Festival Must-Haves, Field-Tested at Lost Lands and Electric Forest

The best festival gear, of course, depends on which festival you’re attending, the weather, your sleeping arrangements, and a ton of other factors. But as a longtime festival veteran, I’ve field-tested enough gear (and made enough mistakes) to have solid recommendations for preventing blisters, dehydration, a dead phone, and other common pitfalls in most situations. You'll find my top picks below.

Be sure to check out our other related buying guides, including the Best Tents , the Best Sleeping Bags , and the Best Bluetooth Speakers .

Updated July 2026: I've reformatted this guide with refreshed picks and a new look. I've also checked prices and accuracy throughout.

These electrolytes are my favorite in general, and I especially like them for festivals because the ingredient concentrations are high enough that they actually help with efficient hydration when you're hot and sweaty. And the flavors are tasty, too, so I can pass them out to my crew and know they’ll actually drink them. Hydration is of utmost importance when it comes to preventing hangovers and “ wook flu ,” and this mixture can help. Plus, the packets don’t take up much space in your bag or pocket.

I have yet to try a blanket from Rumpl that I dislike. They pack up and unfurl easily, and most of them have enough space for seating multiple people. They also have little hooks to convert the blanket into a cape, which is nice if it gets chilly at camp but you aren’t ready to go to bed yet. They’re also easy to clean, whether they’re covered in dust or grass blades or spilled White Claw.

For just one or two people, this smaller blanket is perfect. It’s thin, so it’s best for summer or as an added layer.

I’m not sure what it is about festivals that seems to make my phone die twice as fast, but it’s practically a law of the universe at this point. (It’s likely that the lack of cell service means my phone is constantly searching for a signal; read our tips on how to save battery life here .) Or maybe it's just overheating in my backpack. In any case, a power-bank phone charger with a large capacity is really handy. This Anker power bank isn’t the slimmest or the lightest, but it charges up quickly and can rapidly top off multiple devices per charge. Added bonus: You won’t be overpaying for the luxury of a charging locker. I bring two of these to four-day festivals and they keep my phone, speaker, Apple Watch, and other essentials charged the whole time. You might also want a MagSafe power bank around as a backup, though I prefer the efficiency of a larger brick.