Festival season is upon us. Two months of amazing bands, crazy crowds, beer in plastic cups and mud. And whether you’re off to watch Foo Fighters at Reading or Snow Patrol at Latitude, a massive summer of music awaits you.
But if you’re going to make it through the weekend in one piece, you’ll need some top-notch tech to store in your tent.
Think good headphones, an action camera, portable battery and wireless speakers.
Read on for our top picks…
1. Get some precious me-time with noise cancelling headphones
In a nutshell: Get some time to yourself amongst the crowds with these noise-cancelling headphones
At some point, you’re bound to wake up feeling a bit sore. And when you want to chill out, it can hard to find some peace and quiet. But with the Sony WH-1000XM5 Wireless Bluetooth Noise-Cancelling Headphones, you can.
The audio is sublime – just as you’d expect from Sony – and because they’re Bluetooth, you won’t have to worry about cables getting caught on tent poles.
Just stream music directly from your smartphone while letting the Sony Headphone Connect app pick out the best tunes to suit your mood.
There’s no need to worry about the battery – they last up to 30 hours on a single charge – and can go for 5 hours with just 10 minutes of charging.
Get the Sony WH-1000XM5 Wireless Bluetooth Noise-Cancelling Headphones
2. Get in the thick of it with an action camera
In a nutshell: Make some memories in the mosh pit with a tough GoPro camera
Let’s face it, you’re going to get muddy at a festival. So, the last thing you want is to get your expensive SLR wet and covered in filth.
That’s why you should pack a GoPro HERO instead. They're built for all conditions – meaning you can get up-close-and-personal with your favourite bands, without having to worry about your expensive tech getting bashed about.
GoPros come with loads of cool features, such as a voice function for when your hands are stuck in the air, and a burst mode to capture 15 shots in 1 second – meaning you’ll never miss a moment.
Best of all, they can capture stunning 4K Ultra HD footage and photos, so you can take away some crystal-clear content to stick on social media.
• Small and easy to carry around – strap it to your head to get a first-person view of the action
• Built-in GPS tracks speed, distance and more, to give your content an extra dimension
• Get everyone in shot with the self-timer
3. Boost your phone battery
In a nutshell: Flat battery? Forget about queuing at the charging stations with your own portable power pack
We've got loads to choose from, including weather-resistant models.
4. Keep the party going all night with a portable speaker
In a nutshell: Don’t let the party end when the show is over – take the fun back to your tent with a portable speaker
The small but mighty JBL Charge 5 is perfect for playing music wirelessly from your phone. It pairs easily via both Bluetooth or USB with your smartphone so anyone can hook up and share their music. You can even connect two devices at the same time to share the DJ-ing duties. Plus, it can charge your phone up!
It has a whopping 20 hours of battery life, meaning it can keep the beats pumping all day and long into the night. And, it’s waterproof, so you won’t have to worry if you drop it in the mud – it can even survive in up to 1m of water.
You can link up to 100 JBL Charge 5 speakers for awesome stereo sound – let your friends know, in case they’re thinking of bringing a Bluetooth speaker too.
