What to Bring to Every Festival.

A good 1–1.5L insulated bottle keeps water cool through a hot afternoon set. Most festivals have free refill stations — find them early and use them constantly.

Dancing for hours depletes electrolytes fast — water alone isn’t enough. Hydralyte, Nuun, or coconut water sachets pack flat and can genuinely save your festival.

Clip your drink bottle, keys or small bag to your belt loop. Simple, lightweight, endlessly useful. Keeps your hands completely free.

The single best festival upgrade. Keeps phone, cash and cards secure while you dance completely hands-free. Look for one that sits flat and doesn’t bounce.

Good sleep at a multi-day festival changes everything. Foam earplugs rated 33dB or higher let you sleep through bass that travels through the ground. Pack extras — they get lost.

High-fidelity earplugs like EarPeace, Eargasm or Loop reduce volume evenly without muffling the music. You actually hear more clearly. Festival hearing damage is permanent.

Temperature drops fast after sunset. A soft cotton shawl doubles as blanket, wrap, shade cloth, and cooling tool when dipped in water.

Polarised sunnies protect your eyes through full days outdoors. Keep a pair in your belt bag — you’ll reach for them every morning of a multi-day festival.

At desert festivals like Burning Man, Midburn, and drier Australian bush locations, dust storms hit quickly. A buff or N95 protects your lungs and lets you keep dancing.

Even summer festivals can turn cold and wet. A lightweight packable rain jacket takes up almost no space. UK and Belgium will almost certainly test you — always pack for rain.

SPF 50+ reef-safe sunscreen applied every two hours. These feel obvious until you’re three days in with sunburnt shoulders and still two days to go.

Essential for finding your way back to camp at 4am. Red-light mode preserves night vision. Clip it to your belt bag during the day — you’ll use it every night.