11 Festival Essentials – A Basic Survival Kit for the Modern Festival Goer

sleeping mask for festivals

After doing the research through trial and error, we have compiled a list of festival essentials for the modern-day festival attendee.

Your festival experience will be improved to the extent that you simply wouldn’t go to a festival again without these.

Now you can survive a weeklong festival without getting sick and without spending more than you have to.

What are festival essentials and why do you need them?

What to define as a festival essential? These are items that you should absolutely have in your gear before going to a festival. Make sure you have these items before you catch that flight, train or hop in the car. You’re bound to improve your own or even someone else’s experience.

Let’s assume you take care of yourself perfectly fine. However, you can be certain there will be someone that needs a helping hand. A good festival is one where the people that attend help each other out so everyone can have a great time.

This could mean borrowing your mate’s earbuds or offering bandages to someone that’s had a bad scrape the night before. Or perhaps most commonly – over the counter pharmaceuticals to help ease off the hangover.

Have a look at these festival essentials. Trust us from our past festivals we’ve attended – you might just make someone’s day.

1. Mini first aid kit – no. 1 of festival essentials

small first aid kit
An small but important item to your packing list

A mini first aid kit is the number one on our list of festival essentials.

Mostly because having first aid equipment with you should always be a priority. Sure, there are medics at festivals but for foot blisters and the random cuts and bruises you wake up with, a small first aid kit will do.

This kit is small enough to fit in your already bulging backpack. What we particularly like about this one is that it’s waterproof and there is room to fit other pharmaceuticals. This could range from Aspirin, Imodium or whatever else you may need.

Stock up in advance here.

2. Stay hydrated with Liquid I.V. Hydration Multiplier

liquid iv sachets
Remember to hydrate before getting wasted

There will be days of the festival where you get very little water in your system. Especially in comparison with how much alcohol you consume.

To offset this, we have a tried and tested product – Liquid I.V. Many people taking this hydration aid before going out drinking or after they come back say that it’s a game changer.

One Amazon reviewer called out Millennials in particular to share an experience using it:

“I used to get groggy or a headache after an evening with a few cocktails or a work happy hour, and I haven’t gotten a hangover once since I started using these.”

Granted there is no magic pill for hangovers, but this does sound quite convincing. Everyone’s body is different, but one thing is for sure, you will need water. So why not add electrolytes and vitamins to make your hydration more effective?

Click to hydrate.

3. Ear plugs that are on a keychain so you’re always ready

ear buds on a keychain
Keep it on your house keys

Most of us on here are aware that you should be taking care of your hearing, especially if you take music seriously.

Yet how many times have you arrived to a loud party and realized: “damn it I forgot the earbuds at home again! Ah well, f*** it”.

Well, we have a solution to these “well, f*** it” moments – earbuds that are always with you.

The main reason why we chose these is that it comes with a case. In contrast with other earbuds, these are quite discreet. Plus, very important, you can still hear the music and talk to your friends about heading to the next stage.

Bonus: Ear plugs will help you get some restful sleep when you’re in a noisy campsite.

Don’t go deaf by clicking here.

4. Gum made for raves

sachets of chewing gum
Someone finally made it – rave gum!

Worship the friend that brought gum to the party, spreading fresh breath like a mint wizard.

Now, with the development of festival and rave culture, someone has gone out and made rave gum with magnesium and electrolytes.

Taken from the manufacturer “as you go down the rabbit hole and hit new highs, VitaPLUR will dramatically ease overall MUSCLE TENSION and subdue JAW CLENCHING when you need it most”.

The gum’s key ingredient is grapefruit which provides potassium, vitamin C and calcium. On top of it, protect your ailing liver from damage with the antioxidants found in this gum. 

You heard it – last longer on the dance floor without going gremlin mode.

Get chewing here

5. Keep clean with wet wipes, definitely top festival essentials

wet wipes compostable
This festival essential is better than toilet paper

Baby wipes are basically portable showers.

For those who are looking for a quick clean feeling, wet wipes will be your savior. Wash your face and your bits (not in the reverse order) with these unscented and 100% compostable baby wipes. Plus, they are much easier to pack than toilet paper.

Get that clean feeling and with peace of mind that you are supporting a green business. And at only 12 USD for a three pack of 56 count wipes, you should have enough there to last you the whole festival season.

Swipe here.

6. Lip balm, trust us on this one

lizard lips lip balm
Lip balm for the chapped ones

Lizard lips lip balm is a tried and tested for festival goers.

Dust, sun, smoke and other people’s lips… the hazards for your chops are numerous.

That’s why a good lip balm will be your best friend. Here it comes in different flavors and in a four pack, because you will probably lose one or two of these somewhere on your way to the next stage.

Apply freshness here.

7. Lighter leash – festival essentials for smokers

lighter on a leash attached to someones pants
Arguably one of the best festival inventions

For smokers, how many times have you lost your lighter? How many times has someone jacked your fire? Leave your lighter theft anxiety in the past with a lighter leash.

Be the boss and succeed in not losing your lighter for the entire length of a festival. Be the one person at the end who has a lighter when everyone is scouring the crowd for fire.

This product is something we should have had a long time ago – purchase the only method to keep your lighter stealing friends in check.

Leash up here.

8. A headlamp, so you don’t have to hold my drink

a futuristic headlamp
That’s a motion sensor, not a WiFi symbol

Have you ever tried to make your way through the sea of encampments in search of your own at night? Or stumbled in vain to find something in the vast darkness of your tent? The struggle is real.

Our solution is to light up the path and navigate your way around the tents like a boss, with this futuristic head torch. Holding your drinks is not the only bonus here – take on the shape of a cyborg as you light up your friends.  

Click here to see through the darkness.

 

9. F*** OFF Sleep Mask – festival essentials for those who want to sleep

sleep mask with profanity written on it
For graceful beauty sleep

When it’s time to sleep, you don’t want anything waking you up prematurely. And certainly not the blazing light of our sun! And what better way to send a message to those who are thinking of waking you up.

Reviews are solid, this mask does the trick.

Get some Z’s here.

10. A power bank that will last a week

white power bank
One very strong power bank

For those that truly need to be connected – behold a power bank that will last a week from Veger.

We found this recommended on The Festivals UK website and believe this should be essential when you are taking on a festival that is longer than a weekend.

It claims to charge an iPhone 12 up to 7 times and has multiple ports so you can charge other’s phones simultaneously.

And if you think cell phones cause cancer and prefer to stay disconnected – use it to charge your vape.

Click here for a wee bit of juice.

11. Don’t forget to bring a towel!

sea to summit brand towel
Pretty much the coolest towel ever

Yes, it’s a towel – but not just any towel.

There are a few reasons why we recommend Sea to Summit’s pocket towel. First of all, this will fit in your bag. It’s pretty much the lightest and most packable towel we’ve seen.

Wanna get a little dry? This towel is super absorbent, and when it’s wet it dries quickly. Just a little moment hanging up will get it dry and ready to use again thanks to microfibers.

Lastly if you’ve got to get on the move again, the towel comes with a zip up case. That means you can pack it without getting your rolling papers wet.

Pack a towel here.

Going to a festival in hot country?

We’ve got a list for that too.

This article includes affiliate links & as Amazon Associates we earn from qualifying purchases.

Written by Luc Rouffaud

Luc Rouffaud is the founder of Underground Sound and has six years of experience in the music industry, particularly running a music publication and marketing events.

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