Music festival season. It’s right up there with the awards season and holiday season for times of the year that Uproxx is excited about. We just launched our music festival preview hub to get you excited about all the events coming to both towns near you and potential travel destinations. But with Coachella this week signifying the proper beginning of the music festival calendar, we’ve created a handy guide with some packing essentials.
Now, we didn’t include the most obvious items like sunscreen and an iPhone charger, but please, be sure to bring all that stuff as well. No, these might be things you think of a little less, that can take an already great experience to the next level. So check out the items on our festival packing guide below, and we’ll see you out there.
Nike Flyfree Sunglasses
Whether you are going to be at the festival right as the gates open or arriving at sunset as the weather cools, there’s one thing for certain: you’ll need good eyewear. Nike recently launched a line of performance-focused sunglasses, with a range of styles for everyone’s particular needs. We like the Flyfree, pictured above, which are designed for athletes and can withstand the extreme needs that festival goers experience. With dust in the air and the sun beating down, the Nike glasses offer cutting-edge lenses that enhance contrast, reduce glare, and provide pristine vision for any festival condition. Plus, they look great.
Price: $239
ORCA Wanderer 24
While you probably can’t bring your own food and beverages into a music festival, you’ll def need to plan ahead whether you are staying at a hotel or hitting the campgrounds. The ORCA Wanderer 24 is a great companion, with the size and space to hold wine bottles and up to a 24-pack of beer (or soda?). With five colors to choose from, we particularly like the Starboard, which can stand out from the crowd. Also, the leak-proof zipperless design and waterproof lining are ideal for travel, ensuring that your ice doesn’t leak all over your car, tent, or hotel room.
Price: $250
Zen Cannabis Products
We’re going to get back to some real practical, nuts-and-bolts festival gear. But first, this might be the most crucial item on the list. Particularly here in California where weed is now legal, it’s hard to imagine attending a music festival without a bit of a high. Zen Cannabis Products offers a range of gummies and chocolates, though keep in mind that the heat of Coachella could lead to some melting. Also, you probably aren’t supposed to bring cannabis products in, so best to consume AHEAD of arrival. The gummies here are tasty and effective, with a range of indicas, sativas, and hybrids to suit each person’s needs. Also, get some of the sleepy time gummies to end your festival night with peaceful rest. But please use responsibly, you don’t want to nap through Doja Cat.
Price: Varies
GCI ComPack Rocker™
Now, back to the festival experience. While you generally can’t bring a chair into most festivals, this GCI ComPack Rocker is perfect for camping at Coachella, or anywhere else you might be gathering around a music festival. Think about it: no one ever has extra chairs when camping. If you don’t have your own, you are either sitting on the ground or standing. This chair in particular folds up for the smallest footprint possible, and its Torsion Rocking Technology™ provides a relaxing sit in even the least relaxing of atmospheres.
Price: $110.00
YSL Men’s Fragrances
Now, music festivals are often endurance challenges. But at Coachella and many other fests, you still want to look, and SMELL, your best. For us men, this is often overlooked, but YSL’s fleet of men’s fragrances are a great accessory to make sure that you are standing out from the crowd of smelly dudes. Look at their brand ambassadors, Austin Butler for MYSLF and Lenny Kravitz for Y and the just-launched Y Elixir. The latter offers a spicy-wood fragrance that is both delicate and masculine, while MYSLF is more of a floral take on the woody aesthetic. We also love that MYSLF comes in a refillable bottle, reducing waste and making the experience of smelling good all the more sustainable. If it’s good enough for Austin and Lenny, it’s def gonna help you be your best at the music festival.
Price: Varies
Static V Lite Eco Sleeping Pad
Unless you have your own hotel room or a bed secured, many people will be roughing it a bit for festival accommodations. We recommend this inflatable sleeping pad for whatever situation you might find yourself in. Again, this is very compact so as not to take up too much of your packing footprint, but will make a world of difference in overall comfort. We particularly like the built-in siderails, which allow the sleeper to remain secure on the pad all night (or day, depending on WHEN you sleep).
.Price: $89.99
Horizon Travel Blanket
Listen: Coachella is hot. Many other music festivals are hot. If you are camping, your tent will likely get hot. That doesn’t mean that you don’t need a blanket. Evenings can generally get chilly in the desert and you want to be prepared for anything. Even if you are securing a patch of ground at a friend’s Airbnb, you’ll still want warmth if they’re blasting the AC. The Horizon Travel Blanket is durable, water resistant, is able to be staked to the ground for picnicking, and packs down small. It’s ideal for almost any situation.
.Price: $64.99
Vibes High-Fidelity Earplugs
Seeing a live performance is perhaps the best way to hear music, but it’s also one of the loudest and potentially most harmful ways. Hearing protection is important, and Vibes’ hi-fidelity earplugs lower sound without sacrificing quality, making them a must-use for the next show you attend.
Price: $28.95
Soundboks 4
Any campsite or home rental is going to need music. So, why not do it right? This calls for Soundboks, a huge, portable, battery-powered speaker that lets you crank it up to 126 decibels. The specs are impressive: It can go for up to 40 hours on a single charge (6 hours at full volume), it has an effective frequency range of 40 Hz to 20 kHz, and it’s splashproof.
Price: $999
Some of the products listed here were sent to Uproxx as samples.
