Festival season has officially arrived – and to ensure you pack everything important (at best you forget dry shampoo, at worst your ticket), a thorough checklist is a must.
Whether you’re pitching up at Glastonbury, Download or Reading and Leeds, heading to your favourite day festival in the city or flying abroad for a blowout on the beach, your packing list should span beauty, toiletries, camping gear,clothing and more.
While most festival essentials are non-negotiable (think tents, toothbrushes, underwear, sunscreen and reliable shoes), others can simply make your experience a much more pleasant one (we’re talking cordless hair tools, pyjamas, camping stoves and eye masks).
To prevent you from being that person in the group asking to borrow everything, the exhaustive list below includes everything you need for your next festival (you’re welcome), whether it’s an all-day rave or a four-day camping stint.
Taking the top spot in our festival tent round-up, our tester praised Coleman’s eight-person model as roomy and great value for money. “This geodesic beauty is categorised as an eight-man tent but we’d suggest sleeping six plus gear, or two or four with tons of living room,” they said. Taking just 10-15 mins to errect, the waterproof design is perfect for festival season.
Dubbed the best budget buy in our round-up of camping mats, this NHOWIN offering is self-inflating, comfortable and lightweight. Lauding it as “compact when rolled up” and “an effective bed” once inflated (complete with a “brilliant pillow”), the bargain mat is ideal for festival season.
The most affordable option in our round-up of sleeping bags, Coleman’s extra-large design helps “recreate the comfort of your favourite duvet on your next camping trip”. The “deliciously” soft cotton outer is teamed with a fleecy flannel lining that’s “ideal if you don’t like the slippery plastic feel of synthetic sleeping bags”. Generously sized and warm enough for use from spring through to autumn, this bag was rated by our tester for its looks and comfort.
Securing a spot in our round-up of the best camping chairs, Futon’s wooden offering packs completely flat, so can be stored or carried easily to festivals. While the Adirondack seating style might not be associated with camping, our tester found it “ergonomic and incredibly comfortable.” Better still, it’s also one of the better-looking ones, helping you make a style statement when pitching up.
Our favourite travel backpack, Montane’s trailblazer bag is just what you need to haul your essentials to a camping festival. “Even when filled to its 25l max, this bag felt surprisingly light, thanks, in part, to a well-balanced back support system that kept the bag close to our body while still allowing for breathability,” our tester said. With extra-deep side pockets, adjustable chest straps and a breathable mesh finish, it ticked all the boxes.
Considering you’ll spend most of the festival outside in the sun, a good SPF is essential. Our favourite hails from La Roche-Posay, with its anthelios oil sunscreen praised for ticking every box. Including UVA, UVB and long UVA protection, it’s suitable for sensitive skin, and it has a non-greasy and lightweight formula. “Reducing shine, we found you’ll still get a fresh-faced glow minus any sticky or oily sensation, and it keeps you safe from the sun,” our tester added.
It’s just as important to top up your body sunscreen – and Coola’s classic spray is our top pick for summer 2023. “With a unique ‘pina colada’ scent that is sweet without being overpowering, it’s a delight to apply, a process made much easier by the spray applicator, which means the sunscreen is quickly absorbed into the skin,” our tester said. Soft and nourishing, more than 70 per cent of the ingredients are organic.
If you do burn, having some aftersun on hand will be a god-send mid-festival. Bioderma’s formula came out on top in our round-up of the best aftersuns, with our tester lauding the lightweight product for its immediate cooling effect. “Allantoin and ginkgo biloba gel soothe overheated skin, while patented cellular bioprotection technology works to protect your skin against cell damage from UV rays and other stressors,” they said.
