First time camping at a festival - what do they take?

[Schtum]

DD17 has been to the Reading festival for the day before but this summer she will be camping.

We were talking last night about what on earth she should take.

Our thoughts so far are:

She has a decent phone so we thought that she should put her sim card into an old house brick and take this

She will buy some cheapie bits and pieces from Primark so as not to leave any thing decent in the tent in case it gets pinched

She'll take face wipes, body wipes, intimate wipes, dry shampoo etc etc since the showers are supposed to be awful

A torch

Cheap Primark canvas pumps (which can be binned as soon as it's over), cheap Primark wellies in case it rains and it's a mud bath and flip flops to wear to walk into a shower

Some stuff for breakfast and some apples and cereal bars for snacks

£ to buy a sandwich lunch/ more substantial supper/ drinks

What else?

Does anyone have any advice/ tips/ ideas please?

[noddyholder]

My ds took all of those. I also sent him with sandwiches which came back uneaten! The £ shop has lots of camping stuff and I got him a few solar lights which they loved at night Charge them in your garden so they work from day one. Agree re wipes doubt there was much hair washing with boys so I didn't do that. Extra jumper and fold up rain coat. Ds came back minus tent I also sent plasters and paracetamol

[lazymumofteenagesons]

Lots of layers and a waterproof it can be cold. Wipes for washing, noone I know has ever bothered using the showers and son avoided the toilet as much as poss. (ie. went 3 days without a poo!). A mat or blowup to put sleeping bag on for comfort. Also a money belt is useful as need to keep valuables on you at all times.

[Schtum]

Thanks noddy - all noted.

Re: These solar lights... Can you tell me more? Are they the ones you stick in the ground on a spike? You charged them up before her went - did he stick them in the ground outside his tent to that he could find it easily when he came back to the campsite after the music had finishes? (or am I mis-understanding?)

[lazymumofteenagesons]

Can't charge your mobile so arrange a time when she will put it on to receive your call.

[Middlemarchlover]

I camped at Reading last year and probably will do again this year, so this is my checklist...

Definitely a canvas stool/chair, her feet will kill from spending all day in the arena and if the ground is wet she won't want to sit on it

Bin bags for wet clothes/improvised poncho/rubbish

A head torch- she won't look cool, but it's one less thing to carry in the dark

Bottles of water for teeth brushing and keeping her hydrated, water on site (like everything else!) is very expensive

If she takes other shoes, make sure they are reasonably sturdy e.g Converse style over ballet flats. She'll probably only wear them on the way home anyway, especially if it rains like last year

More socks and wet wipes than she ever thought she'd need, spending the last day in wet socks is a miserable experience

[noddyholder]

Yes the plastic spike ones. I think they were a god send when the campfire novelty wore off. Great for finding their way back.

[ruddynorah]

She doesn't need 3types of wipes surely? One pack of baby wipes will be fine. No need to shower or wash hair, just tie it up.

[maddiemostmerry]

My ds and his mates use the showers at the local leisure centre.

Spare socks, agree re sturdy shoes not pumps but tell her not to throw her shoes into the crowd in excitement, as my son has done.

[iskra]

Lots of toilet paper, & I always found a roll of binbags useful. If it's muddy you can sit on them, put muddy stuff in them, wear if it's raining, collect the rubbish from your own campsite...

More money than you would think - captive audience so prices are jacked up...

[Schtum]

lazymumofteenagers

I did think that a money-belt might be a good idea but she pulled a face. She thinks she's just going to take a tiny handbag on a strap across her body for her cash and phone.

Agree with layers: I think she'll take a couple of bikinis, some vests/ t shirts and shorts and then leggings and a couple of hoodies. I expect she'll leave some tracksuit bottoms and a tshirt in her sleeping bag to sleep in - I guess it can get cold at night.

She said that no-one showers. Yuck - wouldn't want to do this if you paid me but i guess I would have loved it when i was seventeen...

[iskra]

I used to hide some money in my bra, in case my bag got stolen/lost/thrown into the crowd in a moment of excitement.

[Schtum]

A roll of bin-liners - excellent idea.

[supadupapupascupa]

tbh if she's going to reading she might be better off taking the bare minimum and then nipping into town to buy provisions. It's a nightmare trying to carry too much from the car park to the camping areas.
I would get loo roll, medicines, binbags, snacks, water when i get there

DONT FORGET SUNCREAM!!!!!

[supadupapupascupa]

oh and anti-diarrhea tablets

[GreenToes]

No need for all the different kinds of wipes tbh, but obviously that's up to you. Definitely by baby wipes instead of hand wipes as they are so much cheaper for about 10 times as many. Also she may want to take some antibacterial hand gel. I normally avoid it due to fears about bacterial resistance but when you are using portaloos with potentially no sinks (no idea if they have handwashing facilities at Reading) then it's quite a good idea!

Also loo roll, as the portaloos will run out pretty early on I expect. If she's embarrassed about carrying a loo roll around, I managed to get a little Andrex mini travel loo roll type thing in Sainsbury's which I took to a festival last year.

I'm currently writing my packing list for my festival going next year so will pop back if I remember anything else! :)

[Schtum]

Does stuff get pinched from tents?

I'm imagining that while she's off seeing bands, people may be ransacking tents looking for cash/ phones/ alcohol/ smart labels?

[Schtum]

Thanks GreenToes! Would you post your entire list??

[Schtum]

Only if you're making it in Word/ Excel, obviously, GreenToes

[pinkgirlythoughts]

Not read any other responses, but take a pac-a-mac! Came in very handy when I went to Leeds, and much easier to carry around than an ordinary rain mac.

[supadupapupascupa]

yes people do get stuff nicked, but it is a very small percentage and you are incredibly unlucky if it happens to you. Don't take anything you would hate not coming home with.

Another tip, spray perfume onto wrist before using loos as you can sniff it whilst using the loo....believe me, the smell in there can be rank!!

Antibac gel YES

[pinkgirlythoughts]

ooh, have just read the post about layers- when I went with my sister, we used to put our pyjamas on some time in the early evening, then put our clothes on top before we went into the arena to watch the bands. Made it much easier when we went to bed, as we didn't have to worry about getting changed in the dark, or about being cold, we just stripped a couple of layers off and got in sleeping bags!

[GreenToes]

Hi Schtum, just got back from my festival so I'll post the list later, but I definitely second the roll of binliners. Also a raincoat that is actually waterproof! Will be back later with the complete list.

[Schtum]

Oh fab GreenToes that is so kind.

Hope you had a good time - if a little damp!

[VivaLeBeaver]

suncream
hand gel stuff - the portaloos are minging and you will want to "disinfect" your hands more than a babywipe can.

[BeardofZeus]

My list of essentials when I go festivalising:
More antibac gel that you ever need - just going near the toilets, i swear... blerugh
wet wipes wet wipes wet wipes
pacamac with good pockets to hold a)mobile b)purse for cash c) wipes d)gel
wellies OR waterproof walking boots (muuuuuch better for feet), long socks, fat socks, small socks and large socks
lots of things that can layer up in different ways; strap tops, tshirts,long shirts, hoodies, shorts and tights and leggings- all to be worn whilst sleeping as well as is soooo cold!!
one 750ml bottle of water to be refilled at water stations
suncream/sunglasses
proplus or equiv
paracetemol
dry shampoo

and if you choose to go crowd surfing at get dropped onto a metal grate, LOTS of tequila to take the pain away

But yeah, reading is sooo close to the actual town, that its easier to take the barest of essentials and just pop into town in the mornings to stock up on prepacked sandwiches etc than cart it all onto site!