The Ultimate Festival Survival Guide - US

Mud, music and mayhem. And why you should always pack your boots. 

There is one universal truth about festivals. The weather forecast will lie to you. The queue for the toilets will be longer than you thought. And the one item you forget is the one you will miss most. 

If you know, you know. You take your boots. Just in case. 

Ask any seasoned festival goer. The ones who have danced through ankle-deep mud at Coachella, or made it home from Lollapalooza with their dignity (and dry socks) intact. They will tell you. The best thing in your boot this summer is a pair of boots. 

This is not a packing list. It is a survival guide. From the field. For the field. 

1. What They Don’t Put on the Flyer 

There are two types of people at a festival. The ones with the right kit. And the ones slowly dissolving into a puddle of regret. 

A festival is not just a weekend away. It is an expedition. Into joy. Into chaos. And probably into mud. 

You will hear people say, "don’t overpack." They are right. But always pack hand sanitiser, rain gear, and boots you can dance in. 

2. Packing Like You’ve Done This Before

Forget fashion week. This is trench warfare. 

Festival veterans have a rule of three. Stay warm. Stay dry. Stay upright. Most regrets start at ground level. 

Feet First 

Sunny in Coachella or swampy in Chicago, good boots are not negotiable. Many swear by rain boots, some prefer waterproof walking boots, but no one recommends canvas sneakers after three hours in a queue for the toilets. 

"I just wear rain boots with merino wool socks. You are golden." 

Sleep Like You Paid For It 

Earplugs. Eye mask. Headlamp. Want to win the morning coffee queue? Bring a folding chair. And do not forget a tarp. It is a groundsheet, picnic blanket and emergency poncho all in one. 

Day Bag = Lifesaver 

Snacks. Water. Warm sweater. The holy trinity. Pro tip. Take a picture of your tent. By day two it will be lost in a sea of lookalikes. 

3. Rookie Mistakes You Will Only Make Once

• Thinking the toilets won’t be that bad 
• Not waterproofing your bag 
• Forgetting sunscreen 
• Wearing heels 
• Underpacking socks 
• Wearing flip flops. Lasted two hours. Never again. 

4. Rain, Mud and Mayhem

US festivals come with a weather warning. Sun one minute, swamp the next. That is part of the charm. Or trauma, depending on your footwear. 

"Coachella can get ridiculously muddy. If it is wet and you don’t have wellies, it will be miserable." 

Pack like you are dressing for three seasons at once: 

• Poncho or rain jacket 
• Sweater or fleece for night 
• Hat or bandana for sun 
• Waterproof everything 

And boots. Always boots. Even if the forecast is clear, take them. Just in case. Keep Boots in the boot. 

5. Comfort Hacks They Never Mention 

Lock It Up 

At Coachella? Use the free Lockups. Put your keys and passport there on day one. Stop stressing. 

Toiletries 

Wet wipes. Hand sanitiser. Biodegradable loo roll. Toothbrush. You will thank us. 

Hydration 

Do not lug a huge water pack. There is water everywhere. Just bring a collapsible bottle. 

First Aid 

Plasters. Painkillers. Rehydration salts. You are welcome. 

Weird but Useful 

Trim your toenails before you go. Seriously.

7. The Joy Is In The Chaos

What stays with you is not the weather. Or the line-up changes. It is the strangers who become friends. The moment you dance in a rainstorm and no one cares. The first sunrise that feels like yours alone.

"Festival people are fun. It was the first place I felt like I could really be myself." Your first festival will not go to plan. That is the point. Go with the mud. Laugh when your tent leaks. High five someone in the breakfast queue. But pack your boots. Always pack your boots. 

Good boots do not just survive the weekend. They earn the mud on them. 

For handcrafted, festival-ready wellingtons that will see you through Coachella and beyond, visit: 

https://www.lechameau.com/collections/festival-boots

Built to last. Made to dance.