9 indispensable items for any music festival
Get ready for Coachella, Shaky Knees and all the festivals in-between
When you make a purchase using links on our site, The Week may earn a commission. All reviews are written independently by our editorial team.
Being prepared for anything an outdoor music festival might throw at you, from avoiding ear damage to staying hydrated in the blazing sun, is key to having the time of your life. Whether you are attending Coachella, Stagecoach or Bonnaroo, these nine universal items just might make your summer.
Foldies Polarized Folding Classics V² sunglasses
Sunglasses are a necessity at high noon and a nuisance when the sun goes down. A pair of foldable glasses, however, do it all. They provide essential protection during the day, but once you need to store them in a backpack or pocket, they take up less room than traditional shades. Foldies' unisex sunglasses are lightweight and come in several styles, including the recently revamped Classics and Aviators, with a variety of frame and lens colors. Go for a polarized pair to get extra protection.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
$89, Amazon
Dr. Martens iridescent mini backpack
Breeze through security in style. This see-through bag shines thanks to its opalescent sheen and sports Dr. Martens' signature AirWair straps. The backpack has more than enough room for a phone, wallet, lip gloss, water bottle and all those other festival necessities. There is also a cute heart-shaped version, offering the same iridescence with a more whimsical design.
Iridescent mini backpack: $110, Dr. Martens
Heart-shaped iridescent backpack: $110, Dr. Martens
Supergoop Unseen Sunscreen
You want to bring home a T-shirt as a souvenir, not a sunburn. Supergoop Unseen Sunscreen offers broad spectrum SPF 40 protection for normal, combination, oily and dry skin. Grab the original sunscreen for your face (it doubles as a great makeup base) and the body formula for the rest of your skin; both glide on as an invisible gel. Because the products are sweat- and water-resistant for up to 40 minutes, you can dance worry-free.
Unseen Sunscreen: $38, Amazon
Unseen Sunscreen Body: $42, Supergoop
Coola Liplux organic lip balm sunscreen SPF 30
After you slather on sunscreen, remember to protect your lips. Dermatologists recommend using lip products with SPF ratings of at least 30, reapplying every two to three hours. Coola's vegan Liplux balm has SPF 30 and is infused with nourishing organic cupuacu butter and raspberry and jojoba seed oils. The original Liplux goes on clear, but there are tinted versions, including Firecracker red and rosy Summer Crush.
$12, Amazon
Tile tracker
Losing your wallet at a festival means having to frantically retrace your steps or hope someone finds and turns it in to the lost and found. One way to easily keep tabs on your small valuables is by attaching a Tile tracker to them. The Tile uses Bluetooth to share its location and ringtone, so the closer you get the louder Tile sounds. Through the Tile app, you can also look at a map to see an item's last location. There are a few different types of Tiles, with the Slim able to slip into a wallet and the Mate clipping on a set of keys.
Tile Mate: $24.88, Amazon
Tile Slim: $34.88, Amazon
Loop Experience earplugs
Protect your ears from loud speakers — and bad bands — with these comfortable noise-reducing earplugs. Loop Experience earplugs come with four silicon ear-tips sizes (extra small, small, medium and large) and a keychain carrying case, and are reusable for up to five years. The circular plugs stay snug in the ear and filter sound instead of blocking it entirely, ensuring you can still rock out.
$34.95, Amazon
Natural Life Hideaway scrunchie
This velvet scrunchie is pulling double duty. It has a hidden zipper that opens up to a storage pouch that can fit cash, ear plugs, a key and other small items. When the scrunchie is not being used to hold your hair, wear it around your wrist as an accessory. The fun part is being the only one to know about your secret stash.
$12, Natural Life
Hydrapak Stow collapsible water bottle
Staying hydrated should be a priority at any festival — if you pass out, the music is not going to sound as good from the medical tent. Having a good water bottle, like the collapsible Hydrapak Stow, makes remaining upright a lot easier. Fill the lightweight, spill-proof bottle and go on with your day, knowing you are saving money and the planet. There are three sizes to choose from — 12 ounces, 17 ounces and 32 ounces — and each can be flattened and rolled up when empty.
Starting at $16, Amazon
Anker PowerCore 13000 portable phone charger
A day of snapping photos and recording videos can drain your battery before the final act. With the Anker PowerCore portable charger, you can give your iPhone or Android the juice it needs to keep going. There are two USB ports, so multiple devices can be charged at once. And at nine ounces, the PowerCore is easy to tote around.
$33.99, Amazon
Create an account with the same email registered to your subscription to unlock access.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Catherine Garcia is night editor for TheWeek.com. Her writing and reporting has appeared in Entertainment Weekly and EW.com, The New York Times, The Book of Jezebel, and other publications. A Southern California native, Catherine is a graduate of the University of Redlands and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.
-
'Horror stories of women having to carry nonviable fetuses'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
By Harold Maass, The Week US Published
-
Haiti interim council, prime minister sworn in
Speed Read Prime Minister Ariel Henry resigns amid surging gang violence
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Today's political cartoons - April 26, 2024
Cartoons Friday's cartoons - teleprompter troubles, presidential immunity, and more
By The Week US Published
-
Palazzo Durazzo Suites in Genoa: a palatial gem in northern Italy
The Week Recommends Live your Italian dream in this astonishing and recently restored palace in the heart of the city
By Nick Hendry Published
-
Antony Gormley's Time Horizon – a 'judgmental army' of 100 cast-iron men
The Week Recommends Sculptures are 'everymen questioning the privilege of their surroundings' at the Norfolk stately home
By Adrienne Wyper, The Week UK Published
-
Is pop music now too reliant on gossip?
Talking Point Taylor Swift's new album has prompted a flurry of speculation over who she is referring to in her songs
By Richard Windsor, The Week UK Published
-
6 star-spangled presidential libraries to visit
The Week Recommends These institutions provide insight into American leaders
By Catherine Garcia, The Week US Published
-
How Taylor Swift changed copyright negotiations in music
under the radar The success of Taylor's Version rerecordings has put new pressure on record labels
By Theara Coleman, The Week US Published
-
5 stellar TV series based on award-winning novels
The Week Recommends Max's 'The Sympathizer' is not the only successful adaptation of prestige fiction
By David Faris Published
-
You Are Here: the new David Nicholls 'past-their-prime' romance
The Week Recommends 'Midlife disenchantment' gives way to romance for two walkers on a cross-country hike
By Adrienne Wyper, The Week UK Published
-
The best dog-friendly hotels around the UK
The Week Recommends Take a break with your four-legged friend in accommodation that offers you both a warm welcome
By Adrienne Wyper, The Week UK Published