Tents, nervous headache? Get festivalised!
TO be a happy camper – whether at a music festival or while on a break in the great outdoors – you need all the essentials to make your tent like a home from home.
There is always so much to pack, and you need to think about comfy bedding, cooking equipment, and how to keep your belongings dry.
If you’re lucky enough to be heading to one of the Highland gigs such as RockNess or Belladrum, you will already turning your mind to what items – aside from the beer – you will need to take with you.
The HNG Tried and Tested team sample a few items on the market to see which ones rock.
Primus large flask
RRP £21 available from www.primus.se
4 stars
This flask comes in a variety of bold and bright colours, and looks ultra cool and modern.
Extremely sturdy, this metallic flask kept my tea hot all day and I loved its generous-sized cup. It didn’t leak which was another bonus.
Although your drink of choice at a festival is pretty much always going to be of the beer variety, it is still handy to have drop of hot tea on hand to warm you up when the weather’s terrible. HB
Trails Fiesta
Collection tent
RRP £49.95, from www.camptrails.eu and www.stoneharbour.co.uk
4 stars
First things first, this tent is great for a festival as it’s eye catching and features a flower power pattern, so ideal for girly campers.
But boys don’t need to feel left out in the cold – as this two-person tent also comes in camouflage and cowboy themes. With a matching draw-string bag to carry it in, it is also fairly light-weight.
Now for the best bit – it boasts it can be pitched up in two seconds!
I’ve put up tents before, but did this live up to it’s claim??
Well, OK, it took longer than two seconds, but to be fair it took two of us less than five minutes to have this up and ready for action!
It was a case of fitting the poles in the slots, and then pegging it down – no bother.
Unlike other tents, which normally have two layers, this only has one, but that’s OK if you’re just using for a festival. Not so good if it’s freezing outside.
It’s nice and spacious inside, and although I took it camping it sunny weather, it lasted the pace and made for a comfy roof over our heads!
HB
Aquapac Keymaster
RRP £15, available from www.aquapac.net
4 stars
SOGGY, rainy and wet days are two-a-penny when living in the Highlands and tend to make an appearance whenever a festival weekend is looming. So if the worst happens, and the heavens open, it’s important to keep you and your belongings as dry as possible.
With this Aquapac Keymaster, your car keys, phone, camera is guaranteed to stay dry – no matter what the weather.
It also comes with a string which goes round your neck – which ensures your most valuable possessions don’t go falling out of your pockets.
JM
Eureka! Slingback
Lounge Chair
RRP £57.99, from
4 stars
THIS is a really sturdy – and importantly – comfortable chair. And despite the fact it is assembled in a matter of seconds, it doesn’t feel like it’s going to collapse when you park your bum on it.
The opposite of flimsy – it is sturdy and safe.
For a seasoned happy camper this would be a great asset for those long nights around the fire.
Or indeed, it would make a great chair to have in the garage and dig out on those (few and far between) balmy nights on the patio.
But for a festival-goer, this chair might be too expensive to take along, I’d be worried it got nicked.
And carrying it would be a right pain as it’s quite heavy.
For me, it was also great for long days sitting around at horse shows. There’s even a cup holder for your favourite tipple.
All in all, this chair is fairly priced for its durability and longevity, as I wouldn’t imagine I will need to replace it anytime soon.
JM
Nikwax TX Direct
£8.25 (300ml), available at most good outdoor shops. See www.nikwax.com
5 stars
This product adds water repellency and revives breathability to waterproof fabrics such as Gore-Tex. Use it in the wash, using two full capfuls per garment.
Handy for extra protection during harsh weather.
HB
EcoGrill
RRP £9.99, available from
www.eco-consumer-products.co.uk
4 stars
A novel way of rustling up a sausage sandwich in the wild. the EcoGrill is a rustic-looking barbecue, with charcoal pieces in a hollowed-out alder wood stump. The idea is once the charcoal’s burned through, the heat will continue to burn the wood, leaving just ash, and no metal or plastic parts to throw away, unlike a conventional disposable barbecue.
Bring along your own grill, and invite that bloke who brings a guitar camping, and the EcoGrill will send you on your way to your very own Woodstock. AJ
The Canopy Cape
RRP £49.95, from www.camptrails.eu and www.stoneharbour.co.ukRRP £80, available from www.rohan.co.uk
5 stars
THIS large cape provides head to toe protection against mud and rain – and
also doubles up as a shelter. This means it’s pretty much a festival essential going by the typical Scottish summer standards.
It’s made from polyamide, normally seen on high quality tents, and it is covered in waterproof silicone, so if torrential rain does hit you know you
are going to stay dry!
Other features include cord loops at the hem to make it possible to peg out the corners to create a groundsheet.
There is also plenty of room inside, so it could be worn over your rucksack if it’s really wet and muddy. It’s got a great hood too, which can mould over your head, ensuring that your hair stays dry.
This cape is very expensive though, but if you are a seasoned festival goer, or an outdoor enthusiast, this cape will last forever.
And it does what it says on the tin – it really does keep you dry.
JM
Nikwax TX Direct
£8.25 (300ml), available at most good outdoor shops. See www.nikwax.com
5 stars
This product adds water repellency and revives breathability to waterproof fabrics such as Gore-Tex. Use it in the wash, using two full capfuls per garment.
Handy for extra protection during harsh weather.
HB
EcoGrill
RRP £9.99, available from
www.eco-consumer-products.co.uk
4 stars
A novel way of rustling up a sausage sandwich in the wild. the EcoGrill is a rustic-looking barbecue, with charcoal pieces in a hollowed-out alder wood stump. The idea is once the charcoal’s burned through, the heat will continue to burn the wood, leaving just ash, and no metal or plastic parts to throw away, unlike a conventional disposable barbecue.
Bring along your own grill, and invite that bloke who brings a guitar camping, and the EcoGrill will send you on your way to your very own Woodstock. AJ
The Canopy Cape
RRP £49.95, from www.camptrails.eu and www.stoneharbour.co.ukRRP £80, available from www.rohan.co.uk
5 stars
THIS large cape provides head to toe protection against mud and rain – and
also doubles up as a shelter. This means it’s pretty much a festival essential going by the typical Scottish summer standards.
It’s made from polyamide, normally seen on high quality tents, and it is covered in waterproof silicone, so if torrential rain does hit you know you are going to stay dry!
Other features include cord loops at the hem to make it possible to peg out the corners to create a groundsheet.
There is also plenty of room inside, so it could be worn over your rucksack if it’s really wet and muddy. It’s got a great hood too, which can mould over your head, ensuring that your hair stays dry.
This cape is very expensive though, but if you are a seasoned festival goer, or an outdoor enthusiast, this cape will last forever.
And it does what it says on the tin – it really does keep you dry.
