I’m an avid concert and festival goer. Almost every month, I’m seeing either a big band at a stadium or an indie artist at an intimate venue. As someone who just danced her heart out to Charli XCX and will be headbanging to Linkin Park soon, I know the importance of carrying the right gadgets with you to a festival.
It’s important not to underestimate the importance of a comfy pair of shoes, or a pair of earplugs that could save your hearing. Concerts and festivals aren’t cheap, so you obviously want to make the most of them.
Whether you’re headed to Glastonbury Festival in the U.K. or Lollapalooza in the U.S., I’ve rounded up the 5 gadgets and accessories you need to pack for your next summer festival. Let me take you through them all…
Power bank
There is nothing worse than your smartphone or cameras running out of charge in the middle of an artist’s set or when you’re trying to coordinate a rendezvous location with your friends. A portable charger or power bank is a necessity, whether you’re at a three-day festival or a five-hour gig. Thankfully, there are many power banks available, catering to all budgets and needs.
If you’re on a budget, my pick is the UGREEN Nexode 12,000mAh 100W, available for $49 / £49 at Amazon. This power bank is highly portable (as small as a standard Coke can) and its weight is negligible, so its easy to carry in your pocket or backpack.
At 12,000mAh and 100W, the Nexode can charge smartphones, cameras and even MacBooks. For reference, this power bank can charge an iPhone 15 to up to 60% in 30 minutes. This is a fantastic deal and, really, this power bank will definitely come in clutch.
Compact camera
Who doesn’t like recording their favorite artists performing their favorite songs? I do. I have countless videos stored on my Google Pixel 7 Pro of when I saw Roger Waters. Green Day, Paramore, etc. But boy does storage fill up quick when you’re capturing footage and photos too. If you’re a chronic snapper, I’d recommend grabbing a compact camera, and my recommendation is the DJI Osmo Pocket 3.
Well, it’s not really a compact camera. It’s a gimbal camera, which means you’re getting stabilized footage, even when you’re swaying to the beat or dancing.
The Osmo Pocket 3 captures stunning, stable 4K/60p video, even in dimly lit environments, it boasts long battery life (up to two hours), and it supports microSD cards up to 1TB — perfect for festivals.
You’d be surprised at the number of people I’ve seen carrying these nifty gadgets around at U.K. gigs and festivals! You can check out the sample footage in our DJI Osmo Pocket 3 review.
Instant camera
If you have space in your backpack, take an instant camera with you.
There’s nothing like snapping a pic in the moment and not worrying about whether it’s perfect or not — and instant camera help you preserve memories by printing them on lovely film, often with a vintage aesthetic.
The Fujifilm Instax mini 12 is the greatest instant camera for festivals, in my opinion.
Extremely easy to use with very limited buttons, the Instax mini 12 can be used by virtually anyone.
It takes lovely photos in bright conditions, and there’s even a selfie mirror and close-up mode for when you want to take a picture with your friends or family. Photos develop quickly and there’s a handy app for scanning prints in case you want to share them on social media.
There are many, many instant cameras to choose from but for those who want a no-frills one for festival snaps, the Instax mini 12 is the right fit.
Earplugs
When you’re in your early 20s, you don’t necessarily realize the importance of earplugs, or the damage loud speakers at gigs and festivals can cause to your ears.
I didn’t either, and it was only recently when, at an indie gig, I stood right next to a gargantuan speaker and felt my eardrums ringing. It was painful, and I decided to finally get myself a pair of Loop earplugs.
The Loop Experience 2 earplugs are well worth the investment. First of all, they filter noise by 17dB, ensuring music stays clear but at a safer volume. Also, they look cool. They’re available in a few colorways — black, gold, rose gold and silver — so you can get the pair that goes best with your outfit.
They also come with four different eartip sizes for the perfect fit and serving people with small and big ears alike. They’re built to stay in, so I know when I’m headbanging to Linkin Park’s The Emptiness Machine in a week, I won’t need to worry about losing them.
Walking/hiking shoes
My mom always says that you can’t enjoy yourself unless you’re wearing comfortable shoes — and she is so right about that.
Many festivals need you to run from stage to stage so that you don’t miss the next act, and many concerts involve you standing around and jumping for hours. You, of course, need a comfy pair of shoes. My pick? The Keen Zionic Mid Waterproofs.
Technically, these are hiking boots, but I think they look cool enough to pass as regular-day walking shoes — I would know, I’ve been wearing them to work regularly.
These waterproof boots dry quickly, and their 4mm directional lugs help you get a better grip in both wet and dry conditions. Come rain or shine, you’ll be absolutely fine wearing these.
I wore the Zionic Mids to a Twenty One Pilots concert, and dancing around felt like walking on clouds because of how bouncy the soles are. Also, the strong traction meant that I didn’t slip or skid even once on the wet/sticky floor.
Aaaand there you have it! Those are the top 5 gadgets and accessories you need to get before you head to a festival this summer. All of them are extremely important as you want to stay comfortable while capturing memories that may last a lifetime.
If nothing else, at least grab some earplugs — trust me, you’ll thank me in a few years when your hearing is still at 100%.
