What advice would you give for first timers?

[Henrik]

1 hour ago, grumpyhack said:

One of the joys of being at a festival is that you can divorce yourself from the outside world.  So why not switch your phone off.  Maybe just put it on a couple of times a day to check all is OK at home or to fix a meet up with mates.  That way pretty well any battery will last the fest.

I have already decided that I'm not taking a phone this year. I have been to over 30 festivals and this will be the first time I completely turn off the outside world - yep, I'm going complete gangsta. Not even the friends I'm attending with will be able to contact me if I go missing. Can't bloody wait.

[A Guy Called Matt]

2 hours ago, grumpyhack said:

One of the joys of being at a festival is that you can divorce yourself from the outside world.  So why not switch your phone off.  Maybe just put it on a couple of times a day to check all is OK at home or to fix a meet up with mates.  That way pretty well any battery will last the fest.

Had my phone on far too much last year and did not have as much fun (though it was still superb).

 

The plan is that this year the phone will go off when we arrive and stay off until we leave.

[grumpyhack]

Good for all of those who've said they'll cut down on phone use.  Apart from anything else it's not always easy to get a signal as so many others seem to be permanently phoning.

If you go with a bunch of mates and choose to go your separate ways for an explore or to see something different you can always pre-arrange to meet up at a particular place and time.

[jamesrfisher]

1 hour ago, grumpyhack said:

Good for all of those who've said they'll cut down on phone use.  Apart from anything else it's not always easy to get a signal as so many others seem to be permanently phoning.

If you go with a bunch of mates and choose to go your separate ways for an explore or to see something different you can always pre-arrange to meet up at a particular place and time.

Pre-arranged meeting points is a very good idea. With so many people in a relatively small space as well as issues with signal text messages can take hours or even a day to come through!

[stixmcvix]

I definitely don't advocate NOT taking a phone (I certainly will be so I can call my daughter every night), but just think its a shame when people watch the festival through their 6-inch screen (especially when you're trying to walk behind these dawdlers to get to a stage!)

[Henrik]

 Leave your hypnotic rectangles at home.

[Wow-wys-buzzing]

Definitely take a phone, it is nice to go off on your own and go exploring without having pressure of finding your friends later on. Can also use to take photos which is nice, but I will say it is such a powerful place that it will stay in your memory forever (certainly has for me!) so you won't need photos really, you'll have vivid and stunning memories to look back on

[stuartbert two hats]

I won't say leave your phone at home, but do try to keep it in your pocket.  Maybe even try putting it in the lockup one evening, you might surprise yourself how much more your enjoy yourself.  

[Tranquility of Solitude]

Largely a generational thing. Having spent over half my life without a phone, I've never developed that need. I carry one, but often forget to switch it on. Part of the joy of the festival, and hillwalking, and pubs, is being incommunicado from the mundane crud.

[tjamest]

As someone who has never owned a mobile, I might go the other way and get one specially for the festival just to see what I have been missing out on all these years.

[The Placid Casual]

On 2/5/2016 at 3:39 PM, nodolphie said:

Keep your backpack off the floor in the longdrops by threading the lock arm through the handle ala:

 

You're now my second favourite poster on here, behind Benus80.

[devonhammer]

Get the wristband attached to your left hand to avoid contamination when wiping your a**e

[Starchild771]

My top 3 tips:

Take decent footwear  

Get fit - more energy to do what you want and less aches and pains

Choose a handful of favourite your acts but don't overplan everything

 

Regarding phones, I've done two years without and last year I took one. I really enjoyed going without a phone but it was also nice to take a couple of pictures to share with my family - next time I will probably leave the phone in the lock-up as I prefer not having to worry about it.

[Brave Sir Robin]

If you've got an old camera kicking around, bring that instead of a smartphone. Take decent (possibly better) photos and not such a mare if you lose/knacker it.

[Untz]

Or take a disposable camera for that genuine shitty retro look.

[Homer]

Remember guys, if you are gay, rubber up. Because in prison some of those guys don't care how old you are. Or if you're gay.

[Woffy]

9 hours ago, Henrik said:

 Leave your hypnotic rectangles at home.

If Henrik turns out to be a lanky photographer / musician I met at a Macca gig at the ICA in London I'll shit up my lunch.

[donthaveacoolname]

Take duck tape, it will help out in so many ways, your tent gets ripped,  duck tape will fix it; tent poles break, duck tape; bag rips, duck tap will get you home...............

[Wellyboot]

Make sure you have cut your toenails! Waltzing round in yer wellies/boots for 5 days constantly on yet on feet may sound like a breeze but when one of those unclipped toenails snaps and digs into yer other toe you'll know about it! Learnt from experience. Blood everywhere! Safety first guys X

[stuartbert two hats]

5 minutes ago, Wellyboot said:

Make sure you have cut your toenails! Waltzing round in yer wellies/boots for 5 days constantly on yet on feet may sound like a breeze but when one of those unclipped toenails snaps and digs into yer other toe you'll know about it! Learnt from experience. Blood everywhere! Safety first guys X

Oh, good idea. Cut them before you go though, unless you have very rapid growth!

[Yoghurt on a Stick]

I don't like my toes. Just looking at them makes me feel ill. I know there's nothing wrong with them. It's just a case of blind prejudice.

[grumpyhack]

Like these Yog?

[PFests]

13 hours ago, donthaveacoolname said:

Take duck tape, it will help out in so many ways, your tent gets ripped,  duck tape will fix it; tent poles break, duck tape; bag rips, duck tap will get you home...............

This x1000. Big black bin bags also x10000000.

[Spindles]

Someone on here once suggested sorting a change of clothes for each day into a separate binliner when you pack, leaving you with dry clean clothes and a supply of bags for the festival, which seemed sensible.

I always buy 2 cheap packs of cotton socks from primark and wear them doubled to prevent blisters.  The feeling of brand new socks every day makes my feet happy.

[donthaveacoolname]

1 hour ago, Spindles said:

Someone on here once suggested sorting a change of clothes for each day into a separate binliner when you pack, leaving you with dry clean clothes and a supply of bags for the festival, which seemed sensible.

I always buy 2 cheap packs of cotton socks from primark and wear them doubled to prevent blisters.  The feeling of brand new socks every day makes my feet happy.

What i do at the very least is pack a full fresh clean set inc shoes and bag it up and leave it in the car or bottom of my rucksack so at least i have clean dry clothes to get home in.