You have set alarms, created spreadsheets and counted down the days to get your hands on the ever-elusive festival ticket, but once you have the paper firmly in your hands, well...that’s when the admin truly begins.
Prepping for a festival isn’t all fun and games - that’s reserved for when you eventually arrive on the field. Before you even get to that point, there’s a lot of preparation that’s required in order to ensure you are ready and rearing to go. We don’t just mean downloading the app and planning which headliners you are going to see.
There are purchases that need to be made to optimise the experience - and make it as comfortable as possible, especially for those new and amateur campers. As Scout leaders across the country say: fail to prepare; prepare to fail.
Seasoned festival goers will be all too familiar with the many, many bits of kit needed, but if it’s your first time, it can intimidating to know where to start.
That’s where we come in. We pride ourselves over at ES Best at being both festival and camping experts so we have created this (hopefully) handy checklist guide for everything you need to have purchased. It really adds up, so we’ve tried to include budget-friendly options too.
Happy festivalling!
Transport: Blacklane
Getting to and from any festival is always a logistical nightmare but if you’re tactical, you can make the journey as seamless as possible. When you’ve left it to the last minute and every train and coach is booked (this tends to happen with Glastonbury in particular!), look to Blacklane. The premium chauffeur service will help you pull up and leave the ground in style as your fellow festival goers look enviously at your chic Mercedes-Benz, BMW or Audi. You book it all through the app and communicate directly with the driver to ensure no stress or worry - so just what you deserve after a long weekend of partying.
Buy now, Blacklane
Camping essentials
Tent: Mountain Warehouse Double Pole Pop Up 2 Man Tent
If you choose to spend your precious annual leave in four posters and you didn’t grow up going on camping family holidays, you may not be the most skilled at setting up a tent.
Keep it simple by opting for a pop-up option like this iteration from Mountain Warehouse. It is designed for solo sleeping, despite what the two-man title suggests. You will need space for your bag so always double up when considering the right size to suit your needs.
This particular tent caught our eye due to the 3.15kg weight, which will make it easy to transport to your pitch.
For more festival tents of all different sizes, see our review here.
Buy now £89.99, Mountain Warehouse
Camp bed: Eurohike Utah 4 Leg Campbed
An airbed may seem like the most obvious option to sleep on, but they tend to deflate throughout the night and you wake up in the morning with an aching back and grass in your hair.
This year, we’re going for the campbed instead. It may be slightly more weighty (although not much), but it offers a proper bed surface. You can even step it up a notch with a foam mat padding. This option from Eurohike is just 3.3kg and should fit into smaller tents. Just sling your sleeping bag on top and you’re ready to rock.
Buy now £17.00, Go Outdoors
Campingaz Airbed Quickbed
Best for: convertible
A sumptuous raised single bed that supports campers weighing up to 184kg, this design offers a multitude of options for the avid camper. Made from durable multi-layer PVC inside boasts a supportive coil structure with a flocked surface for a more comfortable night’s rest. Inflate it by mouth or with an electric pump and sleep soundly knowing the airtight system and double lock valve won’t leak air overnight.
Buy now £19.99, Amazon
Mountain Warehouse Summit 250 Sleeping Bag
Suitable for three seasons, Mountain Warehouse's Summit sleeping bag is ideal for weathering anything British festival season throws at it. The item comes in a selection of bold hues including this fetching teal and is packed with hollow fibre stuffing to keep you toasty in the early hours. The regular size will fit campers who are 5"9 or less, but if you're taller - don't despair. There is a longer length suitable for those 6"4 tall too.
Buy now £36.99, Amazon
Sitpack Campster 2
Whether you’re festivaling or staycationing, we Brits can always be sure that the weather will throw some rain our way, which makes seating a dilemma. But that’s where the Sitpack Campster 2 shines. It’s the most compact chair we’ve come across when folded at around the size of a 1.5L bottle and comes equipped with a carrying strap for ease in taking to and from the site, even if you’re arriving via public transport.
It’s heavier than the size would have you believe but far less cumbersome than equivalent chairs of lighter weights and can support up to 136kg. Set-up couldn’t be simpler as you pull it out of the bag and then fold out the four legs to slot it into place. It’s low to the ground but reclined at a great height to make it a comfortable lounging experience.
Buy now £89.00, Sitpack
Camping chair: Mountain Warehouse Folding Chair with Mesh
Another lightweight option to make the trek to your pitch that extra bit easier, this chair from Mountain Warehouse weighs just 1kg. It folds up to make for easy transport and there’s a mesh panel to allow for breathability, which will prove useful come rain or (hopefully) shine.
Buy now £16.99, Mountain Warehouse
Drowsy Sleep Co Silk Sleep Mask
- Best for: a sound muffling and hypoallergenic
- Material: 22 momme, pure mulberry silk
- Strap: Velcro
The Drowsy Sleep Co puts comfort at the forefront to make sleepless nights a thing of the past. This mask has a calming cloud-like feel with super soft padding over the eyes that acts as total blackout to light pollution, while also muffling out sound. It is made from 22 momme pure mulberry silk - a fabric that is hypoallergenic, lightweight and breathable.
Buy now £69.00, Amazon
100 Pairs of Howard Leight Laser Lite Individually Wrapped Ear Plugs
While these earplugs are not completely one use, you will find that they will only stay firmly in place for a few nights on the trot before slipping out and finding them on your pillow the next morning. Luckily they come in a pack of 100 but if you are concerned about wastage, stick to a reusable option.
Twist the polyurethane foam and place inside your ears. They will expand and fill your ear canal to block out any disruptive noise. The plugs are individually wrapped so can easily be slipped into your hand luggage for use while travelling or taken with you to your local spin class if you find it’s just a touch too loud.
Buy now £15.08, Amazon
Anker PowerCore 5000 mAh External Battery Power Bank
A pocket-sized hero, Anker’s mini portable charger holds enough power to fully charge high-power smartphones like an iPhone X or Samsung Galaxy S9 and nearly two full charges for an iPhone 8 from the 5000mAh rating.
What’s great about this battery is that it facilitates high-speed charging thanks to PowerIQ, which delivers a super-fast charge speed of up to 2amp.
The device comes with a micro USB cable, travel pouch, welcome guide and an 18-month warranty. It’s a helpful bit of tech to keep charged up and in your bag, ready for when your phone needs a pick-me-up.
For the price, it can’t be beat.
Buy now £15.99, Amazon
Snack bars: belVita Baked Bar dark chocolate & orange
Staying well-fed is crucial to a successful festival experience and gives something to soak up all the pints you’re racking up. Stash breakfast bars into your camping backpack and you’re onto a winner.
This is the new Baked Bar from belVita’s range and will add a touch of zest to your day with citrusy orange combined with sweet dark chocolate chunks.
Buy now £1.75, ASDA
Ocean Bottle Water Bottle
Carry your water with you wherever you go in this slick and sustainable bottle, made from 90 per cent recycled stainless steel and ocean-bound plastic.
There are two entry points at the top and about a third of the way down. Twist open to add ice and keep your cold drinks refreshingly cold, or take your coffee on the go – the top has an anti-leak seal so no disastrous spillages in your bag.
What’s best – for every Ocean Bottle sold, the equivalent of 1000 plastic bottles will be collected. Available in a range of colours, with the option to engrave for an extra £10.
Buy now £35.00, Ocean Bottle
Portable Neck Fan with 78 Ventilation Holes
Best for: effortlessly cool
This bladeless fan has been doing the rounds on social media, and no wonder. They look like headphones but have a sole purpose: to cool the worst of your sweat before those beads have a chance to drip.
Reasonably priced and with three wind speeds to help you battle the heatwave, it projects enough air to keep neck, face and head at a comfortable temperature, even in the human soup that is the London Underground in the summertime. It charges with a USB port, so you can wear it at work and plug it into your computer to charge up for the journey back home. Mind you, it's not just for the commute; the hands-free design makes it perfect for using while cooking up a storm in the kitchen as well as strenuous outdoor sports.
Buy now £28.04, Amazon
Victoper Wesho Rechargeable Headlight
Offering awesome levels of illumination, you’ll become a human lamp thanks to Victoper’s headlight which uses advanced 1*L2 + 2* R2 LED bulbs to flood your space with light. Granted it’s not the longest lasting on our list - four hours charge time gives double that of usage, around 8 hours - but if you’re only expecting to use it for light use, it’s a sound purchase at this price.
Buy now £18.92, Amazon
PORTAL Deeper Festival Trolley
Load capacity: 99.7kg
Standing 70cm tall, this tough trolley will be your BFF when transporting kit from the drop-off point to your camping pitch. The folding trailer has large pockets on the outside for additional storage should the main 83 x 45 x 47cm chamber prove insufficient. There are also drink holders to keep liquids to hand when you’re working up a sweat.
It won’t hog too much space in the car or coach either, folding down to manageable proportions and coming with a cover to keep it safe from dust and scratches.
Buy now £79.99, Amazon
Helly Hansen Transistor Backpack
This Tardis-like backpack, which has a 30L capacity, is a joy to wear, thanks largely to its straps, which have generous amounts of padding and are extra-wide. The bag itself is packed full of handy features we didn’t know we needed until now - who knew a key clip could prove so useful? There’s also the more standard stuff such as attachments for trekking poles and ice axes (which can be used for other items, including tent poles).
The ventilation on the rear did a great job of keeping us cool, and we loved the roomy interior, which had two internal pockets, one of which is made with transparent mesh.
In summary? This is a brilliant daypack with the technical features of a much larger bag. They have been incorporated into a lightweight backpack which makes it ideal for everything from short hikes to city breaks.
Buy now £140.00, Helly Hansen
Toiletries
Hand sanitiser: Cuticura Original Anti Bacterial Hand Gel 50ml – Floral & Fruity
When faced with a row of portaloos, hand sanitiser is essential. They rarely include a working tap, which is why you’ll want a hand sani on hand for peace of mind and hygiene. Turn the unpleasant experience into a (slightly) more enjoyable thing with Cuticura’s floral and fruity-infused formulation.
Buy now £1.00, Boots
Tissues: Boots Balsam Tissues Multi Pack 4ply
If there’s not a working tap, there’s unlikely to be any loo roll either. Keep a pack of tissues in your bum bag to be prepared for any eventuality.
Buy now £1.00, Boots
Wet wipes: Boots Baby Fragranced Biodegradable soft baby wipes
Same, same but different. These wet wipes double up as loo support and a makeshift shower. Plus, they’re biodegradable and there’s enough in this four-pack for your whole group.
Buy now £2.90, Boots
Dry shampoo: Batiste Dry Shampoo Clean and Classic Original, 50ml
No shower means no hair wash, unless you’re one of the brave festivalgoers trying their luck at the water taps. British festivals and Batiste go hand in hand and you’ll be thankful to have one of the brand’s mini dry shampoos in your toiletries bag.
Buy now £3.69, Amazon
Deodorant: Mitchum Men Triple Odor Defense Ice Fresh 48HR Protection Anti-Perspirant & Deodorant Aerosol
This one may be self-explanatory based on the above but stay cool, collected and odour-free as you hit the festival field with a mini deo always on hand.
Buy now £1.50, Boots
Otrivine Adult 0.1% Nasal Spray
Partying in a field is heaven for some, a nightmare for others thanks to high pollen counts. There’s only so much Clarityn one can ingest in a 24 hours period. When you need to relieve stuffy sinuses fast, reach for Otrivine Adult 0.1% Nasal Spray which works super-fast to clear your nose in mere minutes. The formula is long-lasting too, working for up to 10 hours in some cases.
Buy now £4.25, Amazon
Medicine: Boots Paracetamol 500mg Tablets 16 Tablets
As well as your daily medicine, you may want to stock up on the likes of paracetamol or better yet, Anadin for the extra caffeine boost on the mornings when you wake up with a sore head.
Buy now £0.49, Boots
First aid: Compeed Blister Hydrocolloid - Medium
The single most important item you need to pack in your festival bag is Compeed. With elevated step counts and stylish shoes not designed for that level of walking, keep your tootsies in good nick with the best on the market. It is also helpful to have ordinary plasters in different sizes as well as a travel-ready first aid kit.
Buy now £4.50, Boots
Oral care
You may be sacrificing your traditional shower hygiene practices but keep your oral care up to scratch with a toothbrush, toothpaste and Listerine mouthwash to stay minty fresh throughout. When running water is challenging to secure, fill up your water bottle for a makeshift tap.
Buy now £1.60, Boots
Face wipes: Simple Kind to Skin Cleansing Facial Wipes 7 wipes
If you’re used to a drawn-out 12-step routine, we regret to inform you that this may not be possible in the middle of a field. Hark back to your once full skincare regime with Simple’s cleansing wipes, they’ve remained one of the most popular for a reason. You can also opt for micellar water with Garnier’s inexpensive option.
Buy now £1.59, Boots
Biodegradable glitter
It’s a festival rite of passage. Embellish your ensemble with glitzy sequins to bring the sparkle to the farm. Just make sure it’s the biodegradable kind.
Buy now, Etsy
Supergoop! Play Everyday Lotion SPF 50 with Sunflower Extract
Best for: a beautifully scented, lightweight cream
From the herbaceous aroma to the lightweight texture, this high-factor suncream from Supergoop! turns traditional formulations on its head. Never has the creaming-up process been so easy with the quickly absorbed, seemingly invisible nature of this product.
It’s almost gel-like in its consistency but much thinner and yet still boasts a hard-working shielding effect from UVA, UVB and infrared rays. The scent comes from the infusion of rosemary, while there are also sunflower and rice antioxidants to reinforce the protection against pollution and the sun’s rays.
Buy now £38.99, Amazon
Clothing
For all your festival fits, we have put together an edit of the best playful pieces. But for everything else, see below.
Waterproof jacket
You hope you won’t have to wear it but you have to pack it anyway: a raincoat is a festival necessity. To ensure it doesn’t interfere with your carefully curated look, go for a see-through option, whether that’s a structured coat like this one from Boohoo or reusable ponchos.
Buy now £18.75, Boohoo
Merrell Women’s Moab 3 GORE-TEX
You’ll be hard-pressed to find a shoe more comfortable than the Moab 3 from Merrell. A hiking brand by nature, the offering is designed to go the distance, ensuring as you walk from stage to stage, you are doing so in ultimate comfort and without fear of blisters, cuts or cramps.
These are rugged trail shoes so they’re ready for any terrain, whether you’re blessed with hard farmland or slippery mudslides. The shoe is made up of a breathable upper with a ready-for-anything GORE-TEX waterproof membrane. The icing on the cake? Merrell uses recycled materials.
Buy now £135.00, Amazon
Hunter Women's Original Tall Gloss Wellington Boots
If you’ve not yet owned a pair of Hunter boots, you will have no doubt spotted them on street-style snaps from festivals around the country. The brand is a beloved celebrity favourite - worn by everyone from Meghan Markle to Sarah Jessica Parker and Gigi Hadid. The ubiquitous wellies have earned cult status, no doubt due to their premium construction. Buy now, and you’ll own them forever.
They’re made to withstand whatever the British summertime has to throw at them as well as throughout the winter thanks to their entirely waterproof exterior and signature Hunter Original tread pattern that’s suitable for all floor types.
Buy now £94.10, Amazon
Uniqlo Marimekko Round Mini Shoulder Bag
This Uniqlo shoulder bag fits everything but the kitchen sink. We’ve long waxed lyrical over at ES Best on the miraculous powers of this accessory that really does fit everything you need for a day fest and beyond. It comes in an endless array of colourways, but the latest rendition is part of a collaboration with Marimekko that’s suitably fun and playful for a festival.
Buy now £14.90, Uniqlo
adidas by Stella McCartney recycled-polyester backpack
There’s a lot to love about this drawstring bag that comes as part of Stella McCartney’s ongoing collaboration with the sportswear giant. It has a secure closure so no opportunists can stick their hands inside but there are also exterior zipped pockets for those items that are notoriously challenging to find when you need them, namely tissues and hand sani.
Buy now £102.00, Farfetch
