Glastonbury Festival is just around the corner and that means hundreds of thousands of people will be heading to a field in Somerset to spend at least three nights under canvas. While it's important to pack the essentials, packing a little luxury will turn your camping weekend from an unknown early morning set into a headline experience.
One of the benefits of camping is getting back to basics, but there are certain things that I just don't want to give up, even when I'm sleeping in a tent. I'm not talking about a full-on premium camping experience, like those luxury hotels in the middle of the dessert, just a few bits that will make sleeping under the stars a little more palatable.
I've been camping at festivals since my mid-teens and as I've got older, I find a few extras in your bag can make all the difference – especially if it rains. So, whether you're off to a music festival or a campsite these five items should be on your packing list.
1. Portable power station
The big thing missing from a tent, in my opinion, is power. A plug socket is something you come to expect in your home, office or hotel room, but not here. That means those gadgets that you typically plug in before you go to bed just continue to drain down to nothing. There's an answer, though.
Portable power stations are essentially large batteries. Smaller ones will power your phone and laptop, while larger versions can cope with fridges, speakers and even air conditioning units. (I'd love to see a tent with air con at Glastonbury).
If you're looking for something small and lightweight, the Anker Solix C200 DC could be right up your street. Weighing just 1.9kg and about the same size as a camping light, the C200 DC has a 192Wh battery – or 60,000mAh it has five charging ports including 3 USC-C. It can charge your phone up to 13 times or also keep your drone, portable speaker, tablet or camera topped up. Plus, it costs just £109 on Amazon right now.
If you want something a little bigger, the EcoFlow River 3 Plus has a 286Wh battery and a 1200W total output. It features a 3-pin plug socket, a 12V car output, and USB-C and USB-A options.
2. Loop Experience 2 Plus
Loop earplugs are a great way to reduce noise when you're sleeping, commuting, or just trying to focus, but they are also ideal for a festival, where the big sound from that main stage could leave your ears ringing. The Experience 2 Plus are specially designed for live music events as they offer extra noise reduction when you need it. The earplugs come in four colours and come with 4 ear tip sizes to fit your ears perfectly.
These premium versions are priced £39.95 / $44.95 and are well worth the investment if you value your hearing.
3. Airbed
I'm too old to sleep on the floor, so if I'm going camping, I'm taking an airbed. This Silentnight Air Bed has a flocked non-slip cover and comes in single, double or king size versions. I'd recommend going for at least the double, even if you're not sharing a tent. The best part though is that this air mattress has a built in electric pump, so you can inflate and deflate with ease, and without a lot of puff.
Prices for the Silentnight Air Bed start from £45 for the single and up to £55 for the King size. In the US, try the Intex Dura-Beam Plus, which costs £39.95 for the twin and $52.59 for the queen-sized.
4. Bluetooth speaker
Yes, you're at the festival to hear live music but when you get back to the tent you don't want to sit in silence – and there's only so many times you can hear the campers next to you play Wonderwall on the guitar. So, a good portable Bluetooth speaker is essential in my book.
The Bang & Olufsen Beosound A1 3rd gen is the perfect take-anywhere speaker. It's small but powerful and it looks great too. With great bass and excellent battery life, you'll drown out your fellow campers with ease.
The Beosound A1 3rd Gen costs £299 / $349, though you can pick up the 2nd generation model for just £158 on Amazon.co.uk or $245 on Amazon.com
5. Roof tent
A roof tent is arguably the most useful accessory you can have at a festival for a number of reasons. Firstly, provided you can get a camper van ticket, you can park your car closer to the action, and there's no need to cart your tent and belongings across the fields. Secondly, putting the tent up is a matter of seconds – just unclip, fold out and watch it rise.
Then factor in that you can use your car below as safe storage and even for extra power, and it's win-win. The only downside is climbing up and down the ladder at night, which needs a certain level of dexterity, especially on an SUV.
TentBox has some great options in a range of sizes, but the TentBox Lite XL is one of the most luxurious and has the largest sleeping area. This will cost £1,895 / $2,120, but the smaller TentBox Go starts from just £995 / $1019.
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