
#5 – A Micro-fibre Towel
Most festivals nowadays have decent shower facilities but taking a full-on bath or beach towel seems excessive and it’s very bulky. Micro towels are fantastic. They roll up to almost nothing and dry really quickly, which when camping is vital!
#6 – A lighweight/folding Backpack
A foldable, lightweight backpack is perfect for a festival. They fold up into a tiny bag, which once opened, is concealed within the backpack itself. For a festival, you want to travel light, and no doubt (girls) you will have that fabulous little over the shoulder bag or wicker clutch which looks ‘oh so Coachella’ but trust me, after a few hours you will wish you had just given in to the not so glamorous option of a backpack.
#7 – A pocket Picnic Rug
The problem I have always found is between acts in the arena or if I just want a rest, finding somewhere clean or dry to sit can be a struggle. After a lot of standing all you want to do is have a break and sit down with a drink or be able to sit and eat your noodles, so these are the perfect solution.
These pocket picnic blankets fold up to about the size of one of those pieces of plasticky square cheese and can fit comfortably into a pocket or bag. They can be for 2-8 people depending on which one you buy. They are water-resistant, puncture-resistant and are super lightweight.
X
Sophie
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