With summer on the way, so are an abundance of musical festivals. Your camping gear can be the difference between a miserable and a great experience - you don’t want to be lying on the cold hard ground or waking up freezing cold! All it takes is a little bit of planning to make your experience one to remember, for all the good reasons.
As this will be your base for the festival, you want to make sure you are comfortable, with enough room to sleep and to get ready for a night of singing and dancing. Always go at least one man up from the number of you sleeping in a tent. If there are two of you, we’d recommend a four man tent. If there are eight of you, a ten man tent should be big enough. This gives you the space to sleep, relax and store all your belongings. Your tent should also be easy to set up, so that you aren’t spending all your time grappling with tent poles and stakes. It’s worth mentioning that you’ll probably have to carry your tent a fair distance from your car to your campsite, so a lightweight option is an essential.
Key points:
Large enough to sleep, relax and store belongings in
Lightweight for carrying to campsite
Easy to set up
A good night’s sleep might be difficult at a music festival, but it’s not impossible!
Sleeping bag
You want a sleeping bag that’s not too bulky, but one that will keep you warm. A two season bag should be more than enough for the British summer.
Ground Mat
These are an underrated element of any festival or camping trip. The ground gets colder than the air at night, and having just a simple roll mat beneath you can stop you from feeling like you’re lying on an iceberg.
Travel pillow
Lightweight and easy to carry, travel pillows are perfect for helping you get a good night’s rest, leaving you refreshed to carry on partying and preventing neck and shoulder pain.
Ear Plugs
Drown out chatter and loud music with a good pair of ear plugs.
Taking some basic cooking supplies can save you money on expensive meals out. You don’t have to take a whole camping kitchen, but a few basics will see you through some bleary eyed mornings.
Stove
Many festivals won’t allow gas stoves, but you can find lightweight, portable stoves that use solid fuel or a spirit burner.
Cooking Pan
Take light and small cooking pans that can double up as pots to eat out of, perfect for some quick pasta or noodles.
Cutlery
Some plastic or wooden cutlery will see you through your meals, without taking up much room.
Bin Bags
An essential to keep things clean and tidy!
Speakers
If you plan on hanging out at your campsite for a while, then a pair of wireless speakers to play your tunes will set the mood and get everyone in the mood for dancing.
Camping Chairs
If the ground is wet, then you'll definitely want a pair of camping chairs. They'll be perfect for relaxing during the mornings or when you just want to sit at your campsite and have a drink or two.
Travel Towel
Festivals aren't known for being the cleanest of places, but chances are you'll want to have at least one shower whilst you're there. A small travel towel is ideal for this, as it barely takes up any room.
Bunting, Solar Lights
When you see a festival campsite, it's a sea of tents that all look the same. When you stumble back at 2am, you want to be able to find your tent easily. Pretty bunting and solar lights are perfect for this, as well as creating a cool and pretty atmosphere around your camping area.
These camping essentials will see you through almost any music festival, just bring your favourite food, your brightest clothes and your dancing shoes!
