Music festivals are not well-known for being the loveliest, most comfortable and home-y places to be.
What they are known for is loud music, camping bordering on rough sleeping, and generally consuming lots of alcohol.
But what if you want some comfort with your anarchy?
Maybe you’re middle-aged, or a younger person who just doesn’t want to live like a slob for a week?
How do you make your music festival experience more comfortable? Is it even possible?
I am here to tell you that YES, yes it is possible!
Well, sort of.
It’s still a music festival, but there are ways you can make your experience more enjoyable, or at least less… grungy.
1. Hotel
Okay, maybe this one is a bit of a cheat, but if you want to have a very comfortable place to sleep when you’re at a festival, book a nearby hotel.
What are the benefits of a hotel room over camping at a festival?
- A comfy bed
- A quiet room
- TV
- Running water
- The option of a hot breakfast that is NOT cooked on a hexistove
And I want to clarify that staying at a hotel IS a valid choice for a festival.
Booking a hotel does NOT mean you’re doing the festival wrong, and it certainly doesn’t make you less of a “true” festival fan.
For me personally, the idea of a hotel does take away from some of the charm of a festival, but that’s personal preference and I absolutely understand the appeal of them.
Staying in a cramped tent in the pouring rain in the middle of a packed field of drunks vs. getting a shower and a comfy bed with a cup of tea.
I fully get why that option is preferable to some people.
But if you do choose to stay on-site, here are some tips for how to stay comfy. Or comfier anyway.
2. Camping supplies:
Chair
A good camping chair is worth its weight in gold.
Music festivals involve a lot of sitting down at camp and just hanging out with friends.
Just don’t buy a chair from a vendor at the festival, or it will COST you its weight in gold.
Get a decent one from one of the many retailers that sell them.
You will want a chair that is sturdy, with arms and back support (and a drinks holder is always a bonus!)
Clothing
The clothing you take to a festival is probably going to be what you are comfiest in, and maybe what you consider trendy.
Band t-shirts are obviously very popular and shorts and trainers makes sense to enjoy the summer the best.
You may need to work out what balance of trendy vs. Cool works for you though.
Just keep in mind that you will likely be wearing the same thing most of the day and walking around a lot! So comfort is key.
Shoes/boots
In the UK, the weather is known to be varied at the best of times.
Your music festival may take place at the height of summer, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t a 30% chance that it will piss it down with rain all day, every day of the festvial.
If that happens, the ground will quickly turn into a muddy, sloppy mush.
When that happens, you will want boots, not trainers.
Boots offer ankle support and if they are high quality, they will offer some defence against the water and mud from getting into your socks and just making your feet all claggy and gross.
Trousers (Anything but jeans)
Jeans are a bit of a nightmare when camping and if you take them at all, be very cautious!
This always took me a long time to realise.
In my head, jeans are a durable material that will survive the rough campaign experience, and they’re always a popular and good looking choice, so what’s the issue?
The issue with jeans is that they absorb water really well and do not easily or quickly dry off.
If you happen to get caught in a 10-minute downpour, then your jeans are out of action for basically the rest of the weekend.
WikiHow has an article on how to dry your clothes while camping, but let’s just say that some of the tips aren’t suitable for an average music festival weekend.
I’m not sure if the worst part os the lack of huge rocks at festivals for this purpose, or the 100% probability that any clothes you leave will get stolen.
A good tip here is to keep a spare set of clothes in a plastic bag, so as to avoid getting soaked should the worst happen and rain water gets in your tent.
If you arrive at the festival in a car, then you can leave the bag in there.
A locker would also be a good place for an emergency outfit.
3. Sleeping
Airbed
There’s a reason everyone takes airbeds to music festivals.
They are comfortable and put a lot of space between you and the cold, hard ground.
Yes, they do take up space when travelling and they require blowing up, but the comfortable nights sleeps you’ll get absolutely make them worthwhile!
If you don’t take an airbed, the next option is a roll mat.
These are literally thin foam mats that you place on the ground and sleep on them.
Let me be clear: the drop in comfort from an airbed to a roll mat is significant.
they also take up a lot of space to carry, so wherever possible, bring an airbed!
Bed Layers
The ground is cold, and that cold air will rise/suck the heat out of the air just above the ground.
You know, the area where you sleep.
Putting a blanket between the floor and the bed will add a barrier to this cool air, stopping your tent from cooling down too quickly.
One cons of airbeds is that they often can deflate through the night and the cold air rising is one of the causes for this.
Lay down a blanket on the floor of your tent and then put the airbed on top. If possible, then add another blanker between the airbed and your sleeping bag to ensure you stay warm and cosy through the night.
Pillows
I get it – When packing for a festival, you want to maximise space.
A pillow is a big item that takes up a lot of space and you start to wonder to yourself if it’s worth it.
“Do I REALLY need a pillow? I’ll just ball up some clothes and use that instead!”
Someone who will really regret that decision in a few days.
This idea does work, but it definitely isn’t the comfiest thing to rest your head on.
The clothes will spread out through the night and you won’t get much support from them.
However, you can get a travel pillow instead. They take up far less room and they are perfectly fine as a pillow, since I doubt your head is as big as a regular pillow.
Sleeping Bag Quality
Not all sleeping bags are alike.
Also, sleeping bags have something called a Season rating.
This rating tells you how cold it can be outside and have the bag still be effective.
Now, summertime in the UK isn’t exactly arctic conditions, but it can get pretty nippy at night.
Choosing a sleeping bag with too low a Season rating will mean you getting a very cold and very terrible nights’ sleep.
Wrap Up
Your overall comfort may not be the top priority when you head off to a festival, but it’s worth considering because it will lay the foundations for how much you enjoy yourself. Future you will thank you, I promise.
Sleeping like crap on a hard, cold ground, will not generally put you in the best mood for partying all day and dancing to live music.
Eating tinned food from a hexistove for 5 days may be fine for you, but it’s probably not the best for your body and you’ll start to feel it by the end of the festival when you start to crave actual fruit and something, ANYTHING that doesn’t have melted cheese on it.
It may take some more planning and taking more things, but you can make your festival experience significantly more comfortable and you body will thank you for it come that Monday morning when you need to drag yourself home again.
