What do you need to take to a festival?

When it comes to festivals, far too many people are still buying the cheapest gear possible and leaving it behind. Major festivals in the UK can take around a week to clean up due to all the gear left behind by festival goers.

The average festival goer spends between £50 and £60 on their camping gear before a festival. If you do this once a year between the ages of 18 and 25, the average festival goer can spend between £400 and £480 on wasted gear during their peak festival years.

Not only is this a vast waste of your money, but it’s also really quite damaging to the environment, as most festival waste that can’t be recycled heads for the landfill.

If you look after your tent, it can last for a few years. Take it home, give it a clean, hang it out to dry, and it’s ready to go next year – plus, do you really want to sleep in a cheap supermarket tent that is the equivalent of a bin liner?

Here is our essential Festival Kit List

1) Tent – Make sure you buy at least 1 berth up from how many people will be sleeping in the tent, so you’ll have space for all your things inside. Also, look for a tent with a porch, an ideal place to ditch those muddy wellies before you get comfortable.

2) Rucksack – The more your rucksack can hold, the less you have to carry in your hands. Make sure you pop by one of our stores for fitting tips.

3) Sleeping Bags – If you’re a person who feels the cold, then look for a thicker sleeping bag. You can get great quality in a sleeping bag for less than £25, and these things really do last for some years.

4) Sleeping Mat – How much time do you realistically spend sleeping at a festival? Avoid pricey airbeds and pumps; they take up quite a bit of space and need attention the morning after. Look into a self-inflating mat; they’ll keep you insulated from the cold ground and offer plenty of comfort.

5) Torch – Have you ever been sleeping at a festival and woken up to the sound of somebody falling into the tent beside you? Take a torch for those late-night trips to the toilet and be a considerate camper. Torches can also be hung up inside the tent, so you aren’t sitting in the dark.

6) Cooking – Some festivals allow gas, some don’t. If you can’t take a gas cooker, then look to invest in a solid fuel stove (Less than £5) and some extra cooking cubes; they work just as well and will be ideal for that morning's breakfast in a can. Consider a mess tin to cook with, they double up as something to eat out of – fewer things to wash!

7) Seating – You might not think you need a camping chair, but those few days before the bands start can be quite a slog if you’re sitting on the ground – especially if it has been raining, then you can’t sit down at all. Look toward camping chairs, Wicked Wedges or anywhere chairs for the more social side of camping.

8 ) Hand Sanitiser – You may not be surprised to hear that a festival might not be the most hygienic place on earth. The sanitiser does run out in the toilets, so do consider taking your own to keep your hands clean. It’s also useful for a quick wash before you handle any food.

9) Waterproofs – It doesn’t matter what the weather says; it can change in an instant. Do take some packable waterproofs, including a waterproof jacket. It’s also worth considering a pair of waterproof overtrousers; t-shirts may dry quickly, but jeans certainly don’t.

10) Wellies– It’s become a festival staple, fashion magazines would even have you believe that they’re on trend during festival season. These practical pieces of footwear will keep your feet and the bottom of your legwear dry. Well worth the investment. Too cool for wellies? Consider a waterproof pair of walking boots and some gaiters – just be ready to scrape the mud off of them.

Great additional items
These items may not be essential, but they could make your camp that little bit better.

1) Gazebo – Ideal for the sun or the rain, a gazebo creates an instant social area for your group of tents. It offers shade from the blazing sun, or can be lowered to create a dry area from all that torrential rain.

2) Windbreak – A nice alternative to the gazebo is a windbreak. It can keep your social area private, and, of course, it’ll keep the wind away.

3) Fleece Rug – The fleece rug can be used in the campsite or taken into the arena for those long days at the main stage. An ideal place to sit, and it can double up as a blanket to keep warm when the night chill arrives.

Please do consider reusing your tent after a festival. If the cost seems too much, why not camp with friends and share the cost of the gear?

You can view our full range of festival gear at: http://www.gooutdoors.co.uk/festival-gear