Festival essentials checklist: Key camping items you won’t want to forget


Festival season is finally here, and so is the time you travel a number of miles to a campsite in the middle of nowhere to find you’ve forgotten your torch, toothbrush, portable charger, and countless other things you planned to pack but didn’t. Express.co.uk compiles some key essentials – and then some, you won’t want to miss off your list.

Whether you’re heading to Isle of Wight, Reading and Leeds Festival, or one of the lucky 135,000 to have snapped up a ticket for Glastonbury, there’s nothing worse than finally setting up camp and realising you’re missing some vital items.

With that in mind, here’s a list of essentials to pack this year.

Classic camping essentials

If you’re spending a number of nights in a crowded field amongst thousands of likely loud, most unwashed, and largely unruly festival-goers, you’ll want to put yourself in the most comfortable position you possibly can by not only equipping yourself with the right essentials but also the optimum essentials.

Starting with the basics, you’ll need a good tent. Always pack one slightly bigger than what you need because after throwing in your bags and other various possessions, space will quickly disappear.

READ MORE: Wild camping on Dartmoor could be banned

Next is, of course, a sleeping bag. But despite the many predicted summer heatwaves, the temperature always drops by evening and you don’t want to be battling with the cold as well as the noise when trying to get to sleep.

When deciding on the right bag, experts at Go Outdoors told Express.co.uk: “The higher the season of sleeping bag the warmer it is, with ‘one’ being the coolest and ‘four’ the warmest we sell. You can get a great quality sleeping bag for less than £25 that will last you many years.”

Turf always tends to be uneven and lumpy, making a roll mat an invaluable essential item to add to your list.

You’ll also need a torch. Phones are great, but you’ll want to be preserving that battery as much as you can. Grab a head torch for late-night toilet trips or one with a handle or string to hang up in the tent.

Amongst toothbrushes, toothpaste and miniature mouthwash bottles, you won’t want clunky shower gels and soaps taking up more room than necessary.

Pick up some light and compact bars from Ethique. From solid shampoos and conditioners to shower gel and deodorant, Ethique’s range is entirely compostable and climate positive, as well as packed full of body-nourishing ingredients.

And for those who can’t face the festival showers but also can’t possibly brave five days without one, you can pick up a bottle shower from Lifeventure. It offers a two-and-a-half-minute shower from a two-litre hanging bottle of water – perfect for a quick wash.

Last but definitely not least, make sure to stock up on the hand sanitiser – these are great to keep in bum bags and rucksacks.

Revitalising essentials

Festivals don’t always radiate health and vitamin consumption doesn’t tend to top the agenda, but some good supplements can do wonders for your physical and mental health so it’s always advised to bring some with you.

Hydration tablets are small, compact and help ensure you get the right balance of water and electrolytes your body requires to optimally function.

For a revitalising morning drink, pick up some Aguulp Recovery liquid supplements for a fast fix of vitamin B, sodium ascorbate (a type of vitamin C), and milk thistle extract to give your body an antioxidant, antiviral, and anti-inflammatory shield.

Marina Logacheva, Aguulp’s licensed nutritionist, told Express.co.uk: “When you party, you lose sodium through sweat which can lead to dehydration and muscle cramping. It is very important to replenish your levels after exerting energy.”

For an on-the-go slow-release, Blockhead offer a wide range of chewing gums and sweets infused with caffeine, prebiotics (for that good gut health), and vitamins that will help give your body the boost it needs.

Technology essentials

In terms of tech, you won’t want to be carrying too much on you for security purposes, but a portable charger is always handy to have.

Anker chargers are durable and cost-effective with long-lasting battery life and you can pick them up from places like Argos and Amazon.

For the colder nights, hand warmers are always a nice-to-have. You can pick up a small and compact rechargeable warmer from Zippo for around £30, which lasts up to six hours. When it runs out, you can use your portable charger to bring it back to life.



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