Plan, plan, prep and prep again

Don’t kid yourself and say that you’re spontaneous, if you don’t plan ahead just a little bit you run the risk of missing out on some of the best things at Reading Festival.

You’re going to want to use your phone to check important things like the Official Reading Festival 2018 app, the weather and social media – so you’re going to need a charger or two. If you’ve got multiple portable chargers, shove them in your bag – or pre-order your own to pick up on site at the festival.

Charge Candy allow you to pick from two handy options, either drop off your phone whenever it needs charging as many times as you want, or swap a portable charger every day to get between 100-200% of power into your phone.

Plan your route to the festival

This might sound like common sense, but booking your travel in advance will also save your pennies and pounds. If you grab your Reading Car Park Passes in advance, you could save £10. That’s a tasty bonus to add to the pre-drink kitty.

Buy a tent big enough for your stuff

No matter how much you plan and how light you decide to go to the festival – you’re still going to have a bag with your precious belongings and stuff you think you definitely need but don’t – like that mankini, just save everyone else’s eyes. Please.

As a general rule of thumb always buy a tent for an extra ‘person’, there’s 2 of you sharing? Buy a 3 person tent, you catch our drift.

Be strategic about tent placement

No one wants to camp near the bogs. We all know it can get a little bit whiffy when the wind is blowing the wrong way and people will be climbing up the steps all night. Want to know the best place to pitch your home away from home? Aim for a spot off the path so people won’t crash into your tent and if possible, slightly uphill. You’ll thank us later.

Make your tent recognisable

Whether you go all out and buy yourself a recognisable tent, or you go the DIY way, it’s important you’re able to spot your tent from the thousands around you. Why not invite all your festival mates around beforehand to customise your own flag? Don’t get the usual boring pirate flag, get creative.

Bio-degradable wipes will become your new friend

Yeah, campsite showers are actually alright – but there’s always a queue. If you decide to take matters into your own hands, bio-degradable wipes will become your best friend. Want to know what’s cooler than being clean? Saving the planet.

Pack light and you’ll thank us later

Want to know how to save on space when packing? Don’t bother bringing a pillow – it takes up valuable room and you run the risk of getting it soggy if you don’t put it inside your bag when you’re en-route. Instead, pack a pillowcase and put your clothes you’re inevitably going to be taking (you are taking some, right?) inside the pillowcase. Hey presto, a place to rest your weary head.

While we’re on the topic of clothes, keep a clean pair of socks hidden somewhere you won’t be tempted to reach for them. You’ll thank us on the way home when your feet are toasty and clean.

Bin bags

These get a whole subcategory of their own, the possibilities really are endless with them. Not only are they great at making sure your rubbish doesn’t spoil the countryside, they’re also practical. Don’t have a raincoat? Make a poncho. Don’t have wellies? Cover your footwear in some of them. Got a leak in your tent? Cover it with a bin bag. We could go on but you get the idea.

Gaffer Tape

Also a staple to bring to Reading Festival, how are you going to make yourself a pair of these without it?

Prep for the heatwave

Loving the hot weather we’re having? So are we. Drinking water points will be available across the Arena and Campsites. Bring along a trusty reusable bottle and you’ll be saving the planet as well as keeping hydrated.

Feels like a sauna in your tent? Ah, those little sweat boxes really make it hit home that you’re at one with nature. Grab a few emergency blankets and pack them at the bottom of your bag. Stick them to your tent using the trusty gaffer tape which you already have, right? It’ll reflect the sun and leave you feeling cool and smug.