Packing the right gear can make or break your festival experience. Load the car with these new essentials and you’ll be the envy of tent city.
1. Sierra Designs DriDown Cal 30
A sudden storm can quickly turn your unattended fest gear into a soggy mess. Reduce the risk by investing in the extremely lightweight Cal 30. It’s made with Sierra Designs innovative DriDown filling—fluffy 800-fill goose down treated with a hydrophobic polymer to keep moisture to a minimum. While not completely waterproof, the bag dries much faster than normal down and maintains better loft in humid conditions. Plus, at little more than a pound and extremely compact, it will quickly become your mainstay bag for any adventure.
$419. sierradesigns.com
2. Outdoor Research Growler Shirt
Stay comfortable and look great during long days of fest sweating in the Growler—a casual, short-sleeved shirt made with a performance-minded moisture-wicking nylon fabric to help you keep cool when the peak summer humidity becomes unbearable.
$75. outdoorresearch.com
3. Klean Kanteen Steel Pint
Help make garbage cans overflowing with plastic beer cups a thing of the past. The Steel Pint from Klean Kanteen holds 16 ounces of your favorite ale, and when not in use, you can attach it to your belt with the convenient rubber ring and carabiner. Many regional festivals, including FloydFest and the Festy Experience, are including one of these cups with the price of admission—a noble effort to reduce the sizable footprint of multi-day events.
$10. kleankanteen.com
4. Eagles Nest Outfitters Twilights
Don’t stumble back to a dark campsite. Twilights deliver convenient illumination with a string of bright LEDs that will run for three straight days on two AA batteries.
$20. eaglesnestoutfittersinc.com
5. Patagonia Advocate Stitch
A lightweight slip-on that’s made for busting out your best dance moves, the vegan Advocate Stitch is a minimalist shoe that covers feet with a breathable microfiber, while a super-grippy recycled sole offers plenty of traction for long walks between stages. Available in styles for both men and women.
$70. patagonia.com
6. Alite Designs Mantis Chair
Lugging a large clunky camping chair around festival grounds is no fun, but you can take the Mantis from tent city to the main stage with no hassle. The nylon-seated chair has an extremely innovative collapsible pole design that offers simple set up, and it packs down to not much more than a handful—not bad for a chair that can hold someone weighing up to 250 pounds.
$120. alitedesigns.com
7. Jetboil Flash Stove
Looking for an easy, no-hassle portable stove for the next overnighter? The Flash is an all-in-one burner and cooking vessel that lights with the click of a button. Two minutes later, you’ve got boiling water for coffee or food.
$100. jetboil.com
Check out the rest of our Outdoor Festival Guide!
