Whats your absolute ESSENTIAL GADGET / NEW THING you'll be bringing?

[incident]

6 minutes ago, barkley87 said:

Got any links to the Chinese shop?

It would have been one of AliExpress, BangGood, or Gearbest - honestly couldn't tell you which at the moment. The usual suspects anyway.

[FrankieX]

On the topic of small torches, I've found these do the job very well: https://www.poundland.co.uk/442672-cob-key-light/

And, rather nicely, only cost £1.

[barkley87]

9 minutes ago, incident said:

It would have been one of AliExpress, BangGood, or Gearbest - honestly couldn't tell you which at the moment. The usual suspects anyway.

Cheers, will check them out. It looks good but I don't fancy paying almost £40 for it!

[incident]

Just now, barkley87 said:

Cheers, will check them out. It looks good but I don't fancy paying almost £40 for it!

I've just had a quick look on AliExpress (which is a marketplace rather than an actual store) - several sellers have it for approx £25 including delivery and UK vat so that appears to be the best price at the moment.

[gfa]

2 hours ago, Jacko45 said:

Random TAT to you yes that's maybe. People wouldn't 'forget' they've taken it as they've clearly bought it for a reason.

Few grumpy folk about today I reckon. 

Point is it likely won't even work more than just that its random tat

Have you ever seen anyone using one of those?

[coma girl]

1 hour ago, FrankieX said:

On the topic of small torches, I've found these do the job very well: https://www.poundland.co.uk/442672-cob-key-light/

And, rather nicely, only cost £1.

I got something very similar to that last year, I was pretty impressed with it considering the price.

[coma girl]

14 minutes ago, gfa said:

Point is it likely won't even work more than just that its random tat

Have you ever seen anyone using one of those?

I have one of the beer carriers and found it worked fine, I didn't spill any more beer than I would have done had I been trying to juggle 2 or 3 paper pint pots tbh.

Also got one of the beer lanyards, yes its no use when the pint is full but I prefer to carry a reusable plastic pint cup for beer and having the lanyard meant I didn't lose it between drinks and also meant my hands were free when I finished the drink.

As the previous poster pointed out one person's tat is someone else's essential. As long as stuff is used and brought home again then who cares.

[CaledonianGonzo]

The bars haven't stopped giving out the 4 pint carriers though - have they?

[coma girl]

2 minutes ago, CaledonianGonzo said:

The bars haven't stopped giving out the 4 pint carriers though - have they?

Judging by the amount dumped on the floor last year I don't think so. I prefer something I can re-use though.

Handy for carrying hot drinks too if people want coffee in the morning.

[mungo57]

53 minutes ago, coma girl said:

I have one of the beer carriers and found it worked fine, I didn't spill any more beer than I would have done had I been trying to juggle 2 or 3 paper pint pots tbh.

Also got one of the beer lanyards, yes its no use when the pint is full but I prefer to carry a reusable plastic pint cup for beer and having the lanyard meant I didn't lose it between drinks and also meant my hands were free when I finished the drink.

As the previous poster pointed out one person's tat is someone else's essential. As long as stuff is used and brought home again then who cares.

That was my main reason for the lanyard, that and when I’m standing not drinking my pint I can keep my hands free if needs be. Thinking about it they’re not great for long distances but I think it’ll come in handy.

 

and I plan to take it home too not bin iT straight after the festival.

[MEGATRONICMEATWAGON]

Judging by the last two pages, the most essential item is a 10x pack of carabiner clips so you can turn your bag into a giant festival keychain. 

[PassingCloud]

5 hours ago, barkley87 said:

Cheers, will check them out. It looks good but I don't fancy paying almost £40 for it!

Still not cheap,  but this is decent. I like a light that does red light when using in tent before sleep

https://www.absolute-snow.co.uk/biolite-travelight-135-usb-lantern--power-pack?v=159366&fc=GBP/?keyword=&gclid=EAIaIQobChMItJCuveii_gIVgtPtCh0q5wnMEAQYASABEgJIHPD_BwE

Edited April 11, 2023 by PassingCloud

[CaledonianGonzo]

May not be brighter, but a Petzl keeps your hands free.

[Jacko45]

Headtorches are unbelievable additions to a festival.

No more fumbling around the tent using one hand to stabilise and other holding the torch. 

Had one of these for 2 years great bit of kit.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Blukar-Rechargeable-Headlamp-Headlight-Waterproof/dp/B09BJV39FB/ref=sr_1_5?crid=7F3MTS6O4O1A&keywords=head+torch&qid=1681286502&sprefix=head+to%2Caps%2C300&sr=8-5

[coma girl]

13 minutes ago, Jacko45 said:

Headtorches are unbelievable additions to a festival.

No more fumbling around the tent using one hand to stabilise and other holding the torch. 

Had one of these for 2 years great bit of kit.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Blukar-Rechargeable-Headlamp-Headlight-Waterproof/dp/B09BJV39FB/ref=sr_1_5?crid=7F3MTS6O4O1A&keywords=head+torch&qid=1681286502&sprefix=head+to%2Caps%2C300&sr=8-5

Looks good, how's the battery life on it? I haven't used a rechargeable head torch before.

Taking a blackout tent for the first time this year so I will need to have a couple of decent lights I reckon.

[Jacko45]

Just now, coma girl said:

Looks good, how's the battery life on it? I haven't used a rechargeable head torch before.

Taking a blackout tent for the first time this year so I will need to have a couple of decent lights I reckon.

Ermm hard to say in actual hours, but I feel like I've charged it twice in 2 years haha.

So pretty good. 

[stuie]

12 hours ago, mungo57 said:

That was my main reason for the lanyard, that and when I’m standing not drinking my pint I can keep my hands free if needs be. Thinking about it they’re not great for long distances but I think it’ll come in handy.

It's always difficult to join in with the applause when holding a beer so it could be useful for that! 🙂 

[coma girl]

4 minutes ago, Jacko45 said:

Ermm hard to say in actual hours, but I feel like I've charged it twice in 2 years haha.

So pretty good. 

Sounds like a full charge will last the festival then.

Thanks, think I will buy myself one of them.

[giantkatestacks]

22 minutes ago, stuie said:

It's always difficult to join in with the applause when holding a beer so it could be useful for that! 🙂 

Do you not hoist it aloft while making the noise of a full blooded penalty shout?

[Mark E. Spliff]

For festivals, your torch is just for slow, close-range stuff like picking your way through guy-ropes and rummaging through your rucksack, so don't need to be bright.  Personally, I see brightness as undesirable as you just end up doing the worst 'searching for pants' shadow-puppet show on the wall of your tent, and you might as well pay someone with a trombone to follow you playing your 'going for a 2am shit' theme.

The cylindrical ones with loads of little LED bulbs you see for a pound in service stations are ideal as they're unobtrusive in your pocket and the batteries last forever.  They also do this budget type as headtorches, which have the advantage of not blinding people when you look at them.

Edited April 12, 2023 by Mark E. Spliff

[paddyclark]

Would never be without

 

[Twiggy553]

3 hours ago, paddyclark said:

Would never be without

 

Agreed

[gfa]

Phone torch works fine for me honestly

[TGCarr]

Probably been asked.

 

But what's the best cheapest single matress? 

[incident]

43 minutes ago, TGCarr said:

Probably been asked.

 

But what's the best cheapest single matress? 

A lilo from Poundland or similar