Modern music festivals can seem like they have everything: Eclectic lineups, interesting public art installations, tasty food and beverage programs. But attending Panorama, Electric Zoo or one of the other myriad fest options in the area still requires a little more planning than just buying a ticket.
We’re not going to dictate your personal festival fashion statements, but beyond the fringe and the flower crown there are some items that experienced attendees know are life-savers. Here’s a shopping list:
To Wear
Summer weather can be volatile; thunderstorms aren’t unheard of, and with most festivals being out in nature (or at least a park), you dream weekend can literally get stuck in the mud easily. For that reason, Hunter Boots’ Original Festival Chelsea Boots should make it into your clothing rotation; made from rubber, but with a matte finish, they are both stylish and practical when Mother Nature turns a flood of music into a straight-up flood. Pair them with a Hunter poncho for full protection.
To Charge
Fighting for a signal in the middle of a field with 50,000+ other Instagrammers can drain a battery fast. Anker has a line of solutions, ranging from the one-charge capacity (but incredibly compact) Astro Mini 3200 to the PowerCore + series, where each unit can make sure that you and a couple of your friends stay connected to the outside world.
To Hydrate
Gone are the days when the only hydration choice was a five-dollar bottle of water. Festivals are taking the health of their concertgoers seriously, and most now provide hydration stations for refilling containers. Take full advantage of that with a Camelbak Repack, a fanny pack with a huge water bladder for filling and sipping on throughout the day. It works as well hiking or biking as it does at a music fest, too, making it as much of an investment as it is a festival hack.
To Hear (The Day After)
Ask your elders: Someday, listening to all that loud noise will make you deaf. And if your festival schedule takes you into a dance tent (or a full fest dedicated to dance music, like Electric Zoo), you’ll want some sort of barrier between the awesome speakers and your ear drums. That’s where Etymotic comes in, with a wide variety of earplugs that go far beyond wadded up toilet paper or foam bricks. The company’s highest-end offerings can cost as much as the last model of iPhone, but pick up a pair of affordable ETY Plugs HD to save your hearing and still listen to the music.
