Here's the definitive survival kit for festivals

In association with Original Source

So you’re off to a festival? Lucky you!

Between perusing the line-up and searching for outfit inspiration on Instagram, there will come a point where you have to think seriously about what you’re actually going to use when you’re camped out in a muddy field.

While it’s tempting to cart along your entire wardrobe or a fridge’s worth of food, unless you’re planning to helicopter in to the hospitality area, Kim-K-does-Glasto style, whatever you take you’ll have to carry on your back and possibly across several soggy campsites. Luckily we’ve sorted the must-haves from the might-needs to help you pack as smartly as possible.

Clothes

Unless you’re attending a nudist festival this summer, then you’ll need some clothes. Pack lightly but comprehensively and include a spare set just in case you misjudge a muddy puddle and go flying, much to your fellow festival-goers amusement.

Socks

We cannot stress this enough, take long ones, take short ones, take waterproof ones, and however many you think you should take, double it. They can easily be squashed into spare rucksack space and you’ll be a hero when someone in your circle of tent’s wellies leak.

Wellies or walking boots

No matter how stylish you are the other 362 days of the year, no one is above the kind of sturdy footwear that a festival necessitates. If you’re unlucky with the weather, wellies will keep more of your legs mud-free but then you’re less likely to lose a walking boot to the squelch.

A waterproof

Like footwear you can walk for days in, because you will literally be walking for days, a waterproof should be the cornerstone of everyone’s festival wardrobe. Plan your outfits around it if you have to but make sure you pack one. If the sun does show its face you can leave it in your tent, but if the weather’s in an altogether grumpier mood, it will mean you can stay out having fun for that bit longer.

Toiletries

The key here is minis, mini dry shampoo, mini shower gel (you never know when you might need it), mini deodorant, whatever you can’t be without, stock up on a small-scale version to save on space. Wet wipes-wise, while it’s tempting to take enough for a small village, in reality you will probably only need one large pack of baby wipes, 100+ is best, even if you’re a King/Queen of hygiene. As for loo roll, packs of tissues are a far more practical solution and use up less of your precious rucksack space.

Food

You know the kind of food you subsisted on during your misspent adolescence? Packet noodles, tins of beans and cereal bars, that kind of thing? All this makes for perfect festival grub. Just ensure your tins are the kind that come with the handy ring pulls, I once watched a friend spend half an hour hacking at a can of spaghetti hoops with a pair of nail scissors. The very definition of not worth it. Oh and be sure to take some fruit with you, after a few days of festival food, you’ll be craving the extra vitamins.

A mug

If you don’t take one, when your outdoors-enthusiast friend cracks out the camping stove and makes everyone a brew, you’ll be feeling like, well, a mug.

Fun accessories

Picture:Flickr/teen.umagazine

Glitter, glowsticks, samba whistles, face paint, you name it, if you’ve got space take it. Nothing brightens up final-day-festival-face like a bit of sparkle. But take care, when it comes to anything that could be considered culturally insensitive (read bindis, Native American headdresses etc.) best to leave it at home. You’ll have way more fun if you’re not worrying about offending anyone.

Duct tape

This one’s for when your tent pole snaps in the middle of the night. Enough said.

Packed with natural ingredients, Original Source’s range of shower gels should be top of your packing list this festival season. Be sure to stop by the Original Source Tingle Truck at Boardmasters Festival to try out the new range of Moisturising Shower Milks and pick up a free sample.