The camping essentials - I've found a bargain which you all need to know about thread...

[The Nal]

Flip flops are the worse choice of footwear possible for a long weekend like Glasto.

http://www.spine-health.com/blog/why-flip-flops-are-bad-your-sciatica

http://www.thespinehealthinstitute.com/news-room/health-blog/flip-flops-and-back-pain-it’s-no-coincidence

[scaryclaireyfairy]

On 16/04/2017 at 1:00 PM, grumpyhack said:

Why not just get a second battery for your phone and take that fully charged to swap?

I'm an iPhone clone. 

On 16/04/2017 at 2:44 PM, carlosj said:

Does it improve if you turn off WiFi, updates, app updates and everything other than phone and text? Additional nature should help too.

It has done previously but the level of drain I'm getting is new.  My Anker *should* see me through and if it doesn't, oh well, I'm crap at taking photos anyway.

[mjsell]

Just to be clear, I said I take flip flops to slip on when pottering around the camp and if it is hot and am planning on chilling at 1 stage for a while during the day. I would never walk further than a short trip to the toilet when at a stage in a pair of flip flops. That would be insanity. 

[maclauk]

We swear by our Anker battery packs. The prices move a lot on Amazon so you can get them at a good price. We bought them for Glastonbury and now use them all the time.

[Sasperella]

1 hour ago, mjsell said:

Just to be clear, I said I take flip flops to slip on when pottering around the camp and if it is hot and am planning on chilling at 1 stage for a while during the day.

It's a good shout. Especially as we all know it will be a scorcher...

4 hours ago, somecoolusername said:

I just wore Converse for the whole 2010 festival (the last properly 'hot one'). 

So I just went shopping fully intending to buy some Converse but the 15-year old skater wannabe in me saw these, fell in love and made me buy them. They are anything but "light" but they sure as hell are comfy. And beautiful.

 

Edited April 17, 2017 by Sasperella

[amfy]

I'm starting to find the lack of cushioning in converse to be an issue for me. I am thinking of maybe gazelles.

[simian_mobile_mushrooms]

Nike Air Pegasus's have changed my soles lives... they're sooooo comfortable. Hoping for the sun so I can wear them the whole time


 

[somecoolusername]

One thing about wearing trainers: when it's really hot the ground gets very dusty. In 2010 they had trucks driving around spraying the pathways with water to try and deal with the dust. So I'd warn against taking trainers that you really care about, because they can get pretty messed up, even in a dry year.

(Maybe this is obvious and no-one here would be stupid enough to take shoes they didn't want to ruin to Glastonbury. But I've done it). 

[johntrfc]

1 hour ago, amfy said:

I'm starting to find the lack of cushioning in converse to be an issue for me. I am thinking of maybe gazelles.

Yeah I wouldn't go for converse either no t enough cushioning. I wore Samba's in 2010 which wear spot on, I'm on gazelles or zx flux this time

[musky]

8 hours ago, Gnomicide said:

I know the EE Power Bars are overpriced but they are dead handy. Just walk up to the tent, hand it in and walk away with a fully charged one. They've done away with the wristbands which meant you could only swap once a day so you can share them and swap a few times each day.

I thought EE gave up on the power bars before last year's festival and recalled them all?

[Gnomicide]

7 minutes ago, musky said:

I thought EE gave up on the power bars before last year's festival and recalled them all?

They withdrew the original ones because they were blowing up or something but you could still buy them last year.

[musky]

14 minutes ago, Gnomicide said:

They withdrew the original ones because they were blowing up or something but you could still buy them last year.

That is weird. A quick google reveals they had two recalls - one for one batch and a second for the rest of them. Then they said last May that they had no plans to reissue the bars. Maybe it was just a Glastonbury thing and they had some new ones made up.

[Gnomicide]

12 minutes ago, musky said:

That is weird. A quick google reveals they had two recalls - one for one batch and a second for the rest of them. Then they said last May that they had no plans to reissue the bars. Maybe it was just a Glastonbury thing and they had some new ones made up.

Yeah, weird. I definitely bought mine and used it last year though. I'd never taken a smart phone to a festival before.

Had a look around, they renamed them Juice Tube, maybe because of the recall.

Looks like they're available on other networks too.

Edited April 17, 2017 by Gnomicide

[musky]

11 minutes ago, Gnomicide said:

Yeah, weird. I definitely bought mine and used it last year though. I'd never taken a smart phone to a festival before.

Had a look around, they renamed them Juice Tube, maybe because of the recall.

Looks like they're available on other networks too.

Cool, that explains that one then. Good news for those that don't want to bring a power brick with them.

 

[Keva]

Can anyone recommend a good rucksack? Bigger the better.

My current one needs to be retired.

[FestiZebra]

2 hours ago, Keva said:

Can anyone recommend a good rucksack? Bigger the better.

My current one needs to be retired.

I have the Vango Contour 60+10L Rucksack, which is brilliant. It does come with two flat metal poles in the back to keep it study, which does add some weight. You can remove these - but i haven't tried. I'm 5''5 and petite, and have no problems filling this to the brim!

[Smash1984]

After last years mud I'm going to invest in a pair of gaiters for this years festival, not that I will need them of course.

Any recommendations? Thinking around the £20 mark unless that's unrealistic. Thanks in advance

[Upside down frowner]

Lidl - camping sleeping mat, where the head section folds up to give back support for sitting up.

 

 

[musky]

On 18/04/2017 at 3:49 PM, Smash1984 said:

After last years mud I'm going to invest in a pair of gaiters for this years festival, not that I will need them of course.

Any recommendations? Thinking around the £20 mark unless that's unrealistic. Thanks in advance

Lidl usually have some decent ones one in the run up to the festival, and only cost about £4/5. Way better and cheaper than the Gelert ones I had previously.

[Chazwozza]

On 18/04/2017 at 3:49 PM, Smash1984 said:

After last years mud I'm going to invest in a pair of gaiters for this years festival, not that I will need them of course.

Any recommendations? Thinking around the £20 mark unless that's unrealistic. Thanks in advance

Berghaus Yeti gaiters, off eBay. They're a bugger to get onto your boots but once they're on they stop mud, rain, everything.

[Copperface]

Anyone who has one of the smaller pop up tents, including the Quechua 2 or 3 man tents who wants a bit more storage space, a larger porch and the flexibility of a small tent with the option of expanding it have a look at these;

http://www.gooutdoors.co.uk/vango-gear-store-p367492

Big enough to actually sit in a chair if needed and store and protect any wet gear,- if the weather is good enough and you don't actualy need it then the powerlite poles are really light and it can just be kept in reserve if necessary.

I normally use a tarp but this covers more and has better headroom.

can get them for around £44 delivered on ebay as well.

vid below:

 

[scatteredscreens]

There's this bag going on decathlon for 2 quid, isn't huge but it can fold up in your back pocket so you can use it when you get to the festival instead of lugging a big bag around.

 

http://www.hotukdeals.com/deals/quechua-arpenaz-10l-ultra-compact-backpack-1-99-free-c-c-your-local-asda-decathlon-2677880

[jamesrfisher]

Blacks have a sale on including this 4 man pop-up for £60

 

http://www.blacks.co.uk/equipment/165217-eurohike-pop-400-ds-tent-green.html

[glastouser]

Hii, has anyone on here ever used a double sleeping bag?

my mrs suggested getting one but I'm not sure.

[jamesrfisher]

1 minute ago, glastouser said:

Hii, has anyone on here ever used a double sleeping bag?

my mrs suggested getting one but I'm not sure.

I take it you mean one you both fit in to? If so then we do, actually two singles that unzip 3/4s of way so then zip the two together. Have had since 2005 and used at all the festivals listed below. No different from sleeping under a double duvet. Never had any problems. I'm 6' and she is 5'8.