Ultra has wound up and Coachella tickets have been delivered; Festival Season is underway. After a long winter of gloves and toques, we thought it was time to review some notable items on our packing lists.
1. Printed Schedule
We love the apps populated with set times and band bios, but let’s face it, your battery is bound to die. Between snapping pics and competing with 60,000 of your neighbours to get texts to go all while roaming, your battery’s life will quickly be zapped. Save some bars and rock an old school paper version with your favourites circled.
2. Portable USB Charger
Speaking of your cell phone’s battery life, there’s no greater waste of time than spending any part of the day standing at a cell phone charging station. We know it’s important to be connected; YPs recognize the importance of being able to whip off a response to a work email while on the go. Do yourself a favour and grab a portable charger to charge your phone on the fly. When the day is over and the crowds dissipate, you’ll be able to get a hold of your lost friends and coordinate your exit. The Duracell Instant USB Charger is less than $20 on Amazon.com… or there are a whole host of options at your nearest electronics store.
3. Sunnies
It’s going to be sunny, and then it’s going to be dark. You’ve got two options here: A) rock your fave sunnies and have a sunglasses case to put them in when the sun goes down, or B) pack some cheap shades you don’t mind getting scratched up.
4. Hat
While we’re all in desperate need of some Vitamin D come spring, there’s no sense in coming out of the pale gate with a sunburnt nose or forehead. There may be some debate as to whether the fedora is on the HOT or NOT side of the fence, but it’s still the go-to hat at music festivals. Or rock a classic baseball hat. You’re at a festival, whatever works.
5. Rain Poncho
It can even rain in the desert. A disposable rain poncho barely takes up any room in your bag and can mean the difference between huddling under the edge of a beer tent and being one of the few dry people still watching the band.
6. A Bag
You’re going to need something in which to carry the above-mentioned items. We recommend you order yourself a JammyPack (pictured at top). These fanny pack/portable speaker combos answer the age old question, what are we going to listen to on our walk back to the shuttle/hotel/campground? No fear, my friend, the tunes can continue. There are a wide variety of colour options and a couple single-strap backpack versions too. Check them out here.